How To Fix Webcam Problems
With broadband internet widely available, many PC users are actively using their webcams for video chatting and online meetings. Not only does the increased bandwidth facilitate the use of video over the internet, but improved webcams and better video compression also help a lot. But if your hardware is not working as it should be, a webcam is not much fun. So dealing with webcam problems can be a necessary evil. Webcam problems often simply mean there is no image to be seen, but in other cases, you might actually get an error message or will not be able to select the webcam as the video source in your programs.
In Windows Live Messenger, for example, you might get webcam error 0x8a70013, indicating a problem with the webcam device.
Steps to solve the webcam problems
Check the webcam connection
One of the very first steps is of course to check your webcam connection. Most webcams use the USB port to connect to the PC, so check if your USB cable is properly plugged in. For built-in webcams, these steps of course do not apply. Many new laptops have a built-in webcam. Also, try connecting your webcam directly to your PC instead of through a USB hub (if you are using one).
Enable the webcam
But don’t forget to check if you need to manually activate your webcam. In most cases, the webcam will be automatically activated by software that can use the webcam, but for some computer brands, it is necessary to press a certain key combination to activate the webcam (it will be a Function key, either with Alt or Ctrl or the Fn key, but check the laptop manual for details).
Some known key combinations:
<Fn> + <F9> (Alienware laptop webcams)
<Fn> + <F6> (Packard Bell laptops, MSI laptops, Lenovo laptops)
<Fn> + <F10> (Neo laptops, some Asus laptops)
Check the webcam in the Device Manager
The next thing to do is to check your Windows Device Manager and see if all hardware is recognized and installed properly. Use the Scan for hardware changes in the Action menu to make sure Windows lists all available hardware devices.
It might be that the hardware is recognized as a camera, but the right drivers are not installed. The yellow exclamation mark will indicate a problem.
If the device is not recognized in Windows, it will be listed under Other Devices.
In either case, you can try to update the drivers. Right-click the device, and in the popup menu select Update Driver Software (in Windows 11 – Update driver). Then follow the instructions on screen, but make sure you allow Windows to search the web for updated drivers.
In case no driver for the webcam can be found, you can try a third-party driver-finding program that scans your PC for installed hardware and allows you to install missing drivers.
Reinstall the webcam software
If this fails, the next step would be to uninstall the software that came with your webcam. Use the Add or Remove Programs feature in the Control Panel. If that does not work you can use a third party uninstaller.
After uninstalling the software, restart your PC and then reinstall the webcam software. In most cases, this will solve the problems. Depending on the software, you might need to unplug your webcam during the software installation. For many HP systems, you need to install the CyberLink YouCam software, which can be downloaded from the HP site (for Windows 7 and Windows 8). This program allows you to check the webcam feed to see if it is working.
Check the software settings
If the drivers and webcam software are correctly installed, and you still cannot see any video, there can be a problem with the program settings. Most chat and meeting software have a configuration option to select the video source for the webcam feature. If you have multiple devices that qualify for video, you might need to select your webcam device as the source for the webcam feature in that program.
Some webcams and programs require additional software, although that should be installed with the webcam if things are right. But is does not harm to check if your Java, Flash (discontinued in 2019) and Quicktime software (version 7.6) are installed and up to date. But certainly check your DirectX software, since all video applications, including webcams, use DirectX for video processing. Try downloading the latest DirectX version and install it (Windows XP: DirectX 9.0c – Windows Vista: DirectX 10 (version 11 for Vista with SP2) – Windows 7: DirectX 11 – Windows 8, 8.1: DirectX 11.2 is only available through the Windows Update function – Windows 10: DirectX 11.3 and 12 are included with Windows and updates are only available through Windows update).
Manual focus correction
Lastly, if your webcam’s image is not sharp, check to see if it has a focus ring. A blurry image can sometimes simply mean the webcam is not in focus. Adjusting the focus through the ring can solve that problem.
Adjust video capture quality
Other picture quality problems with webcams can be addressed by changing the video capture properties for the webcam. Most programs that can use a webcam will have the option to access the properties of the video source, which will bring up the video capture properties window.
Do keep in mind that not all settings will be enabled depending on the webcam and the webcam driver installed on your computer. In the example, you can see that some settings are disabled. The example shows the video capture properties for an Acer Crystal Eye webcam.
