How to fix camera

Open the Windows Camera app first; whether it shows an image determines if the problem is in Teams or Windows.

1. Test whether Windows detects the camera

1. Select Start, type Camera, and open the Camera app.
2. Check for a live image.
3. Also check for:
   • A shutter or slider covering the lens.
   • A camera key on the keyboard, sometimes used with Fn.
   • An external webcam that is disconnected.

Microsoft recommends this test to distinguish a Teams-specific issue from a Windows camera or hardware problem.^1^

2. If the Camera app works

Windows can see the camera, so check Teams:

1. Close any application that may be using it, such as Zoom, Skype, OBS, or another browser window. Use Task Manager to end those applications if necessary.
2. In Teams, select Settings and more (…) → Settings → Devices.
3. Under Camera, select the built-in or connected physical camera rather than a virtual camera.
4. Confirm that its preview appears, then leave and rejoin the meeting.

If Teams still lists no camera, check Windows permissions:

• Windows 11: Start → Settings → Privacy & security → Camera
• Windows 10: Start → Settings → Privacy → Camera

Turn on:

• Camera access
• Let apps access your camera
• Let desktop apps access your camera

Teams is a desktop application and requires the desktop-app permission. If a setting is unavailable or greyed out, an administrator must change it.^2^

Close Teams completely and reopen it after changing permissions.

3. If the Camera app also cannot find a camera

Check Windows device detection:

1. Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
2. Look under:
   • Cameras
   • Imaging devices
   • Sound, video and game controllers
3. If the camera is absent, select Action → Scan for hardware changes.
4. Restart Windows and test the Camera app again.^1^

For an external webcam, reconnect it directly to another USB port before scanning.

On Windows 11, also run:

Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Camera → Run

4. Driver repair if the camera remains unavailable

In Device Manager, right-click the camera and select Properties → Driver:

• If it stopped working after an update, select Roll Back Driver when available.
• Otherwise, select Uninstall Device, then Action → Scan for hardware changes and restart the computer.
• Also check Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates for a camera driver.^1^

Uninstalling or changing drivers may require administrator permission on a work-managed computer. If the camera is absent from Device Manager even after scanning, contact the computer manufacturer or your organization’s IT administrator because Windows itself is not detecting the hardware.

References

1. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/camera/camera-doesn-t-work-in-windows#most-common-camera-problems)
2. Manage app permissions for a camera in Windows