Fixing Camera Not Working Problem on Windows 10 Laptop
The built-in hardware in a laptop may not perform perfectly for a variety of reasons. Often users are faced with the fact that the webcam, which is built into the laptop, refuses to start. The option of a hardware breakdown of the built-in webcam itself is not excluded, but you need to understand that this is rather an exception. Most often, the webcam does not work due to problems with drivers and various system software, therefore, you can solve the problem with the webcam not working on your own.

Unidentified device
This option should be considered if the laptop was recently purchased and / or you are trying to connect a third-party webcam. It is possible that Windows simply does not see the new device. In this case, you just have to “make” him see:
- Launch Device Manager. This can be done using the system search box, which is invoked by the WinS keyboard shortcut. You can also open a special menu by right-clicking on the “Start” icon or using the WinX keyboard shortcut.
- From this menu, select the “Device Manager” option, which is most suitable in our case.
In the presented catalog of connected devices, open the “Cameras” branch. This thread should contain both the built-in webcam and the external plug-in.
Ideally, everything should work after that. However, if this is not the case, then do not forget about possible problems with drivers, system settings and BIOS. If, nevertheless, there is reason to believe that the problem lies in a malfunction of the equipment, then, most likely, these are problems with contacts, connectors, a loop.
Incorrect system settings
Due to incorrect Windows 10 settings, the webcam on the laptop may also not work. precisely, access to it is simply blocked either in the entire system or for certain accounts or applications. Give the system access to the webcam using the Windows “Options”:
- Go to the “Settings” of the operating system. This can be done by opening the “Start” menu and selecting “Options” there, marked with a gear icon. A similar result will be obtained if you use the WinI key combination.
- Among the sections presented, go to “Confidentiality”.
Rolling back drivers and installing them
Windows 10 is convenient in that the user is usually not required to independently search for and install all the drivers necessary for operation. On all devices that the operating system manages to detect, the installation of drivers occurs automatically. However, it does not always happen correctly, plus, the operating system does not always manage to find the necessary software on the Internet.
In such cases, you yourself will have to look for the necessary drivers and install them on your computer. There are many ways to do this, so it is impossible to consider all of them in the context of one article. We can give certain recommendations:
- It is better to download drivers from the official website of the laptop or webcam developer if you are trying to set up a camera separate from the laptop. Just enter the manufacturer’s name into the search box in any browser and add something like “download drivers for web cameras” to it;
- From the search results, go to the manufacturer’s official website and open the page with drivers there. The actions on the site may vary depending on the manufacturer;
- It is likely that you will need to fill in the appropriate fields about your laptop to download the drivers. Most often, they ask you to indicate the exact model of the laptop, the operating system and its bit depth;
- After downloading the executable exe-file from the official site, proceed with its installation. To do this, just double-click on it and follow the instructions of the installer itself. There will be nothing complicated. just click “Next” and “Finish”.
However, more often than not, Windows 10 still manages to independently find the necessary drivers and install them. True, the installation or update of these drivers may not occur correctly, so you will need to rollback to the previously installed driver version:
- Launch “Device Manager” and expand the branch with the webcam.
- Right-click on the name of the webcam and go to “Properties” from the context menu.
- There, in the “Driver” tab, you need to use the “Roll Back” button. If the button is inactive, it means that the operating system has installed drivers only once and there is simply nowhere to roll them back. In this case, you just have to either install the drivers according to the recommendations above or perform a complete reinstallation of the device.
The webcam drivers will be reloaded into the system. A reboot may be required.
Uninstalled Windows updates
Updates are regularly released for the “dozens”, which fix certain errors that were present in previous builds of the system. Some updates may bring new issues. Unfortunately, it is not possible to roll back Windows 10 updates. True, the fixes come out very quickly, so you just need to wait for the next update and install it on the system.
Also, problems in the operation of Windows 10 components can occur when many uninstalled updates have accumulated. In this case, you need to install them.
In any case, the sequence of actions will be as follows:
- Open the “Options” operating system. For example, we will use a combination of WinI, but you can use any method that suits you.