In Windows 11 the Camera properties look different. Access them by opening Settings from the Start menu, then select Bluetooth & devices in the left-hand pane, click Cameras in the right-hand pane, and then click your camera.
Camera Privacy Settings Causing Webcam Problems
Starting with Windows 8.1 (and Windows 10) there is a privacy setting in Windows that allows (or blocks) access to the camera. If access to the camera is blocked to Apps, your webcam will not work in certain applications.
Here are the steps to ensure that the camera is not blocked in Windows 10:
- From the Start menu, select Settings.
- In the Settings window, click on Privacy.
- Make sure that the setting for Let my apps use my camera is turned On.
Fix Flipped Camera Issues
Having the image from the camera shown as mirrored or upside down has been a long-time problem on some Windows-compatible webcams. In most cases, the right device driver for the camera will fix the issue.
If the camera image is not showing correctly, or changes to an incorrect image when using it to capture video, try the options below to fix it.
Registry tweak to flip camera
Although this solution is not applicable to all webcams, it is good to check if it is applicable in your case.
- Open the Registry Editor using the Windows + R keys and then type
regeditin the Run box. Press Enter or click the OK button. - In the Registry Editor, select the top-level entry (Computer), and then use the File menu Export option to make a backup of the registry.
- Next, locate the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\
{6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F}\0000\VIDEOPROCAMP - With the key selected, change entry in the right-hand panel called
HFLIPfrom 0 to 1 (or from 1 to zero, depending on the current value). If the entry does not exist, you can create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value with that name.
Note: Use theVFLIPentry for a vertical flip.
If you cannot find the key, this option probably will not work for your webcam.
Use software settings to flip the camera
If you cannot get the webcam image corrected in Windows itself, using the driver, settings, or registry tweak, you can often use program settings to correct the webcam image.
Do keep in mind that many video chat programs show you the mirrored image of the webcam while people on the other end see the correct image of you. So consider if it is really something that needs to be addressed!
In Zoom you can toggle video mirroring to change the image.
- Click the up arrow in the Video button on the Zoom meeting window.
- Select the Video Settings option in the popup menu.
- In the Video settings pane, unmark the option Mirror my video.
- Close the Video settings pane.
- Close and restart Zoom (close it completely from the Taskbar icon).
If you prefer working with web-based interfaces for online meeting and chat programs like Zoom, Google Meet, and others, installing a browser plugin or extension is the better way to go. For Chrome, there is VideoMirror, which is free and supports camera mirroring. There are others, but make sure to check that the mirror function is available in the free version before you install it.
If you are using your webcam for instant messaging / video chatting with one of the popular chat programs, have a look at ManyCam, which allows you to record your webcam but also allows screen recording, which allows you to record any video stream! Third-party programs like ManyCam act as a virtual webcam and even work to mirror the camera image in Discord, which is not otherwise possible.
Windows 10 Camera Problems
In one of the initial Windows 10 updates, a camera problem was introduced that needed a specific fix. The update causes the camera to stop working in most apps trying to use it. The update pertained to the Windows Frame Server Mode for processing webcam images. Microsoft disabled support for webcams using MJPEG and H264 compression. The way to address this is to disable the Frame Server Mode to allow it to work.
- Open the Registry Editor in Windows.
- Make a backup of the registry using the File -> Export option.
- Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Media Foundation\Platform - Right-click in the left-hand pane and select New in the popup menu.
- Select DWORD (32-bit) Value and enter the
EnableFrameServerModeas the name. - The value should be zero (0) by default, if not, change it to zero (0) by double-clicking the new key.
- If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you need to repeat these steps for the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows Media Foundation\Platform - Close the Registry Editor and check if the camera issue is fixed.
A restart of Windows should not be required, but if the fix does not work, restart Windows to make sure the changes take effect.
Realtek Webcam Problems
If your Windows system is using a webcam that is using Realtek components, a specific problem can occur. The Windows service host will report errors that report the camera frame service terminated unexpectedly. The error is caused by a Realtek driver file (RsProvider.dll). The file resides in the path: C:\Program Files\Realtek\RsProviders\RsProvider.dll (unless your system drive is not the C-drive).
You can either delete or rename the RsProviders folder or try a registry option to disable it. Lenovo provides a patch for its affected systems to disable it. The patch removes the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Analog\Providers\RsProvider
Before you change the registry, make a backup! If you decide to delete the RsProvider folder, also make a backup first (the better option is to try and rename it first).
