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.
Hi Kyle thanks for the quick reply. I actually have a desktop so it’s only on power and when I connect it to an external USB Hub and try to have a Skype video call for example I am unable to and I get the following message from Skype: ” Skype can’t connect to your webcam. Close any other applications that might be using your webcam. You could also plug your webcam into a different USB port on your computer, then restart. And I have no other applications using my webcam. And as to what concerns the drivers for Belkin I checked whether they are up to date through the Device Manager and they are. Right now after plugging it into a different USB port and disabling and enabling the webcam in device manager it only disconnects my internet when I start a Skype video call, after about 30 seconds into the call it stops working and my internet connection drops and i have to troubleshoot my network adapter which eventually connects me back to the internet but during the troubleshooting it lists the following 3 problems (although sometimes I just get the number “3” only):
1. Security or firewall settings might be blocking the connection (and it can’t be fixed)
2. The connection between your access point, router or modem cable and the Internet is broken (Can’t be fixed either)
3. The default gateway is not available (this is fixed).
Does this help in any way?
Thanks
@Taylor – From your description it seems like a connection problem to me. Webcams in laptops are still generic USB devices that rely on an electrical connection.
But if the webcam always works again after a reboot, assuming you are not touching the screen, then it could still be a different problem. Is it operational when you change the screen angle, because in that case, you mgith not want to do it with the webcam active, just set it up and then activate the cam.
@Kristie – Unfortunately, such compatibility issues can exist, especially with Windows 7, where not all drivers are perfect yet. Does it happen when you are on battery as well as on power? If the devices take too much power, an external USB hub (with power) might help.
Another thing to check is if there are newer drivers for the Belkin USB network adapter.
Hello,
I have the PK-720MJ A4tech webcam installed on windows 7. I downloaded the drivers from the A4tech website and they installed correctly. My problem is that two or three minutes after plugging in the webcam, my computer drops its wireless internet connection and it will not connect until I unplug the webcam. I have a network adapter ” Belkin F5D8053 N wireless USB Adapter” that connects me to the internet. What can I do to fix this?
Thank you
Okay, so I’ve got a two-year-old Sony Vaio laptop – VGN-NS130E, to be precise – with a built in Sony Visual Communication Camera. Up until two months ago, it worked perfectly fine; however, in July, it began to stop working whenever I tilted the screen of the laptop, and I would have to completely restart the computer to make it work again. Is it a problem with the computer, or software, or what? And what can I do to fix it?
@yasin – What program are you using? It might be a problem with the firewall.
@Bo – In most cases that is due to low light conditions, or the performance of the webcam. Integrated webcams are not always the best quality. Try a lower frame rate for recording or a lower resolution.
@Accacia – You can take pictures with many programs that support webcams directly. For Dell I think it is Dell Webcam Central. It should be on the CD that came with the laptop.
i have a Inspiron 1545 and the webcam connection is working properly but theres no shortcut or anything to take pictures , do i need to install something ?
Kyle,
I just bought an Thinkpad T510. I tested the integrated webcam in msn messenger and it works fine. However, when I started to make a video call in the messenger, the image becomes really blurry. Any idea what is the reason? Thanks.
when ever im connecting to internet my webcam doesnt work it juz shows black screen although the drivers are installed properly.
@J-me – You reinstalled the driver, and does the webcam show up in the Device Manager without problems?
Try using different programs to view the webcam. I have noticed the SplitCam sometimes works when Skype and MSN don’t show the webcam.
@Chetna – If the webcam works in other applications, but is not recognized by Skype, you might also be able to solve it with SplitCam or ManyCam. They support more webcams, and you can then use the virtual device as the video input source in Skype instead of the physical webcam device.
@Jaya – What is the MSI laptop model number?
@dylan – Make sure the recording device in the Windows Sound setup (control panel) is configured correctly. Your preferred microphone should be the default value and it should be working (you can test it there too).
Then make sure Skype uses the default, or configure the same device.
Hi Kyle: My computer is an HP W2338H and it’s Vista.