- From the list of sections of the “Options” menu, go to “Update and Security”.
Additionally, it may be necessary to reboot the system after the updates, if it does not do it itself. After installing all the missing updates, check if the webcam is working.
Reinstalling equipment
If there is a camera in the “Device Manager” or appeared after the performed manipulations, but still does not work, then you should try to reinstall the corresponding software. This is also done through the “Device Manager”:
- If you closed the “Device Manager”, then reopen it. How to do it was written above.
- Find the “problematic” webcam among the devices presented. Right-click on its name and select the “Remove device” option from the context menu.
This option is great for minor software glitches in the webcam drivers or other third-party software used by the device. True, if there was a more significant failure in the operation of the drivers, then it is better to reinstall them or roll back to a previously stable version, which will be the next solution to the problem.
How to restore webcam operation on a laptop in Windows 10
Since the problems that you can solve on your own are programmatic in nature, we recommend that you pay attention to drivers and system updates. If the equipment has hardware damage, contact the specialists for help or replace the webcam if you purchased it separately from the laptop.
Next, let’s look at the most common software errors due to which the webcam on a Windows 10 laptop does not work.
Camera not working on laptop. solution
1 Check if it is enabled
First of all, you need to check if it works at all. Look on the keyboard the key on which the camera is drawn, it must be pressed together with the FN key. Usually this is a keyboard shortcut: FN ESC or FN F10, or FN V.
Everything will work immediately and a special application for working with a webcam will immediately appear in Windows 10.
2 Checking application access
If the webcam does not work in certain programs, then they are simply denied access to it in the system settings. It needs to be resolved.
Press the WIN I keys on the keyboard and open the “Privacy” section.
In the left column, switch to the “Camera” section. In the right window in the access block, click on the “Change” button and enable it. Below you will see all applications that have and do not have access to the camera.
Interesting! Always check the WEB-camera from different programs so that it is clear whether it works at all. If not, then the problem is already in the drivers or in the hardware itself.
The camera on the laptop does not work: why and what to do
The camera does not work. a fairly common situation on laptops. Although it is set up as simply and quickly as possible, sometimes problems can arise.
often than not, these are just software errors that you can quickly fix yourself. In any case, we will analyze in detail what to do in this situation in this article.
From the past material, you learned how to turn on the camera on a laptop. Now we will consider the most popular problems that may arise in her work.
Interesting! The instruction is universal for all laptop models: Acer, Lenovo, Toshiba and others. Also, the material is suitable for external webcams that connect to a computer.
4 The camera itself
In rare cases, this may be a malfunction of the camera itself, i.e. devices. To make sure of this for sure. take the laptop to a service center. Before that, try reinstalling Windows anyway.
Sometimes the system completely refuses to see the webcam and not work with it. At the same time, no other actions except reinstalling the system help. If after that nothing works, then definitely bring it to the service.
Interesting! In some cases, the device can be turned off in the BIOS settings. You can check this, but this happens extremely rarely, more often there is no item with a webcam in the BIOS at all.
3 Checking the drivers
Press WIN Print Screen on your keyboard and open Device Manager in the left column.
Expand the section with imaging devices and see how the webcam is displayed here.
- If everything is fine and the device is displayed without icons. right-click and disable, then immediately enable
- Gray arrow icon. right click and activate
- Yellow icon. right click and delete. Then restart the laptop, when turned on, the driver will reinstall itself
If there is no such section at all or it is empty, then the driver is not installed. You need to download it from the website of your laptop manufacturer.
How to Fix Zoom Camera (Webcam) Not Working Problems on Windows 10
Let’s look for a driver using a laptop as an example. HP ProBook 445 G6. Go to the manufacturer’s official website in the software and drivers section. https://support.HP.com/en-us/drivers/laptops. Enter the model name and search.
The site will automatically detect your operating system version and display a list of software. We need a section with input devices. Open it and download the driver for Camera, then install. Reboot the laptop and check everything for working capacity.
