How to turn off (disable) the webcam
Turning off a regular webcam is very simple. just disconnect it from the USB port, for built-in models this process will be a little more complicated, but it also does not require any special skills. To do this, you need to find it in the list of the device manager, right-click on it and click on “Disable” in the menu that appears. This is the easiest, fastest and most reliable method if there is no mechanical switch on the case. For the reverse process, you need to repeat this procedure by selecting the “Enable” menu item. The current status of the camera can be determined by the indicator (LED), which is located next to it.
ASUS notebooks (ASUS)
Almost all Asus laptops are equipped with built-in webcams, which can be turned on by pressing two buttons on the keyboard at the same time. These are Fn (bottom left) and the keys that show the camera icon, usually it is located in the uppermost horizontal row.
Some Asus netbook models have a dedicated mechanical switch that is easy to spot at the top of the screen. It has two positions (ON and OFF), with which you can turn on and off the broadcast of the video image.
The disk that comes with the device contains the Life Frame utility, which is designed to control a web camera. In case of absence, you can download it and all the necessary drivers on the official website of the company.
Step-by-step instructions for enabling a webcam in Windows 7
The easiest and fastest way is to click on the “Start” menu, in the search bar that appears, enter the word “webcam” and press “Enter”. After that, the user will be offered a list from which he needs to choose the most suitable result.
If in this way it was not possible to find your webcam, then you need to follow a few simple steps sequentially.
- Click on the “Start” button and select “Control Panel” in the list that appears:
- In the window that appears, set the “Category” view mode, and then go to the “Hardware and Sound” section:
- In the list you need to select “Device Manager”, this is one of the items in the “Devices and Printers” section.
You can get here in other ways, for example: “Start” → right-click on “My Computer” → Properties. In the window that appears (on its left side), one of the items will be “Device Manager”.
Depending on the type of webcam (built into a laptop or external), it can be in different groups:
- “Image processing devices”;
- “Sound, video and game devices”.
At the same time, its name can contain the name of the manufacturer and model, or a general characteristic, for example. “USB video device”. Double-clicking the mouse will open a window that will contain information about whether the device is working normally. If there are problems, then you need to go to the “Driver” tab, insert the CD from the kit and click the “Update” button. Then, in the dialog that appears, specify the path to the folder with the webcam drivers on the CD.
You can also enable the built-in webcam on your laptop by installing the selected communication program. Skype, agent or any other. After installation and registration in the system, it will be possible to check all functions, including the built-in microphone, if any, and select the preferred device from the proposed list of detected.
Typical errors in the web-camera
A disabled camera in the device manager is activated by clicking “Enable” in the menu that will drop out after clicking the right mouse button on the selected camera.
The error in work is corrected by pressing “Delete” and restarting the laptop. If this does not help, then reinstall the driver.
If these measures do not help, you should contact the service center to repair the camera.
Most laptops are already equipped with special programs for working with video at the factory. These can be Asus ECam Utility, HP Cyberlink YouCam, Lenovo EasyCapture and others. All of them have a clear interface and are designed for a novice user. Removing them does not lead to the loss of the device’s camera.
Quick check of camera health
Make sure a video camera is installed on your laptop. It is located in the upper part above the screen. it is a small peephole and an LED next to it. Most often, problems arise due to the fact that the mobile camera is simply turned off or there is no USB connection from the external device. Let’s use the following methods:
- a combination of pressing the Fn V buttons (indicated by a blue camera icon) on the keyboard. This combination is standard on all mobile PCs. As a result, the camera should be displayed on the taskbar. If this does not happen, then the problem is in the driver or device malfunction;
- checking the camera online. To do this, go to the page of any site that provides such a service. Run the application and the “Allow” button will appear on the screen, turn it on and see your image. This indicates the health of the camera;
- enable the camera in specialized applications Skype or Movie Maker.
System health check
Having opened the device manager, we will see the status of the laptop webcam, the state of its driver and possible malfunctions. Access to it opens like this:
-
We go to the “Control Panel”. click “Device Manager” or “System”, depending on the version of the operating system.
In the device manager we find our camera or the “Image processing devices” tab.
There are three options for further development of events:
- the webcam is not detected by the computer. This happens due to a hardware failure or problems with connecting an external camera. Eliminate the flaw and update the page;
- the device is not recognized, but in its place there is unknown equipment that requires connection. Information about this can be duplicated on the taskbar in the lower right corner of the screen. The malfunction is solved by installing the necessary driver or updating the old one;
- The webcam is recognized, but there is an exclamation mark in a yellow triangle next to it indicating a malfunction. An arrow in a circle means a shutdown in the operating system.
