when joining a Teams meeting, the camera says it's being used in another app, but I can't find which one.

Hi  @Rob Smith

Welcome to Q&A Community! 

I understand that your camera is not working in Teams meetings as it said it was being used in another app. Moreover, the front and rear cameras are not showing a preview in their settings.  

To make sure we're aligned and avoid from any misunderstanding, please let me know a few details about your issue by answering these questions: 

1. Are you signed in with a personal account (e.g., @hotmail.com, @outlook.com), an education account (e.g., @school.edu), or a work account (e.g., @yourcompany.com)? 
2. May I know your OS version? Has it been updated recently? 
3. Does the issue happen after recent changes/ updates? 
4.  Are you using the Teams desktop app, the new Teams client, or Teams in a browser? Does the issue happen with all of them?  

• If the issue is in Teams web, kindly clear the web cache or try on another browser. 
• If the issue is in Teams app, kindly clear Teams cache with detailed instructions via this article Clear the Teams client cache - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn 

Beside checking from Camera settings, it's recommended that you should also check for Background Apps which may be using the Camera: 

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager 
• Look for apps like Teams, Skype, Zoom, OBS, or any browser tabs 
• Right-click any app that might be using the camera and select End Task 

Kindly confirm that all necessary permissions are enabled for using Camera in Teams: 

• Go to Start > Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera 
• Ensure Camera access is turned On 
• Scroll down and confirm Microsoft Teams is allowed under “Let desktop apps access your camera” 

As the issue may be related to outdated or corrupted camera drivers, please follow the steps below to update your camera drivers using Device Manager: 

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager. 
2. Expand the Cameras section. 
3. Right-click on Surface Camera Front and Surface Camera Rear, then select Update driver. 
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers and allow Windows to find and install the latest version. 
5. Repeat this for both front and rear cameras. 
6. Once complete, restart your Surface Pro and test the camera in the Camera app and in Microsoft Teams. 

For detailed instructions, you can refer to Microsoft’s official guide here: Update drivers through Device Manager in Windows - Microsoft Support 

Finally, a simple restart can release the camera from any app that may still be holding onto it. 

Please check this article for Surface camera not working - Microsoft Support other possible solutions. 

Please note that initial troubleshooting may not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your input, we can continue working together toward a solution. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or further updates, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help! 

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