Teams freezes every time I turn my camera on in a teams meeting

Since reinstalling Teams and clearing its cache did not help, isolate whether the freeze is caused by the Teams desktop client or the camera/driver by testing the camera in Windows and Teams on the web.

1. Isolate the failing component

1. Test the Windows Camera app
   • Open Start → Camera and leave the preview running for several minutes.
   • If it also freezes, focus on the camera driver or hardware.
   • If it remains stable, continue below.
2. Test the same meeting in Teams on the web
   • Use a supported browser and permit camera access when prompted.
   • If web Teams works but desktop Teams freezes, the issue is specific to the desktop client, its media components, or security software.
   • If both freeze, focus on the driver, USB connection, or another application using the camera.
3. Run a Teams test call
   • In Teams, open Settings and more (…) → Settings → Devices.
   • Under Audio settings, select Make a test call.
   • Check whether enabling video freezes the test call as well. Microsoft documents this test for validating the selected camera and other meeting devices.^1^

2. Update or repair the camera driver

On Windows:

1. Right-click Start → Device Manager.
2. Expand Cameras or Imaging devices.
3. Right-click the camera → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
4. Also check Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates for a manufacturer camera driver.
5. Restart Windows and repeat the Teams test call.

If the problem began immediately after a Windows or camera-driver update:

1. Open the camera’s Properties in Device Manager.
2. Select Driver → Roll Back Driver, if available.
3. Restart and test again.

Microsoft recommends keeping video drivers updated for Teams media-stack stability.^2^

3. Check camera conflicts and permissions

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Close applications that might retain the camera, such as Zoom, Skype, OBS, browser video tabs, or camera utilities.
3. Open Settings → Privacy & security → Camera.
4. Ensure:
   • Camera access is on.
   • Let apps access your camera is on.
   • Microsoft Teams is permitted where listed.
   • Let desktop apps access your camera is on.

Teams work or school specifically requires the applicable Windows camera permission.^1^

4. If this is an external USB camera

Connect it directly to a different USB port on the computer rather than through a dock, hub, monitor, USB extender, or expansion card. A closely matching Teams case—where enabling the webcam crashed the client—was resolved by moving the camera from an expansion USB card to a motherboard USB port.^3^

Also update the camera’s firmware using its manufacturer utility, if one is available.

5. If only the Teams desktop app still freezes

• Fully quit and reopen Teams so any staged client update can take effect.
• Ask your IT administrator to verify that antivirus or data-loss-prevention software allows the Teams desktop client, its startup executable, and Microsoft Edge WebView2. Microsoft identifies these controls as an initial check for Teams client crashes.^2^
• Your administrator can also review Teams admin center → Health → Client health → Issues for a corresponding client-crash insight.

If the freeze persists, use Teams on the web temporarily and have the Microsoft 365 administrator open a support request. Include the test results—Camera app, web Teams, desktop test call, camera model, driver version, and whether a direct USB port changed the behavior—so support can distinguish a media-stack failure from a driver or WebView2 problem.

References

1. My camera isn't working in Microsoft Teams
2. Resolve Teams "client crash" issues
3. New Teams crashes whenever I turn on a webcam in a meeting - Microsoft Q&A