Windows 11 Camera Troubleshooter
Microsoft has included a troubleshooter feature in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that can help fix common problems. So, if you experience a camera-related problem in one of these Windows versions, run the Camera Troubleshooter first.
- Open the Settings from the Start menu.
- Select Bluetooth & devices in the left-hand pane.
- Click Cameras in the right-hand pane.
- Select your Camera (USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam in the example).
- Click the Troubleshoot button.
Errors that can be solved this way include the 0xA00F4244 error showing NoCamerasAreAttached. The Camera window will show the message “We can’t find your camera“.
A second frequent error in Windows 10 and Windows 11 relating to the webcam is error 0xA00F429F WindowsShowFailed. The message, in this case, is “Can’t start your camera“.
In most cases, this is an App access issue (permissions), but just run the troubleshooter to see if it can be fixed by Windows automatically.
@Pierre – I meant other programs that can use a webcam, not programs in general. Try the SplitCam program that we reviewed elsewhere on this site.
@Carly – Are you certain the new laptop does not have an internal webcam, or maybe a TV device? Conflicts between video input devices can often be the cause of the “in use” error. If so, try disabling the internal webcam or TV card and see if the external webcam works.
You can also try the Splitcam program to see if that helps, it shares the webcam between multiple applications (as long as your Windows is not a 64-bit version).
Hello,
I just got a new Acer laptop, but it doesn’t have a built in webcam, so I’m using one I bought awhile ago. I downloaded all the new drivers, ect. Then I downloaded Windows live Messenger and Skype. When I try and use it on Skype the mic works but it says “video stream isn’t delivering stream in the correct format” and when I try use it on Windows it tells me that “webcam is in use with another program.” Now I’ve tried using one at a time, I’ve tried uninstalling one and keeping the other, I’ve uninstalled and installed the webcam over 5 times, and I keep getting the same message. I’ve switch my McAfee thing like it says to on the internet, but nothing works. I’m so fed up I’m ready to go insane! Why won’t my webcam just work?? oh, and I’ve tried it on my other computer, and it works PERFECTLY. but I don’t want to use my other computer, I wanna use my new laptop! Please please help!
@Kyle
Thank you for your response.
No, all other programs works fine.
I’ve got Windows XP Service Pack 3.
And I’ve reinstalled DirectX, but the problem’s still there.
@Pierre – Does this happen in all programs you try to use it with? What is your Windows version?
At least try downloading and reinstalling DirectX.
Hey there. I’ve just got a web cam from a friend.
I’ve downloaded the drivers and the computer recognizes the cam.
“VIMICRO USB PC Camera 301x”
Only thing is, I can’t get a picture, it’s just a white screen.
I tried re-install the drivers and check for updates on ALL my graphic programs.
And everything works fine. But the picture is still white.
Please help me with this problem.
@Miller – Even the internal webcam could be connected to a USB port, so the USB error messages could make sense. Try the tips in the USB not recognized article.
@Phil – It probably is related to a change in your system at that time. Reinstalling the webcam drivers is your best option. Did you try using it with different programs?
One other thing to try is to reinstall DirectX as it is used for the webcam video streaming.
@j – I do not know of something that causes Skype to have worse webcam video quality compared to other programs. You are using the same webcam resolution I assume? Maybe try reinstalling Skype, but other than that I would not know, sorry.
@Lisa – Try disabling the internal webcam in the Device Manager, that should allow the Lifecam to work without problems. Multiple video input devices (webcams or TV cards) can indeed give problems.
@Fred – It is possible that the drivers are still 64 bit. You need to check the Windows\System32 folder for that. The program folder only contains software to use the webcam. Driver search programs indeed work and are quite safe. I recommend DriverFinder as I have good personal experiences with that, but others are good as well. Most have money back guarantees anyway, so no real risk.
You do not need a 64 bit program to use the webcam. Once the driver works, it will be available to the DirectX software, which also has a 32bit API for programs to use. Skype for example is 32-bit on my Vista 64-bit system and can use the webcam just fine.
Hello Kyle,
I figured out the problem I’m having with my PC Cam. I’m running Vista 64 bit, and I noticed that the software for my camera installed to my 32 bit Progams folder (x86). I think it’s safe to assume that the Anyka USB webcam driver is 32 bit. But now I have a couple of questions.