In any case, the problem is solvable and is most often caused by a banal deactivation with the keys and can be easily turned on. Enjoy your video chats on the network.
Divorces when buying and selling an iPhone on Avito: new deception schemes
The error when the camera is not working on a Windows 10 laptop is quite rare. Webcams or built-in cameras on laptops and tablets rarely break down or have system errors. But if this happens, then in this case. there are several ways to solve this problem. In this article, we will explain why the camera does not work on Windows 10 and how to fix this problem.
Before proceeding with the analysis and solution of the problem, let’s make sure that the PC does not see the Windows 10 WEB camera, not because of connection problems:
- Make sure the device is connected correctly, try using other connectors;
- If possible, check its operation on another PC (if it is a USB webcam);
- Check the cable. whether there are strong bends and cuts on it (sometimes even bite marks if there are pets).
If an external examination and check of the connection did not reveal any damage or breakdown, then we proceed to ways to solve the problem, why the web camera does not work on Windows 10.
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The camera does not work on a laptop with Windows 10: what to do?
0xa00f4244
Error 0xa00f4244 Windows 10 camera not working occurs due to device connection problems. The error is accompanied by a short description. No Cameras Are Attached, which means no devices are found or attached to a device.
Follow these steps to fix this problem:
- Make sure the device is connected to your computer. Try plugging into other USB ports.
- In the Device Manager, the device must be turned on (if the icon has a down arrow, then the device is turned off).
- Update the driver from Method.
This is a fairly common mistake, but it can be solved just as easily.
Error codes
The error code describes a specific problem in the system. by them it is easier to determine (or find on the Internet) the cause of the occurrence. In some cases, when the computer does not see the Windows 10 camera, it is better to have an error code to make it easier to solve.
0xa00f4292
With error 0xa00f4292, when the Windows 10 camera does not work, the situation is slightly different, unlike past errors. It is accompanied by a brief description of Photo Capture Start Time Out or Start time out.
The principle of action for solving the problem, as in the Method, only for the video card:
- Try updating through the Update Center;
- If it did not work, then download through the manufacturer’s website and complete the installation;
- Or install the old version;
- A “clean install” can also help. complete removal of the driver and reinstallation (preferably from the manufacturer’s website).
How to protect yourself from peeping through the camera on Windows without sticking the “peephole”
Downloading the correct software
You can also understand why the camera on a laptop does not work in another way in the “Device Manager”. When the user finds a column with a camera, then you need to pay attention to whether there is an exclamation mark opposite it. Its presence means that the drivers are missing or the wrong software is installed. To fix this problem, you should first determine the brand of your laptop, and then proceed to the manufacturer’s official website. They regularly post drivers for different devices so that customers can keep their equipment in working order. Such resources have a separate page where the software is collected. You just need to find the necessary files among the total and upload them to yourself. After that, all that remains is to perform the installation on the computer, which will take a maximum of several minutes. Next, perform a new check that will determine the status of the camera. If nothing has changed, then it remains to go to the last point.
Camera not working on laptop: troubleshooting
The problem that has arisen with the fact that the camera does not work on a laptop must be solved by each person. This breakdown does not allow you to communicate with the video through special programs, and therefore you should find its cause. The article discusses the most famous causes of difficulties and ways to eliminate them.
Special applications
If the camera on the laptop does not work, then this does not necessarily indicate a breakdown in the user’s device. Perhaps it is just turned off by default and needs to be activated. On laptops of most models, manufacturers install a special utility that is responsible for controlling the camera. For example, EasyCapture or HP Camera in Lenovo and HP. You can find it by searching in the Start menu to save time. Open the program and take a close look at all the functions. There is a possibility that the operability is simply disabled there. In this case, the solution is the simplest, and there is no need to look for other probabilities.
