Surface Pro

Question

The camera on my personal computer does not pick up my image when in use and is not working correctly.

Answer 1

Hi Shirley Powe Smith,

Thank you for reaching out regarding the camera issue on your Surface Pro.

I noticed that an AI answer has already been provided. Please go through those steps first, as they cover the most common causes such as permissions, updates, driver-related issues and they often resolve the problem.

To help me better understand the issue, could you please share:

• When the issue started (for example, after an update or recently without any changes)
• Whether you’re seeing any specific error message or code (please share the exact wording if available)

If the camera is still not working after completing the steps, you can try a few additional checks below.

First, you may repair or reset the Camera app:

• Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Camera > Advanced options
• Select Repair, and if the issue persists, choose Reset
• Restart the device and test the Camera app again

You can also check if the camera is disabled at the firmware level by enabling it in Surface UEFI settings:

1. Turn off the Surface device
2. Hold the Volume Up button, then press the Power button once
3. Release when the Surface logo appears to enter UEFI
4. Select Devices
5. Ensure Front Camera and Rear Camera are enabled
6. Select Exit > Restart now, then test again

You may also want to temporarily check whether any third-party security or antivirus software could be blocking camera access, as these can override Windows permissions.

When you have a moment, please also let me know your exact Surface model.

This will help me guide you with the next targeted steps. Looking forward to your update.

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Answer 2

Try these steps in order on the Surface Pro:

1. Run the camera troubleshooter
   • Open the Get Help app and run the automated camera troubleshooter. It will run diagnostics and attempt to fix most camera issues.
2. Check camera privacy settings
   • Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.
   • Ensure Camera access is On.
   • Ensure Let apps access your camera is On.
   • If using a specific app (for example, Teams or Camera), make sure that app is allowed to use the camera in the same settings page.
3. Test the camera in the Camera app
   • Select Start, then choose Camera from the apps list.
   • If prompted, allow access to the camera.
   • If the camera works here but not in another app, the problem is with that app’s settings.
4. Check Surface app for updates and health
   • Open the Surface app.
   • Expand Help & support and check the update status.
   • Select Check for updates to open Windows Update and install all available updates.
   • Use Get help inside the Surface app; if any issues are detected, they will be reported.
5. Check for Windows updates and optional camera drivers
   • Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
   • If available, go to Advanced options > Optional updates and install any camera-related driver updates.
   • Restart the Surface Pro and test the camera again using the Camera app.
6. Verify camera drivers in Device Manager
   • Select Search on the taskbar, type Device Manager, and open it.
   • Expand Cameras and look for entries such as Intel(R) TGL AVStream Camera or Intel(R) AVStream Camera.
   • If present, right-click the camera and select Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers.
   • If the camera shows a warning or still does not work, double-click it, go to the Driver tab, and use Roll Back Driver if available, then restart and test.
7. Remove and reinstall the camera driver (only if not an Arm-based Surface)
   • Do not use this step on Windows Arm-based devices such as Surface Pro X, Surface Pro 9 with 5G, Surface Pro (11th Edition), Surface Laptop (7th Edition), Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition), or Surface Pro 12-inch (1st Edition) because recovery would require a full reset.
   • In Device Manager, under Cameras, double-click the camera.
   • On the Driver tab, select Uninstall Device.
   • Check Attempt to remove the driver for this device and select Uninstall.
   • Restart the Surface so Windows can reinstall the driver automatically, then test the camera.
8. Force a restart of the Surface
   • Select Start > Power > Shut down.
   • After shutdown, press and hold the power button for 20 seconds. If the logo appears, keep holding until it appears again.
   • Release the button, let the device start, then test the camera.
9. If the issue persists
   • Consider restoring or resetting the Surface as a last resort, following the guidance in Restore or reset Surface for Windows.

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References:

• Surface camera not working
• Camera doesn't work in Windows
• my camera does not function in windows - Microsoft Q&A
• Camera device is not enabled - Microsoft Q&A