Troubleshooting: Camera Not Working

The most common issue is that your browser has not been given permission to access the camera. When you first tap Scan in AskBiz POS, your browser should show a permission popup asking to allow camera access.

If you dismissed this popup or clicked Block, you need to reset the permission:

• Chrome (Android/Desktop) — tap the padlock icon in the address bar → Site settings → Camera → Allow
• Safari (iPhone/iPad) — go to Settings → Safari → Camera → set to Allow
• Firefox — tap the padlock icon → Permissions → Camera → Allow

After changing the permission, refresh the page and tap Scan again.

If the camera opens but shows a black screen or a frozen image:

1. Check that no other app is using the camera (video call, another browser tab, mirror app)

2. Close and reopen the browser tab — this resets the camera session

3. Restart the browser entirely if the issue persists

4. On mobile, try switching between the front and rear cameras using the camera toggle in the scan view

If you are on a laptop with a privacy shutter, make sure it is open. Some laptops also have a keyboard shortcut (often F8 or Fn+F8) that toggles the camera on and off.

If the camera opens and shows a live image but fails to recognise barcodes:

• Improve lighting — barcode scanning struggles in dim environments. Turn on overhead lights or enable the camera flash in POS scan settings
• Hold steady — keep the barcode still in the centre of the frame for at least one second
• Clean the lens — fingerprints and smudges reduce sharpness, especially on phones
• Check the barcode — damaged, wrinkled, or very small barcodes may not scan. Try typing the barcode number manually as a fallback
• Reduce distance — hold the barcode 10–20 cm from the camera, not further

If AskBiz says No camera detected, your device either does not have a camera or the browser cannot find it.

• Desktop without a webcam — use an external USB webcam or switch to an external barcode scanner instead
• Browser does not support camera access — ensure you are using a modern browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge). Older browsers or in-app browsers (e.g. opening AskBiz from within Facebook) may not support camera access
• Device restrictions — some corporate or school-managed devices have camera access disabled at the operating system level. Check with your IT administrator

As a workaround, you can always type barcode numbers manually or use the product search to add items to the basket.