Interesting! The driver is installed from the official website of the laptop manufacturer. For some operating systems, there is no separate driver for the webcam, it is installed along with the Windows update.
How to connect the built-in WEB-camera on a laptop
Almost all modern laptops are equipped with built-in webcams that allow you to communicate with loved ones via video calls, take instant pictures and even replace a mirror. Usually these devices are turned on by default, but the webcam may stop functioning for various reasons.
CyberLink YouCam
Cyberlink YouCam offers users advanced features to get the most out of their webcam. The program allows you to create clips, presentations, add dynamic effects, filters, colorful frames. Application advantages:

How To Use Laptop Built in Camera 2019 | How To Enable Laptop Camera? 2019
- screen capture function;
- the use of special effects in real time;
- a large number of animated templates;
- built-in privacy protections;
- painting tools.
The program is perfectly optimized with Windows 8 and 10. In addition, it has the function of remembering the user’s face.
How to Convert Laptop Webcams to USB Webcams
Official site. cyberlink.com
How to turn on the camera on a laptop on Windows 7 or XP
So, you have connected your webcam to your PC and are ready to start setting up. This process will differ depending on the OS version you are using. So let’s look at different options.
Let’s start with instructions for those who want to turn on the camera on Windows 7 and XP. There will be no difference in instructions for these versions, and therefore we will not consider them separately.
- First, launch the “Control Panel”.
- In the upper right corner of the window, select the “Category” view mode.
- Go to the Hardware and Sound section.
- After that, you need to find the subsection “Devices and Printers”, but do not go into it.
- Instead, click on the “Device Manager” button next to.
- You will see a list of devices, where you need to find your camera in the appropriate section.
- Double click on its name.
- A window with information about the operation of the camera will open in front of you; here you can turn on the camera if it is turned off.
If everything is fine, the device is working properly and it is turned on, you can start working with the camera.
Webcam software
How to turn on the camcorder on a laptop
A webcam is an essential feature of any modern laptop. With its help, you can chat on Skype, create video conferencing and take photos. Built-in cameras are turned on by default, and there are several ways to check its readiness for operation.
How to turn on the webcam on a laptop?
Almost all modern laptops are equipped with built-in webcams that allow you to communicate with loved ones via video calls, take instant pictures and even replace a mirror. Usually these devices are turned on by default, but the webcam may stop functioning for various reasons.
Installing the driver
If, after turning on the webcam in hardware, something unidentified appears in the device manager, install the driver on it. The best way is to download it from the website of the laptop manufacturer or the webcam itself, if you know its model for sure. Or install from a disk, if one was included with your device.
If you do not know the exact name of the laptop model, turn it over. On the bottom cover of each laptop there is a sticker where it is indicated.
This is how the branded label of the MSI MS-1757 laptop looks like:
Having identified the model, find it on the manufacturer’s website and download the driver for your operating system in the “Support” section. Install as a normal application, after installation, reboot the machine.
By the way, there may not be a separate webcam driver for some OS versions, since it is included in Windows (USB Video Class Driver). Problems with this group of drivers are solved by installing updates or fixing Windows errors.
How to check if the camera is working?
Many users check if the camera works in the programs installed on the laptop. For example, they call friends and family on Skype. However, this method is not 100% reliable. The fact is that the webcam can be disabled in the settings of an application while in working order.
To find out if the camera is really turned on, special online services allow. One of the simplest and most convenient is WebcamMic Test. To check the video camera, the user needs to:
- Follow the link webcammictest.com.
- Click on the button “Check webcam”.
- When using the service for the first time, the browser may ask for consent to turn on the device. You need to confirm the action by selecting the “Allow” option.
If the camera is turned on and working properly, the user will see his image on the laptop or PC screen. Otherwise, the following message will appear.
In addition, you can find out if the webcam is turned on on the laptop, and without access to the Internet. Windows 10 computers have a standard application installed that allows you to perform this check. You need to open the “Start” menu and find in it a program called “Camera”.
The webcam will automatically turn on at startup, and an image from it will appear on the screen. A malfunction will be indicated by a corresponding notification.
How to set up a camera on a laptop
After turning on the camera on your Windows laptop, you may need to configure it. The camera is configured not through the system, but right inside the application with which you will use it. For example, you can customize the camera image in Skype. To do this, it is enough to do the following:
- Run the application.
- Log in.
- Click on the three dots next to your profile name.
- In the menu that appears, select “Settings”.
- In the left pane, open the “Sound and Video” section.
- Then on the right, you can configure the camera as you wish.
Setting up through other applications and messengers is similar. You just need to find the correct settings section.