Ways to turn on the camera more easily
The fact that the camera is not working on a laptop may not be the user’s fault. There is a high probability that it was simply disabled by a special key combination on the keyboard. In laptops, this is a known problem that many people face. If, together with the Fn key, you press another button, which is responsible for interacting with the camera, then a shutdown will occur. At first glance, it will not be possible to distinguish a breakdown from a shutdown, therefore, you should initially try the simplest options. In ASUS devices, the usual one with the function enable key is responsible for video connection “V”. Many manufacturers create interactions with F1-10 buttons. You can find the correct button by looking at the camera icon. If the camera continues to not work on the laptop, Windows should be restarted. When this does not help, then you should look for a solution in other directions. The next step is to check the software.
Working with drivers
It often happens that updating the operating system on some gadgets installs the wrong drivers. These files cause some parts of the laptop to malfunction or shut down altogether. This probability is worth checking if the camera on the laptop does not work. To do this, open the Start menu and look for the Device Manager utility. A window will open with a description of all the details of the laptop. Look for the column that will be responsible for the camera, usually by the name you can understand what exactly you need. Double click on the line with the device name and go to the insert with the description “driver”. There, pay attention to the function in the row on the right, the fourth in a row. If it says “Enable”, then the problem with the inoperability was in the settings. This can be done on operating systems with version 7 and higher. On older software, the solution will have to be looked for in a different way.
Other probabilities
The problem with the fact that the webcam on the laptop does not work can be local and only make itself felt in some programs. You should check this using the example of the most popular Skype utility for conversations on the network. In the main window, open the “tools” column and go to the program settings. There you can select an existing camera and check its functionality. If in a given program the result is the same, then the problem lies deeper and is hidden in the hardware. The most common causes of this kind can be damage to the loop or the camera module. Without some knowledge, it will be too difficult to identify such problems. There is a risk of worsening the situation, and therefore it is recommended to contact specialized services. For a small price, such a breakdown can be easily eliminated by the master.
Initially, go through the list of recommendations in the article so as not to contact the appropriate centers prematurely. Especially if the laptop has never been damaged and the camera suddenly stops working.
Causes of malfunctions in the built-in cameras of laptops
A number of factors and reasons can affect the performance of your laptop’s built-in webcam. A malfunction can occur both through the fault of the manufacturer and due to improper handling of the device by the user. It so happens that the laptop does not see the webcam, and now it is very necessary for communication. Here the reasons may be:
- factory defect during production or final inspection of products;
- damage from falling, impact, or foreign objects and liquids entering the laptop case;
- software error of drivers, operating system or specialized programs for the camera.
Learn more about all types of malfunctions and how to connect a laptop camera back to the device, further.
HP laptop camera not working
Next in line is an HP laptop. The camera does not work on it in the same cases as that of “Asus” and other manufacturers. You also need to check the entire package of preinstalled proprietary software. maybe some program crashes.
Physical damage by the user
A common reason that the camera does not work on a laptop is physical damage to the device in the event of an “accident” in which it was dropped, knocked, subjected to strong pressure, temperature changes or high humidity. It is very important to understand that most ordinary laptops are not adapted for such handling and work in extreme conditions, so any event from the above can affect the performance of the webcam. She can:
- work incorrectly;
- fire every other time;
- turn off spontaneously;
- react to pressing the laptop case near it.
The listed symptoms that appeared after these events indicate a malfunction of the hardware of the camera or the laptop itself. Therefore, in the event that this state of affairs no longer suits the user, it is necessary to take the device to the service and make a paid repair, since the warranty does not apply to damage caused by the user.
Software glitch
The most likely event that led to the fact that the camera does not work on a laptop is a software failure. Here are some of the most common reasons:
- The laptop does not see the webcam due to the fact that it is disabled. This happens when the user involuntarily presses a key combination that turns off the device. You can solve the problem in reverse (usually Fn F1-F10. depending on the laptop model).
- The driver for the webcam is not installed. This can be checked by going to the section: “Control Panel” / “Administrative Tools” / “Device Manager”. An unknown device with a yellow question mark will be visible here. This designation says that the laptop has a device with an uninstalled driver (perhaps it is a webcam). To install the driver, you will need a driver disk that came with your laptop. You can also go to the computer manufacturer’s website and download the required driver installation file. Here, in the “Device Manager”, by right-clicking on an already installed camera, you can enable or disable it.
