The challenge of asking for camera and microphone permission

Many users complain that during their video call sessions, their camera or microphone isn't working properly.

Even though the current app has a "waiting room" feature that lets users check their camera and microphone before meeting with psychologists and psychiatrists, granting camera access to applications is not something that everyone can do with ease. Users still find it confusing when their screen goes blank and they have no idea what to do next.

How can we ask for user permission?

Firstly, I drew a lot of inspiration from the Instagram app. Their request feels natural, human, and purposeful. They also include a call-to-action to open the app settings directly.

I also take a look at Apple Human Interaction guidelines on how to write better permission request texts

How I improve the design

When the user enters the waiting room before entering the call, I craft a short copy to show the user why we need to access their camera directly in the permission request message. If the user allows, the camera will be active to give the user a clue that giving access makes the app functional, and then the app will ask for microphone access later.

In the other case where the user unintentionally (or intentionally) doesn't allow access, there is a message to explain to the user again. This time, I made it easier for users to navigate to their app permission settings (which is hard to find for many users). I also included a message that says, "You can turn off your camera later" to assure them that privacy and control are in their hands.

Key takeaway

Through this project, I learned that it can be challenging to provide users with the best experience while working within limitations. Even though I couldn't allow users to directly turn on and off their access in the app, I was able to communicate with them through text and carefully craft copy to humanize the experience.