Do the downloadable driver search programs really work and are they safe to use?
If I do find a 64 bit driver that installs the PC Cam. will I have to find 64 bit software to use it?
Thanks again for any help you can provide.
I recently purchased a Dell mini 10v.. The integrated cam is crap so I tried using my Lifecam vx-3000. It installs and says the hardware is working properly but the laptop bluescreens as soon as the cam is tries to come on. Ive checked the device manager, updated the driver and it does the same thing. Ive reinstalled the software numerous times but no luck :( Anything else I can do? The cam worked with my other dell laptop perfectly. I was wondering if maybe it was something to do with the mini? a conflict or something? Googled this many times and is how I ended up here. Please help!
Hello,
I have an ACER 7535 and the webcam looks great except for when I am on skype then the picture turns bad, is there anything I can do to fix this.
@Kyle
It hasn’t always done it it just started probably around the beginning of summer 09 i just stopped using it because it stopped working then i found out it was disabled i re-enabled it and it just started doing the white screen thing
(I’m reposting this due to the fact that I entered the wrong email address)
Hi,
I have a Dell Inspiron 1545. It came with a built in webcam and it had been working for about a week until today. Now all that comes up is a black screen and the webcam won’t work properly. I’ve looked all over the place for fixes, but all of them seem to cause other problems with the computer or do not solve the problem. One method suggested was to plug in a USB connected to a device so the computer would detect the webcam, but that did not work. I have also recieved some sort of warnings involving the “Dell Dock” program and that a “USB device [is] not recognized” even though i have no USB device plugged in. That leads me to think these warnings are somehow related to my webcam issues. If you know of any possible solutions and could suggest them to me that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
@Lariah – In the Device Manager there should be a Crystal Eye webcam device listed under the Imaging devices. If not, you need to (re)install the Acer webcam drivers. If there is, you can use the webcam in any program that supports webcams.
@Nina – I’d be really careful with downloading program files from websites you do not know. From all your details it is very likely you have some kind of virus or spyware on your computer. Update your AVG and run a full system scan. If it is a rootkit virus you might not get rid of it this way though. Also uninstall the hide my ip program you installed.
@Amanda – Did you try uninsalling the webcam software (amcap) and reinstalling it? You might need to uninstall the webcam in the Device Manager for this, as the amcap program is normally installed together with the webcam drivers. Another option is to download and install the DirectX software. What Windows version are you running?
@Sadie – Most of the time these problems are related to changes in the computer. Did you add any hardware (even a USB stick)? Or install any software of Windows update perhaps? Try using the System Restore feature to bring the configuration back to a week ago and see if that helps.
@Fred – No problem, anyone with useful information is very welcome to post comments. Unfortunately I also do not know of a location where Staneke can download the require drivers, it is not a very common webcam.
@Phill – Try downloading the latest webcam drivers from Toshiba’s website and install those. You might need to uninstall the current driver first. Has it always done this or is it a recent problem?
ok so i have a Toshiba satellite p205-S6277 and i have a built in web camera usually it turns on alright it may freeze time to time and turn off buy its self, also almost all the time when i turn it on, it just is a blank white screen.
@ Staneke,
Kyle is the guy who most likely can help you with your problem.
The only think I could suggest is that if you have the CD, ask a friend to email the driver to you so you can save it to a folder on your pc. Then you can install the driver from that folder.
I hope this helps you.
@ Kyle, I hope you don’t mind me giving a suggestion. Just trying to help out since you tried to help me.
BTW, I found out that my Anyka webcam driver is not compatible with Vista. The problem is finding an Anyka driver compatible with Vista. The research continues…
Hello,
i have a Toshiba laptop.
Just in the past week, my built in webcam has stopped working properly.
(the picture is different colours and the view is off to one side)
But tonight the webcam has compleatly stopped working.
I have barely used the webcam, my father used to use the laptop for work, but it was rescently gave it to me, so i use it for msn and such.
I dont understand why it stopped working.
It would be greatly appreciated if you could help me out, so im not forced to buy a seperate webcam.
thank you
yesssss I’ve tried that once you told me too & it still hasn’t worked. Do you have any other suggestions .?