- The utility that is responsible for turning on the camera does not work on it when the special shutter is opened. In this case, you will need to reinstall the program from the disk or from the manufacturer’s website.
- The driver or programs for the operation of the camera got into the antivirus isolated storage as malware due to high activity and suspicious activity. In this case, you will need to create an exclusion rule in the anti-virus program settings, specifying the path to the camera files.
- Damage to operating system files after installing various programs containing malicious code. It is difficult to say how to connect a camera on a laptop in this case. The situation is complicated by the fact that it is impossible to predict how the damaged system will behave after certain manipulations. You can determine an OS failure by noticing spontaneous reboots, “blue screen of death”, slowness of work, constant pop-up of error windows and other things that are not inherent in the normal operation of a laptop. This problem is treated by reinstalling the operating system in service centers or the place of purchase of the device.
The camera on the laptop does not work, what to do?
In the age of modern technologies, it is no longer something frightening and bewitching for anyone, when a close person or an old friend who is far away from the earth waves, smiles and speaks from the screen of some incomprehensible device. Video communication through specialized computer programs, devices for transmitting video signals and, naturally, the presence of a high-speed connection to the global Internet has become a part of the lives of people around the world and is an integral part of their daily life. Particular attention should be paid to how convenient it has become to communicate with friends and business partners, being anywhere, because now you can find an Internet connection almost everywhere, and devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones already have a built-in video camera. Such a camera is usually called a webcam, since it is intended specifically for “web communication” (from the English web. a cobweb). Every day people spend long hours in such communication, but suddenly a problem arises. the camera on the laptop does not work. Panic. What to do? Without understanding the cause of the malfunction, it is difficult to do something, so the article will reveal the causes of malfunctions and ways to solve them using the example of laptops from popular manufacturers.
Lenovo: laptop with faulty camera
The successor to the American IBM is the Lenovo laptop. The camera does not work on it in all these cases, or in the presence of special built-in technologies such as a “miraculous” switch, touch on or off the camera when the battery is low. Therefore, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the full functionality of the laptop by reading the “User Manual”.
Factory negligence
The manufacturing process of built-in webcams for laptops involves a conveyor-based semi-automatic assembly on a printed circuit board, so not every camera that comes out of the assembly will meet all quality standards. The assembly robot could skip the soldering or make it unevenly, the shop staff could incorrectly attach the part, and so on. For such cases, there is a special quality control of products, involving the conduct of cyclical tests of the devices operability. However, given the volume of production and very short contractual delivery times, it is possible that control will be weakened in order to comply with contractual relations. How do you know if the camera on a laptop is still not working due to a factory error? Very simple. If the camera worked perfectly when buying a laptop and served its warranty period, then the reason is different. Otherwise, it is necessary to take the purchased computer device to the manufacturer’s service center and carry out a free warranty repair.
Why the web camera was not found after updating in skype. real help
Good afternoon, dear readers! It would seem that it is simpler. I turned on video calling in Skype, you get comfortable, you start to enjoy communicating with people who are now far from you. But no, problems may appear at this moment. For example, Skype cannot connect to the webcam, and there are problems with its control. For some reason, Skype does not see the Windows 7-10 camera, it has become inaccessible, not detected, not recognized, or a black screen appears. Let’s consider what this may be related to, how to solve the problem and where to find a WEB-camera.
Why skype does not connect to the WEB-camera on the PC and the device writes not found
There are several reasons why Skype does not find an external camera during a video call, instead of an image it shows a black or white screen.
