My SurfacePro8 suddenly does not recognize its builtin camera

John Tomlinson 0 Reputation points
2026-10-14T18:27:08.3466667+00:00

I updated my W11-pro in on my SurfacePro8 in September and the built-in camera stopped working and disappeared from W11. I have tried everything that I have found online under this question from Microsoft and no change. any solutions or suggestions would be most welcome

Surface | Surface Pro | Sound and camera
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  1. S.Sengupta 32,991 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-14T23:40:12.49+00:00

    Try the followings in order:

    1. Device Manager: View > Show hidden devices. Uninstall any greyed or flagged camera entry (tick "Attempt to remove the driver"), then restart.
    2. Surface Diagnostic Toolkit: Run it from the Microsoft Store and let it repair drivers and firmware.
    3. Surface Pro 8 driver and firmware MSI: Download the latest from Microsoft's Surface download center, install it, restart, then check Windows Update for optional driver updates.
    4. Settings check: Camera access must be on under Privacy & security > Camera, and the "Windows Camera Frame Server" service must not be disabled.
    5. Remove the September update: Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates, then pause updates for a week.
    6. System repair: In an admin Command Prompt, run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
    7. UEFI check and hard reset: Hold Volume Up + Power from off to open UEFI and make sure Cameras is On. Also try a full shutdown with a 30-second power button hold.
    8. In-place repair install: Run Windows 11 setup from the official ISO and keep your files and apps.
    9. Still missing: It may be a hardware fault, so contact Surface support.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-14T18:27:20.7866667+00:00

    For a Surface Pro 8 with a built-in camera that disappeared after a Windows 11 update, use this order:

    1. Run the automated camera troubleshooter in Get Help. This is the recommended first step for Surface camera issues and can automatically diagnose and fix many camera problems.
    2. Check camera privacy settings:
      • Go to Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.
      • Turn Camera access On.
      • Turn Let apps access your camera On.
    3. Check the Surface app for device health and updates:
      • Open the Surface app.
      • Expand Help & support to check update status.
      • If updates are available, select Check for updates and install them.
      • Select Get help in the Surface app and describe the problem.
    4. In Device Manager, check under Cameras for one of these built-in adapters:
      • Intel(R) TGL AVStream Camera
      • Intel(R) AVStream Camera
    5. If the camera is listed, uninstall and reinstall the driver:
      • Open Device Manager.
      • Expand Cameras.
      • Double-click the camera.
      • Open the Driver tab.
      • Select Uninstall Device.
      • Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device.
      • Select Uninstall.
      • Restart the Surface.
    6. Force a restart of the Surface:
      • Select Start > Power > Shut down.
      • Wait for the device to shut down.
      • Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds.
      • If the logo appears earlier, keep holding until the logo appears again.
    7. For Surface Pro 8 specifically, restart again after installing the latest update to complete any remaining installation steps.
    8. If the camera still does not return, the remaining supported paths are:
      • Restore or reset the Surface.
      • Use self-repair, send to Microsoft, or in-person support if available.

    Important: the warning about not uninstalling camera drivers applies to Surface Pro X, not Surface Pro 8.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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