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Webcam Not Working on Windows

Work through these fixes in order. A black picture or a "camera not found" message usually has a simple cause.

Test it first

Open the webcam test in another tab. If you see yourself there, the camera works and the problem is inside one app. Skip to step 5.

1. Open the privacy shutter

Many laptops and webcams have a small sliding cover over the lens, and some laptops have a camera key on the keyboard (often an F key with a camera symbol) that switches the camera off. A completely black picture almost always means one of these.

2. Check the connection

3. Allow camera access in privacy settings

  1. Open Settings › Privacy & security › Camera. On Windows 10, it's Settings › Privacy › Camera.
  2. Turn on Camera access and Let apps access your camera.
  3. Turn on Let desktop apps access your camera. Browsers count as desktop apps.

4. Check the camera is turned on

  1. Open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Cameras (Windows 11).
  2. Select your camera. If you see a Turn on or Enable button, select it.
  3. The preview on this page shows whether Windows can see a picture.

5. Allow the camera in your browser

  1. Click the icon to the left of the web address, set Camera to Allow, then reload the page.
  2. If you have more than one camera, choose the right one in the browser's Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings › Camera.

6. Close other apps using the camera

Usually only one app can use the camera at a time. Quit call and streaming apps such as Teams, Zoom, Skype, Discord or OBS, including from the system tray, then try again.

7. Update or reinstall the driver

  1. Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.
  2. Expand Cameras (or Imaging devices) and right-click your webcam.
  3. Choose Update driver. If that doesn't help, choose Uninstall device, then restart; Windows reinstalls it.
  4. If the camera isn't listed at all, check for it under Other devices, or install the driver from your laptop or webcam maker's website.

8. Check antivirus and restart

Some security apps have their own webcam protection that blocks access. Check its settings, then restart the computer.

Still not working?

Try the webcam on another computer. If it doesn't work there either, the camera or its cable is faulty. If a built-in laptop camera is missing from Device Manager even after updates, it may need repair.

Frequently asked questions

The picture is very dark or grainy.

Add light in front of you, not behind you, and wipe the lens. Webcams struggle in dim rooms and pick up noise.

The camera works in the Camera app but not in my browser.

Check step 3, especially Let desktop apps access your camera, and step 5.

Windows says the camera is in use by another app.

Close the other app, or restart the computer if you can't find it.