- After updating Windows, the wrong driver was installed, so the OS does not recognize the device. One of the additional testimonies is that the flash player does not work;
- bought a new computer without software;
- webcam is disabled in Device Manager. In this case, it is crossed out;
- IP camera is incorrectly connected;
- the USB port through which the external device is connected does not work;
- installed ps3 eye without driver;
- it is not possible to configure the device correctly;
- skype for some reason stopped seeing the working WEB-camera;
- the messenger has detected that an old PC is being used;
- the camera, whether it’s Logitech, Microsoft’s Litecam, or any other, is faulty and in need of repair;
- the old version of skype is used;
- the version of the messenger does not match the OS installed on the macbook, PC, phone;
- not a standard webcam is connected, but a Canon, Nikon digital camera without support for streaming video;
- there was a problem with the motherboard.
By the way, some are trying to find a way to connect the camcorder to a PC, make it work when calling from skype and wonder why the PC writes. I can’t see it. You don’t need to do this. Only the webcam is connected to the computer. Neither a video recorder nor a video camera is suitable for this purpose.
Problems with the camera after the update. why is it unavailable
If the webcam defender, Logitech c270, c310, genius disappeared after updating skype, you should pay attention to compliance with the technical requirements for a PC, Samsung, Sony, Dell, Mac or phone. Until now, devices are used on which not all functions of the newest, latest version of Skype may work. And before the update, everything could work, but after installing it, problems appeared. This is due to the increased requirements for equipment power.
They depend on the operating system used on the PC, laptop acer aspire, toshiba, sony vaio, asus, dns, dell, Samsung:
OS | Processor, not less | OP, not less | Additional programs |
Windows 7-10, Vista, XP | 1 GHz | 512 MB | DirectX 9.0 |
Mac OSx10.10 | 1 GHz | 1 GB | QuickTime |
Ubuntu 14.04, Debian 8.0, OpenSUSE 13.3, Fedore Linux 24 | Intel Pentium 4 | 512 MB | Libappindicator1, GtkStatuslcon |
Information is provided as of the date of writing.
On mobile devices running on Android, version 6.0 must be installed for the updated skype to work properly. It is important to make sure that there is 32MB of free memory when doing this. IPhone, iPad must have iOS 10 or higher.
If your phone is using Windows Mobile, the version must be at least 10.
Another reason why my camera is not visible on an Android mobile, iPhone, tablet after turning on is that the user, when making a video call, turns on the back instead of the front one. The fix is easy. switch devices.
Why the messenger does not see the built-in camera on a laptop in Windows 7, 8, 10
The working web camera on laptops HP, lenovo, toshiba satellite, MSI, MacBook, regardless of the version of Windows and iOS, most often does not turn on and does not appear for the same reasons as on a PC.
The main fault is the incorrect operation of the drivers. To check this version, do the following:
- Windows Go to “Start”, here double-click the right mouse button on “My Computer”, go to “Properties”;
- Windows Press Win and R at the same time. Also can be done on Windows 7;
- Windows Go to Task Manager, see if there is an exclamation mark next to the camera name.
However, laptop acer, ASUS, Lenovo, Toshiba sometimes does not want to detect the built-in camera due to a malfunction of the interface cable that connects it to the motherboard. Therefore, by the way, both the sound coming from the speakers and the microphone may not work. When using external devices, the USB port may not work.
Skype usually writes that the webcam was not found due to incorrect or incorrectly supplied drivers, problems with the gadget, incompatibility of the program with the OS and technical characteristics of the PC or laptop, incorrect settings.
System settings
If the above steps do not work, you should check the Windows 10 settings. It is possible that access to the camera is simply not enabled in the settings. You need to do the following:
-
Click on the “Start” button with the right mouse button and select “Options” from the list that appears.
Then go to the “Privacy” section.
On the left side of the window that opens, find the “Camera” tab and click on its name LMB.
Next, you should make sure that access to the camera is open. This should be indicated by the line at the top of the window. If access is disabled, click the “Change” button and just toggle this option.
Also check that specific applications can use the camera. To do this, on the same page, go down a little lower and move the switch opposite the name of the required software to the active position.
Then try to test the camera again.
Reinstalling equipment
After you have made sure that the camera is in the “Device Manager”, you should try to reinstall it. This is done very simply:
- Open the “Device Manager” again.
