# Allow your browser to use the microphone and camera at the OS level

Before a browser can pass your microphone and camera through to the Cloud Voice App, your operating system has to allow it. If audio or video still fails after you have granted the in-browser permission, the block is usually at the system level. Follow the section that matches your computer.

:::note
These are system-wide privacy controls. Turning a device off here blocks every app, not just your browser, so check these settings first when nothing can reach your mic or camera.
:::

## Windows

Open the **Start** menu, select **Settings**, then choose **Privacy**.

:::note
Windows has two separate switches for each device. There is a device-level switch (**Camera for this device** / **Microphone for this device**) and an app-level switch (**Allow apps to access your camera** / **microphone**). Both must be on, or the browser still gets nothing.
:::

### Turn on the camera

1. In the left-hand list, select **Camera**.
2. Under **Allow access to the camera on this device**, click **Change** and confirm that **Camera for this device** is switched on.

   ![Windows camera access turned on for the device](/images/pbx/camera_windows.png)
3. Switch on **Allow apps to access your camera**.
4. Scroll to **Choose which apps can access your camera** and allow the browser you use for Cloud Voice video conferences.

   ![Windows app list with the browser permitted to use the camera](/images/pbx/web-browser-camera.png)

### Turn on the microphone

1. In the left-hand list, select **Microphone**.
2. Under **Allow access to the microphone on this device**, click **Change** and confirm that **Microphone for this device** is switched on.

   ![Windows microphone access turned on for the device](/images/pbx/microphone_windows.png)
3. Switch on **Allow apps to access your microphone**.
4. Scroll to **Choose which apps can access your microphone** and allow the browser you use for the Cloud Voice App.

   ![Windows app list with the browser permitted to use the microphone](/images/pbx/web-browser-micro.png)

## macOS

Open the **Apple menu**, choose **System Preferences** > **Security & Privacy** > **Privacy**.

### Turn on the camera

1. In the left-hand list, select **Camera**.
2. Tick the checkbox for each browser you use to start or join video conferences.

   ![macOS Camera privacy pane with browser checkboxes selected](/images/pbx/camera_macos.png)

### Turn on the microphone

1. In the left-hand list, select **Microphone**.
2. Tick the checkbox for each browser you use to start or join video conferences.

   
   ![Cloud Voice, macOS Microphone privacy pane with browser checkboxes selected](/images/pbx/microphone_macos.png)

:::tip
If the browser was already open while you changed these settings, fully close and reopen it, then reload the Cloud Voice App tab. The new permission is picked up when the browser restarts, not always straight away.
:::