Fix guide · Microphone test
How to fix "NotAllowedError: Permission denied" for your microphone or camera
NotAllowedError means the browser refused to give this page your microphone or camera. Someone, or something, said no: you clicked Block once, the site is blocked in browser settings, the operating system hides the device from the browser, or a company policy turns it off. The device itself is usually fine. Use the live check below, then follow the steps until it passes.
Quick fix checklist
- 1Click the lock or tune icon on the left of the address bar, set Microphone and Camera to Allow, then reload the page.
- 2Open your browser site settings and remove this site from the Blocked list.
- 3On Windows open Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone (or Camera) and turn on access for apps and for your browser.
- 4On a Mac open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone (or Camera) and switch on your browser.
- 5Quit and reopen the browser after changing system settings, then press Check again.
What causes NotAllowedError
The browser throws NotAllowedError (older versions say "Permission denied" or "PermissionDeniedError") when permission is missing at any of four levels: the page, the browser, the operating system or an administrator policy. A click on Block remembers your answer, so the prompt never appears again until you reset it.
It also appears when a page is inside an embedded frame that has no permission to ask. An embedded tool must be given the microphone and camera permission by the page that hosts it.
Fix it on a work or school computer
If the steps above change nothing, an administrator may have disabled the microphone or camera for browsers. Settings look correct but stay greyed out or revert after a restart. Ask your IT team to allow the device for your browser, or try the test on a personal device to confirm the hardware works.
For developers: avoid triggering it
Request access only after a user gesture such as a button click, serve the page over HTTPS, and when you embed a frame add allow="microphone; camera" to the iframe. Catch the error and show clear instructions instead of a blank screen. The microphone test does exactly this.
FAQ
Common questions
What does NotAllowedError mean?
The browser blocked access to your microphone or camera because permission was denied by you, by the browser, by the operating system or by a policy.
Why does the permission prompt never appear?
You probably chose Block earlier and the browser remembered it. Reset the site permission from the lock icon in the address bar, then reload.
Is NotAllowedError the same as Permission denied?
Yes. Current browsers use the name NotAllowedError, and some show the older text Permission denied or PermissionDeniedError for the same problem.
Does fixing it expose my audio or video?
No. Allowing access only lets this page read the live signal on your device. The check runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded or recorded.