- Find the equipment you need in the list and click on its name with RMB. In the context menu, select the item “Delete”.
Then you can reboot the system and check if the camera is working properly. If the failure was minor, everything should work.
Solving camera problems
Please note right away that all tips and guides are applicable only in cases where the malfunction is of a software nature. If the equipment has hardware damage, then there is only one way out. contact a specialist for repair. We will tell you how to find out the nature of the problem further.
Installing and rolling back drivers
By default, Windows 10 automatically downloads and installs software for all hardware it can identify. But in some cases you have to install the drivers yourself. This can be done in different ways: from downloading from the official website and ending with the standard means of the operating system. We have devoted a separate article to this issue. You can familiarize yourself with all the methods for finding and installing a video camera driver using the example of an ASUS laptop:
In addition, sometimes it is worth trying to roll back a previously installed software version. This is done very simply:
- Open “Device Manager”. We wrote about how this can be done at the beginning of the article.
- Find your video camera in the list of devices, click on its name with RMB and select the “Properties” item from the context menu.
In the window that opens, go to the “Driver” section. Here you will find the “Roll Back” button. Click on it. Please note that in some cases the button may be inactive. This means that the drivers for the device were installed only 1 time. There is simply nowhere to roll back. In such situations, you should try to install the software first, following the above tips.
If you still managed to roll back the driver, all that remains is to update the system configuration. To do this, click the “Action” button in the “Device Manager” window, then select the item with the same name from the list that appears.
Then the system will try to download and install the camera software again. You just need to wait a little, and then check the device’s performance again.
Checking device connection
Before proceeding with various manipulations, you must first find out if the system sees the camera at all. To do this, you need to do the following:
You can also use any known method to open Device Manager. If you do not know them, we advise you to read our special article.
Read more: 3 ways to open Task Manager on Windows
Then look for the “Cameras” section among the catalogs. Ideally, the device should be located exactly here.
If there is no equipment in the indicated place or the “Cameras” section is absent altogether, do not rush to get upset. You should also check the Imaging Devices and USB Controllers catalog. In some cases, this component may even be located in the section “Sound, game and video devices”.
Please note that in the event of a software failure, the camera may be marked with an exclamation mark or a question mark. At the same time, it can even act as an unknown device.
If the device was not found in all of the above sections, you should try to update the laptop configuration. To do this, in the “Device Manager” go to the “Action” section, then in the drop-down menu click on the line “Update hardware configuration”.
After that, the device should appear in one of the above sections. If this did not happen, it is too early to despair. Of course, there is a possibility that the equipment is out of order (problems with contacts, a loop, and so on), but you can try to get it back by installing the software. We will talk about this further.
Windows 10 update
Microsoft releases updates for Windows 10 quite often. But the truth is that sometimes they disable the system at the software or hardware level. This also applies to cameras. In such situations, the developers try to release the so-called patches as soon as possible. To find and install them, you just need to re-run the update check. This can be done as follows:
-
Click on the desktop key combination “WindowsI” and click in the window that opens on the item “Update and Security”.
This will open a new window. On the right side of it there will be a button “Check for updates”. Click on it.
A search for available updates will start. If the system detects any, they will start downloading and installing immediately (provided that you have not changed the update installation settings). It is necessary to wait until the end of all operations, then restart the laptop and check the operation of the camera.
Solving the problem with the camera not working on a laptop with Windows 10
From time to time, certain hardware components of a laptop can fail for a number of reasons. We are talking not only about external peripherals, but also about built-in hardware. In this article, you will learn what to do if the camera suddenly stops working on a laptop running Windows 10.
BIOS settings
In some laptops, you can enable or disable the camera directly in the BIOS. It should be contacted only in cases where other methods have not helped.
If you are not confident in your own abilities, then do not experiment with the BIOS settings. This can damage both the operating system and the laptop itself.
- First you need to go into the BIOS itself. There is a special key that must be pressed when the system boots. It is different for all laptop manufacturers. In a special section on our website materials devoted to the issue of running BIOS on certain laptops.
