Camera not working

Question

Hi my build in camera on my HP laptop is not working after an update.  I'm using windows 10 and the laptop is only a year old.  I've tried to update the drivers and they were updated, changed the security settings on the computer and my web browser for the camera.  The camera and the apps used (skype, zoom) does not work and keeps flickering on and off.  See screenshot below .  And if I go on the camera too much it shuts down my computer. (see screenshot)

Please could you advise what the issue could be as this is very frustrating when I'm in meetings.

Roz

Answer 1

How do I check if its the hardware?

Answer 2

Hi Richard

Thank you for your reply.  I've spent yesterday with someone from the Microsoft team to go through all of the above steps to fix the issue, but this has not resolved the camera issues.  We think it may be a problem with the graphics card now and I have been advised to contact HP.  I bought the laptop a little over a year ago which is typical as the warranty has expired.  I don't think there is much I can do about the graphics card apart from replace it or get another computer!

Regards,

Rozelle

Answer 3

Hi RozelleBowerman,

Appreciate the update! One last thing to try that worked previously with a colleague is to install the alternative driver for the camera. Basically we did all the steps previously shared to no avail. Afterwards we went back to the manufacturer site and installed the alternative driver - and it worked like a miracle.

In this sample, if you visit the site below you're presented with different camera drivers: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/hk/en/products/lap...

Disclaimer: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information that might solve your current issue.

If the manufacturer of your laptop has the same, try each driver (if you haven't yet), making sure to delete the installed driver software in between. Just a last restort before replacing the hardware.

Thanks & best regards,

Answer 4

Hi Richard 

Thanks for the advice.  I'm going to contact HP support and see if they have any solutions or alternative drivers.

Regards,

Rozelle

Answer 5

Hi Rozelle,

This error appears when you do not have a webcam, and you try to open the Windows 10 Camera app. However, if you have a camera installed on your computer, you may need to follow this tutorial to get it solved.

We can’t find your camera

There is no such one-click solution to this problem, and you will have to see which of these solutions work for you.

1] Check your webcam if it is installed correctly

This is probably the first thing you need to check. Make sure your webcam’s USB port is working properly. Try changing the USB port of your computer and see if that helps.

2] Update the webcam driver

If you are settings up your webcam for the first time, you need to install a driver to run it properly. You should find the corresponding driver for your webcam. If you have already installed your webcam driver but still receive this issue, may be its time to update your driver. You can either use a free Driver Updater software, or you may manually update the Device Driver as follows:

Windows 10 users should press Win+X and click on Device Manager entry in the list. Locate the camera device next. It should be an Imaging Device. Right-click on that driver and click on Update driver option. Next, select the option that says Search automatically for updated driver software option. It should not take a lot of time after that to finish the whole process.

3] Uninstall the webcam driver and reinstall it

If you face any issue during the driver updating, you might need to uninstall the webcam driver. To do this, open Device Manager > right-click on the device > select Properties > switch to Driver tab > click on Uninstall Device button.

Restart your computer and then open Device Manager again and click on Action > Scan for hardware changes.

4] Roll back webcam driver

If your webcam has stopped working after installing a new update, you should uninstall the update and roll back to the older version. You will have to open Device Manager > right-click on the device > select Properties > switch to Driver tab > click on Roll Back Driver button > select Yes on the next window. After that, you need to restart your PC to check whether it is working or not.

5] Detect outdated webcam driver

If your webcam is designed before Windows 7, it might not work with Windows 10. To find this out, follow these subsequent steps-

Open Device Manager > select the device and Properties from the right-click context-menu > switch to Driver tab > select Driver details. You will find some Driver files on your screen. Now check whether you have any stream.sys file or not. If you see such a file in the list, your webcam may not work with Windows 10. In that case, you need to buy a new one.

6] Check your antivirus

Sometimes the antivirus software can block your webcam from running with your PC. In that case, you may need to disable your antivirus to check whether it is the antivirus that is causing the problem or not.

Hope something here helps you fix the problem.

Source: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/fix-we-cant-find...

Disclaimer: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information that might solve your current issue.

Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products).

Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

Let us know if this helped you out.

Your feedback is much appreciated.

Thanks and regards,