Webcam not working on your Windows 10 computer? There are a number of reasons for this:
- damage to hardware;
- missing or damaged drivers;
- incorrect privacy settings;
- problems with antivirus software.
You are extremely lucky, as a broken webcam is usually very easy to bring back to life!
Why isn’t the webcam working?
When trying to turn on the webcam on your computer, you may encounter an error 0xA00 ***** or 0x200 ***** and the message “The webcam cannot be found.” By itself, this information does not carry anything useful to users, and therefore the latter often have to embark on a search for useful information on the Internet.
Typically, Windows automatically installs drivers for all devices on the system. However, if you recently updated Windows 10, then there is a chance that you will have to deal with updating some of the drivers yourself. Some Microsoft Store apps only support the latest webcam models, so some of your devices may simply not be compatible with the current version of Windows.
In Windows 10, you can find a feature that deactivates the built-in webcams. It will be useful to all users who want to protect their computer from potential video surveillance. However, accidental activation of such a function is precisely what causes problems with the webcam.
What to do if the webcam is not working?
The steps below may differ slightly for each user depending on the OS version.
- Checking antivirus settings. Antivirus software can interfere with the webcam from time to time. Review the settings of your antivirus and make sure that it does not interfere with the normal operation of the connected webcam.
- Connecting the webcam to another PC. If you are using an external webcam, connect it to another PC and check if it works. If the webcam refuses to work normally on many systems, then you are clearly faced with some kind of hardware problem. Simply put, it’s time to take your webcam to the nearest workshop or go to the electronics store for a new one.
- Checking the webcam connection. Wiggle the webcam cable or reconnect it completely. Believe me, such simple actions can work wonders.
- Using a different USB port. Do not rule out the possibility that the whole problem lies in the malfunctioning USB ports on your PC. Connect the webcam to another USB and see if something changes.
- Power on the correct device. If you have both a built-in and an external webcam, then you definitely need to make sure that the running program is trying to access the camera that you need. Go to the program settings and select the appropriate device.
- Verification with the webcam manufacturer. With an external webcam in hand, go to the official website of its manufacturer and read the supporting materials that may help you solve your problem.
- Updating webcam drivers. In some cases, the webcam refuses to work normally due to the fact that the necessary drivers are missing on the user’s computer or they are, but they are outdated.
- Changing system settings. Sometimes the problem may not be with the connected webcam, but with the OS settings. Changing the settings – the problem is solved.
How to change webcam settings in Windows 10?
- Right-click on the Start menu and select “Settings”;
- click LMB on the “Privacy” square;
- go to the “Camera” tab on the left side of the window;
- activate the option that allows the webcam to give access to your PC, and the option that allows you to access your webcam for a specific application;
- go down a little lower and make sure that the application you need is present in the “Select Microsoft Store Apps …” list;
- close the window with system settings, and then right-click on the Start menu and select “Device Manager”;
- open the “Cameras” section (or the above section) and find the connected webcam;
- if the camera is disabled (a special icon will be visible), right-click on it and select “Enable device”.
How to update webcam drivers in Windows 10?
It is incredibly easy to manually update the drivers for a particular device. Get to your webcam in the device manager, right-click on it and select the item with the driver update. Next, the system will try to find a driver suitable for your webcam and install it. Follow the instructions on your screen.
However, if your Windows OS still can’t find the driver, go to the webcam manufacturer’s website and start installing the driver yourself.
Still not working your webcam? Even after all the above recommendations? Then something clearly happened to your webcam – contact the specialists.