Read more: All about BIOS
Most often, the option to enable / disable the camera is located in the “Advanced” section. Use the “Left” and “Right” arrows on the keyboard to open it. In it you will see the “Onboard Device Configuration” section. We go here.
Now you should find the line “Onboard Camera” or something similar to it. Make sure it is next to Enabled or Enabled. If this is not the case, then you should turn on the device.
It remains to save the changes. We return to the main BIOS menu using the “Esc” button on the keyboard. Find the “Exit” tab at the top and go to it. Here you need to click on the line “Exit and Save Changes”.
After that, the laptop will reboot, and the camera should work. Please note that the described options are not present in all laptop models. If you do not have them, most likely, your device does not have a function to turn on / off the device via BIOS.
This concludes our article. In it, we examined all the methods that will allow you to fix the problem with the camera not working. We hope they help you.
Driver Verification
When you upgrade your G7 or G8 to Windows 10, the hardware drivers are installed automatically. However, the system often installs the wrong drivers, which leads to the fact that the WEB-camera does not turn on. You can fix the problem through the device manager by installing the appropriate software.
Laptop Camera Not Working. How to Fix Webcam on Windows 10
- Right click on the Start menu, open Device Manager.
- Expand the Imaging Devices section. Find the laptop webcam and double click on it to open properties.
- Go to the Driver tab and make sure the device is turned on. This is indicated by the presence of the “Disable” button.
If instead of “Disable” it says “Enable”, click the button to start the camera. On Windows 7 and other OS versions, the operation is similar.
If you see an exclamation mark near the camera in Device Manager, then to fix the problem, you need to reinstall the drivers. It is recommended to download suitable software from the official website of the laptop manufacturer. Let’s see the order using the example of an HP laptop:
- Go to the HP website. Hover over the item “Support” and select the section “Programs and drivers”.
- Specify laptop model to find suitable software.
- Select driver language and operating system version.
- Wait for the completion of the formation of the list of drivers. Expand the “Multimedia” section and download the software you need for the camera to work properly. You will recognize it by its name or description. cam, camera, web cam.
If there is no camera software for Windows 10, then download the drivers for Windows 8 or 7. Run the downloaded file to install the drivers, and then restart the laptop.
Working with the camera app
Some laptops have dedicated camera applications that set shooting and other settings. Lenovo laptops have EasyCapture, HP has HP Camera, ASUS has Life Frame Utility, etc. In such programs, there may also be an option to turn on / off the camera.
If the camera does not work in a specific program, then you should check the settings of this application. Let’s see how to check a webcam in Skype:
- Start Skype. Expand the “Tools” menu and go to “Settings”.
- Click the Video Settings tab. Select the webcam that you have connected.
If the camera does not work, then you should see if the module is enabled in the device manager and if the necessary software is installed in the system.
Turn on the camera
Try restarting your laptop first. this is the standard recommendation for any problem. If it does not help, then make sure that the required module is enabled at all. Perhaps the camera on your laptop is not working because you accidentally turned it off. Older models have separate physical buttons on the body that allow you to control the operation of the webcam.
If there are no such buttons, examine the laptop keyboard. On ASUS and Acer devices, the “V” key in combination with Fn is responsible for turning on the camera.
If you have a Lenovo laptop, pay attention to the ESC key. You see a camera on it. press Esc in combination with Fn to launch the module.
Troubleshoot webcam problems on laptop
The built-in webcam on a laptop usually does not require additional configuration. But sometimes users are faced with the fact that the camera, which yesterday allowed active communication in Skype, does not turn on today. What could be the cause of the problem and how to fix it yourself?
Hardware faults
Unfortunately, the camera may not work not only due to a software glitch. Sometimes the cause of the problem is a physical problem, for example, damage to the cable or the camera module itself.
It is difficult to troubleshoot this kind of problem yourself. If the problem is with the cable, then you will have to disassemble the laptop, which requires some skill. Therefore, if the software methods for correcting the error do not help, and the webcam does not work, contact the service center.