How to Fix Win 10 Camera Not Working [5 Ways]

Many users have reported that their laptop's built-in camera or external webcams, like those from Logitech or Alienware, stopped functioning after updating to Windows 10. Fortunately, resolving an unresponsive integrated camera is usually straightforward, with several potential fixes available. This guide offers step-by-step solutions to address camera issues in Windows 10, whether for internal or external devices, helping you find the method that works best for your setup.

Similarly, after upgrading to Windows 11, camera-related issues have become increasingly common. The system might not detect the built-in camera due to privacy settings, hardware malfunctions, or recent cumulative updates. Whatever the cause in your case, the following solutions can help troubleshoot and resolve the issue effectively.

Why is my camera not working in Windows 10?

Before diving into solutions, let’s examine the common reasons why a camera driver might fail to function correctly.

Sometimes, the camera won’t start, showing error codes like 0xA00F4244(0x200F4244) or 0xA00F4246, or displays a grey screen with a crossed-out camera icon. Additionally, some users encounter error code 0xA00F4243(0xC00D3704), indicating that "another app is already using the camera".

The primary causes of these errors include:

✎ Recent Windows 10 updates

✎ Incorrect configuration settings

✎ App-related blocks

✎ Missing or corrupted system files

✎ Hardware malfunctions

✎ Other unidentified issues

In the following sections, you’ll find five practical methods to resolve camera issues on Windows 10.

How to fix Win 10 camera not working - 5 Ways

If your Windows 10 camera isn't working, whether it's for video calls or taking photos, it can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are a few straightforward methods to troubleshoot and fix the issue. Here are five effective ways to get your camera back on track.

Way 1. Check if camera is being detected

Before troubleshooting your camera issue, it’s essential to verify if Windows OS recognizes the device. You can easily do this by checking the list of connected devices in the Device Manager. Here’s how:

Step 1. Press the Windows key + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2. Type "Device Manager" in the search bar and select it from the results.

Step 3. In Device Manager, you’ll see a categorized list of all connected devices.

Step 4. For internal cameras, look under a dedicated section called Cameras.

Step 5. Sometimes, the camera may appear under Sound, video, and game controllers, so check there if you don’t see it in Cameras.

Step 6. If the camera appears, proceed to the next troubleshooting step. If it’s not listed, go to the Actions menu in the top-left corner and choose Scan for hardware changes. This will prompt Windows to search for and detect connected devices, including your camera.

Way 2. Allow Apps to get access to cameras

Even if your camera is detected by the system, it must also be accessible to Windows and any applications that need it for video capture. Like on smartphones, apps on Windows require permission to access the camera to display live video. Here’s how to check and adjust these permissions through the privacy settings:

Step 1. Open Windows Settings.

Step 2. In the second-last row, select Privacy to open the privacy settings window.

Step 3. From the left-hand menu, choose Camera to access camera privacy options.

Step 4. At the top, click the Change button to ensure the camera is turned on. Below that, enable the setting to Allow apps to access your camera.

Step 5. Scroll down to see a list of Windows apps permitted to use the camera. Confirm that the Camera app itself has access. Further down, you’ll find a list of third-party apps that can access your camera. Locate the app you're experiencing issues with and ensure the access toggle next to it is turned on.

Way 3. Install/update the camera driver

As previously mentioned, driver issues are one of the most common causes of a camera not working on a Windows 10 device. To check and update your camera driver, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open Device Manager.

Step 2. Locate the section where your camera is listed as a connected device. It may appear under Cameras or, for some external cameras, under Sound, video, and game controllers.

Step 3. Right-click on your camera in the list to open additional options.

Step 4. Select Update driver from the top of the menu.

Step 5. You’ll then be given two options. If you have an active internet connection, choose the option to search for the driver online. Windows will automatically find and download the necessary drivers for your camera.

Step 6. Once the drivers are installed, restart your computer and test the camera to see if the issue is resolved.

Way 4. Roll back the camera driver to the previous version

Just like Windows updates, a camera driver update can also prevent your system from detecting the camera. If you don't want to revert to an earlier version of Windows, you can instead roll back to a previous version of the camera driver. Here’s how:

Step 1. Open Device Manager and locate your camera as mentioned in previous steps.

Step 2. Right-click on your camera and select Properties.

 

Step 3. In the Properties window, go to the Driver tab to view driver-related options.

Step 4. You’ll see details like the driver’s name, installation date, and version.

Step 5. If available, click the Roll Back Driver button.

Step 6. Windows will prompt you to provide a reason for rolling back. You can either type a response or choose from a list of options.

Step 7. Click Yes to confirm and roll back to the earlier driver version.

Way 5. Remove recent Windows update

Windows updates are notorious for causing driver issues during installation. Often, the drivers included in the update may be incompatible with older cameras, leading to malfunction. To resolve this, you can uninstall the most recent update.

Step 1. Type "Windows Update" in the Windows 10 search bar.

Step 2. Click on Windows Update Settings from the top of the results.

Step 3. In the settings window, select View update history to see a list of all recent updates.

Step 4. To remove an update, click on Uninstall updates.

Step 5. In the new window, locate and double-click the problematic update to uninstall it. This will roll back the update and may resolve the camera issue.

How to recover lost data if Win 10 camera not working

When your Windows 10 camera is not working, it can lead to frustration, especially if you have important data or files you were trying to access or use through the camera. In some cases, the issue might be linked to system errors, driver conflicts, or even data loss due to corrupted files or malfunctioning software. Luckily, you can use AOMEI FastRecovery to recover lost data from your device, even when the camera isn’t functioning as expected.

AOMEI FastRecovery is a powerful tool designed to help users recover lost or deleted data on Windows systems. It can restore files from various types of storage devices, including hard drives, external drives, and SD cards. The software is specifically useful when data loss occurs due to system crashes, accidental deletions, or other unexpected issues.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data is lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool starts to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first to find your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovery to end.

Conclusion

Fixing camera issues on Windows 10 or 11 is simpler than it seems. These solutions on this page address common errors like undetected cameras or app access issues, ensuring your device functions properly for video calls and other tasks.

If data loss occurs due to system errors, AOMEI FastRecovery offers a reliable solution to recover lost files efficiently. This tool restores data from hard drives, SD cards, and more, making it invaluable during unexpected problems.