When i go on skype and someone trys to call me it says there is something wrong with recording device? I just the laptop used but its only a year old and it has a built in camera. It works for like 2 minutes then the call gets dropped. Any ideas on how to fix it?
I have an msi laptop and the webcam is built-in . but it doesnt work .the laptop fails to recognise the webcam even i my computer and in messengers such as yahoo and msn
I have just bought a Frontech Gem 2225. Bt its not being recognized by Skype please suggest me. Thanks
The error says that the connection to the video device has been lost. This happened only AFTER I installed the Vista Service Pack 2. I have installed and uninstalled the driver software over 50 times, I have also tried the Acer driver, all to no avail.
@chris clarke – What program are you using? This could be a video codec issue. Try reinstalling DirectX, or otherwise, try something like K-lite codec pack.
@J-me – What exactly is the error? And have you tried reinstalling the Hp webcam driver?
@Fraz Ali – I am not sure if Windows 7 supports the Acer Aspire 5920 webcam directly. Try installing the Acer webcam drivers for that model.
@arun – Are you referring to a Genius webcam? What exactly is the model? And what is your laptop brand and model? With that I might be able to help with the sound problem.
@Annette Hartwig – What is the computer brand and model, and what is your Windows version? Same for the webcam, brand an model please, so I can check compatibility and point you to the right drivers or steps to solve the issue. Reinstalling the webcam drivers might be required, and sometimes a program like SplitCam or ManyCam is a solution.
@Pam Carroll – Nothing works the same unfortunately. Try using SplitCam or ManyCam as well. Just install it, see if it works with your webcam, and then select SplitCam as the video source in Yahoo messenger.
I have a creative webcam (vibra) It works great with windows live messenger but on yahoo the icon is greyed out I can pass the “test” I am able to both hear and see me it says configuration doesn’t appear to support video calls Whgat is wrong? If it works on one messenger why doesn’t it work on the other??
Pam
I have creative webcam vibra it works great on live messenger but the icon is greyed on yahoo it says my configurationdoesn’t appear to support videos. Why is that. You would think if it works on one messenger it works on another messenger
Pam
My webcam error message says “camera not found. the camera is either eing used by anotgher application or is not connected”. I have checked and no other program is running in the background. I have plugged the webcam into another usb port and called HP and I don’t know what is going on. Even changed web cams (Microsoft to HP) and get same error message. I’m at my wits end. My grandkids just moved to China. I can see them, but they cannnot see me.
hi there,my lap is windows XP and i bought a new cam i-slim bt cam not supporting skype it says drive not supporting, can i get your help please…
my lap’s sound system also not working..
me again..i just want to tell u that i have windows 7 and i have reinstalled it.still problem has not cleared
hello.i have acer aspire 5920 and camera is already intsalled in it.when i try to install the driver an error shows,telling i need to plug in my camera..my camera is already embeded in my laptop..help me…
I have a HP Pavilion dv6-1030us laptop. Up until a few days ago my webcam was working fine, then I did a Windows Update and there is a connection error. I have been round and round with HP and their final piece of advice was to restore the factory settings, which I don’t want to do if I don’t have to as I will have to reload all my docs, pics, etc… I found a thread about loading an Acer driver, but that didn’t work for me either. I even tried a system restore, but I don’t get a date prior to the evil update. Any advice??
i can view my image from the webcam but when i do a video call the screen is grey
@Harry – Did you previously also use Vista, or maybe XP?
I do suggest apart from the Eye 110 webcam driver, you download the Genius WebMate software and (re)install that.
And make sure there is sufficient light when you use the webcam.
@sam – If you can, try the keyboard at a different computer, you want to make sure it is not broken. In itself, if it is a cabled keyboard, it should work immediately when you plug it.
@hannah & Nikita – Could very well be that this is due to the recent update of the MSN messenger software, where Microsoft reduced the webcam functionality. Please see earlier comments regarding this.
@tom – Did you try simply reinstalling the webcam software?
i have a question everytime that i try using my webcam through skype a box pops up and says this application has failded to start because MSVCR71.dll was not found ..re-installing the application may fix this problem?… now i understand it a lil but like how do i re-install it and whats that mean by the way??