macOS service · The camera (macOS)
Why cameracaptured keeps your Mac awake
cameracaptured handles the camera for apps. While any app uses the camera, it holds “cameracaptured-idleSleepPreventionForBWFigCaptureDevice”, so a video call doesn’t end because the Mac fell asleep. The green camera light is on at the same time. If you see it with no call going on, an app still has the camera open.
Checked on macOS 27.2.1 on a MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, 11 November 2026.
What you’ll see
| Type | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
PreventUserIdleSystemSleep | cameracaptured-idleSleepPreventionForBWFigCaptureDevice | An app is using the camera. |
Check it on your Mac
Open Terminal (in Applications › Utilities) and run:
pmset -g assertions
Real output from the Mac we checked:
pid 613(cameracaptured): [0x00005fad00019277] 00:25:41 PreventUserIdleSystemSleep named: "cameracaptured-idleSleepPreventionForBWFigCaptureDevice"
This was a 25-minute video call.
Activity Monitor shows the same thing without Terminal: open its Energy tab and look at the Preventing Sleep column.
What to do
- Check which app uses the camera: Control Center shows apps that are using the camera or microphone at the top.
- End the call or close the window that uses the camera.
See it without Terminal
SleepPilot, a menu bar app, lists every app that is keeping your Mac awake right now by name — audio through coreaudiod is shown under the app that plays it — and warns you when one holds the Mac awake for too long while nobody is using it. Each morning it can show what kept the Mac awake overnight.
Questions
Is it safe to quit cameracaptured?
No. Close the app that uses the camera instead.
Is cameracaptured keeping my Mac awake normal?
Normal during a video call. Worth a look when the camera should be off.
Does cameracaptured keep the display on?
The Mac awake.
Other things that keep a Mac awake
- coreaudiod — Keeps the Mac awake while any app plays or records sound, even silence.
- Telegram — “Phone Call” and “Video Playing” while you’re on a call or watching a video.
- Google Chrome — “Playing audio”, “Video Wake Lock”, “Capturing” or “Download in progress”.
- All of them
- Guide: why won’t my Mac sleep?