Hi. I don’t know anything about webcams but I can’t quite figure it out. I looked under my device manager and it says the camera is working properly. So I tried to Right Click it and see if maybe I needed new driver software maybe. It says I have the best one for my needs. However when I open the icon it came with on the little disk (amcap) it says “Add Video Transfer Error” and then pops up again saying “Cannot Preview”
Do you know what I can do to get it to work? Thanks so much!!
Kyle.. related to what i have written before. since few days, i got a notice whenever i open my laptop and windows sarts, a notice appears that windows has blocked some programs that need your permission, some of which are: RocketDock, hide my ip , and other programs related to yahoo and microsoft office.
thanks a lot and Waiting for ur reply ASAP.
Kyle… I have a problem with yahoo messenger and i want to know if this problem is related to webcam hacking. I am using my toshiba laptop and have a built-in webcam (wireless connection) / windows vista.
Recently, i have got many problems with my laptop. First, i sometimes got a notice that my antivirus is turned off. But within a second i realized that my antivirus (avg 8) is runnning normally and the notice disappeared afterwards. Also, my laptop starts to shut down suddenly while i am using it. i thought that it was related to a virus or spyware while i am surfing the internet. but my laptop still shuts down even when i dont make internet connection.
I am used to talk with my partner on yahoo and we exchange webcams. our conversations are always saved in the archive in my email. i have realized today that part of our conversations of the day before was missing, though the option of ‘save my messages in the archive” is enabled. And during this chat, my laptop shuts down a lot. today i opened my yahoo messenger and i click on “show recent messages” in my partner’s window, i realized that a part of the conversation is missing and at the end of it there is third user (neither me nor my partner) with the name of “ow” and who wrote the first word of my email. my email starts with “hayeti”, the third party wrote: haye|i. it was really weird… i opened the archive and it appears that this word was written by me in the archive, thought i haven’t written it. then, i checked the time when this word was written, and i realized that the time is always changing, i.e., nearly the same time of my laptop.. UNlLIKE the saved conversations in which the date and time stay fixed.
what is this please?
A hacker? webcam hacking? a third party who is hijacking my webcam and is watching me, or hacking my laptop?
Note: i have visited since 2 days a website that teaches how to hack a yahoo email, but it was just instructive and i didnt take anything from it. it seemed trusty. i have also downloaded the program “hide my ip” and ran it on my laptop.
Please, i want to know who is this “ow”? a virus? a spy? a hacker?
I am waiting for your reply ASAP.
thanks in advance.
Hello,
i just got a laptop for christmas. it’s an acer aspire 5517, and it has a built in webcam. I can’t seem to get it to work though. I looked in the device manager and it’s not even there. I just wanted to know what to do.
thanks,
Lariah
Thanks Kyle for your response. It looks like perseverance will solve this problem. When I figure something out, I’ll post it here. There are lots of people with this particular problem for this device, and with Vista and webcam drivers in general.
The info on Samsonic was more than I could dig up so I’ll try to follow that lead.
Thanks again.
Hi fred,
I buyed KONIG electronic cmp-chatpack 11 webcam.
However I don’t have a cdplayer, or what so ever. So i can’t install the driver.
Some people told me that I could download the driver on internet, but I can’t find a website that contains the xmp-chatpack 11, only the cmp-chatpack 10.
Do you know a website that might have this?
Or is this impossible for me?
thx.
@Fred – The only thing I can find on it is that it seems to be a Samsonic product, which was supported in the US by Isonic. The website is still up, but the last update is from 2008, so direct support might not be available. In that case, it is simply a matter of trial and error I fear :(
@Bryan – If you see your own webcam image, that means the driver is installed and that the DirectX video streaming is working. Only thing left is a network or recipient problem. At least make sure that Skype is defined as an “exception” in the Windows firewall, so it is not blocked by that.
thnx kyle for ur reply i tried as u suggested closed all applications n tried to connect but again there was this message error the webcam is not connected. and sometimes it asks me to choose a video source n wen i choose the source the source the message appears again the webcam is not connected
Hello,
I have just installed a Computer Gear (24-0106) web cam to use on skype. I am able to see person at the other end when i make a call, but that person cannot see me. I get a preview picture ok when i test web cam from my computer. I have been told that i have a setting that is not right, but i am a very much a novice so would appreciate any help. Thanks in anticipation.