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You join a video call and your camera won’t turn on, or the Camera app shows a black screen. When a webcam stops working in Windows 11, the camera itself is rarely the problem. It is usually a setting Windows changed, a driver that needs updating, or another app holding the camera.
This guide shows you how to confirm whether the hardware works, then fix the most common causes from easiest to hardest.
Test it with our free Webcam Test
Before you change settings or reinstall drivers, use our Webcam Test to check the camera hardware. It runs entirely in your browser and shows the resolution and frame rate your camera actually delivers. No video or image leaves your device.
- Open the Webcam Test page.
- Click Start webcam test and choose Allow when your browser asks for camera access.
- If you see a live preview with the resolution and frame rate below it, the hardware works. The problem is a Windows setting or an app.
- If you see a black screen or “No camera was found” and the camera light stays off, work through the steps below.
If the camera works in the browser test but fails in Teams or Zoom, the issue is that app’s permissions or settings, not Windows itself.
Why it happens
According to Microsoft Support, the usual causes are restrictive privacy settings, missing or outdated drivers after a Windows update, antivirus software blocking the camera, or another app using it. Dell Support adds closed privacy shutters, cameras disabled in the BIOS on laptops, and USB connection problems with external webcams.
How to fix it
1. Check for a physical switch or shutter
Many laptops and webcams have a control that turns the camera off or covers the lens. Microsoft Support lists a sliding shutter on the camera, a side switch on the laptop, a dedicated camera key, or an Fn key combination. Make sure it is open or on, then test again.
2. Turn on camera access in Windows privacy settings
Microsoft Support explains that newer versions of Windows 11 don’t give apps camera access by default, so you may need to turn it on:
- Select Start → Settings → Privacy & security → Camera.
- Turn on Camera access. If it is off and greyed out, an administrator needs to turn it on for you.
- Turn on Let apps access your camera, then turn on each Microsoft Store app you use.
- Turn on Let desktop apps access your camera. Most video-call apps, including Edge and Chrome, are desktop apps and need this setting.
3. Allow camera access in your browser
If the camera works in the Windows Camera app but not in a browser call, the browser may be blocking it. Microsoft Teams support recommends checking site permissions: click the icon to the left of the address bar, set Camera to Allow (in Chrome, under Site settings), then reload the page.
4. Close other apps using the camera
Only one app can use the webcam at a time. If Skype, OBS, a screen recorder or another browser tab is holding it, other apps show a black screen or an error. Microsoft Teams support advises closing those apps and restarting the one you need. If you can’t tell which app has the camera, restart your computer.
5. Check for Windows updates and restart
Microsoft Support recommends installing pending updates and restarting. Waking the PC from sleep is not the same as a restart.
- Select Start → Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates, and install what it finds.
- Also check Advanced options → Optional updates for camera driver updates.
- Restart, then test with the Windows Camera app.
6. Run the Windows camera troubleshooter
Windows 11 has a built-in troubleshooter for camera problems, which Microsoft Support describes. Select Start → Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters, find Camera and click Run. Follow the prompts, then test again.
7. Check your antivirus software
Some antivirus programs block the camera as a privacy feature, as Microsoft Support notes; Dell Support names Norton, Kaspersky and AVG as examples. Look for a setting such as “Webcam Protection” or “Webcam Shield,” turn it off briefly and test. If that fixes it, turn protection back on and add your video-call apps to its allow list.
8. Update or reinstall the camera driver
If the camera stopped working after a Windows update, the driver may be the cause. Microsoft Support gives three options, all in Device Manager (right-click Start → Device Manager, then expand Cameras or Imaging devices):
- Update: right-click the camera → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
- Roll back: right-click → Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver. If the button is greyed out, no earlier driver is available.
- Reinstall: right-click → Uninstall device, tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device if shown, then choose Action → Scan for hardware changes.
Restart after each change and test. Dell Support notes that most webcams are plug-and-play and Windows installs their drivers automatically, though USB or Thunderbolt drivers from Windows Update or your PC maker’s support tool may still be needed.
9. Check the camera in BIOS (laptops only)
Some laptops can disable the built-in camera in the BIOS, and Windows then can’t see it at all. Dell Support covers this for Dell laptops; other brands are similar.
- Restart and press the BIOS key as the computer starts (usually F2, Delete or Esc; it appears briefly on screen).
- Look under Integrated Devices, Security or Advanced for Enable Camera or Integrated Camera, and make sure it is enabled.
- Save (usually F10), exit, and test the camera in Windows.
10. Check USB connections (external webcams)
Dell Support recommends making sure the cable is firmly connected, trying a different USB port (USB 3.0 or higher if possible) and, for monitor webcams, checking the USB upstream cable between monitor and computer. Microsoft Support suggests trying the camera on another device: if it works there, the problem is your settings or drivers; if it works nowhere, the camera has likely failed.
When to replace it
If the camera still doesn’t appear in Device Manager, won’t turn on in any app, and fails the browser test on more than one computer, the hardware has likely failed.
Pick a replacement by how you’ll use it. For everyday video calls, the Logitech C920S records 1080p at 30 fps and has a privacy shutter, according to Logitech. If you want to choose how much of the room appears, the Anker PowerConf C200 offers 2K resolution and a 65°, 78° or 95° field of view, per AnkerWork. For client calls, streaming or recording, the OBSBOT Meet 2 records 4K at 30 fps or 1080p at 60 fps with a 1/2-inch sensor and AI auto framing, according to OBSBOT.
Compare all three on our researched webcam picks page. Before you buy, run the Webcam Test once more: many “broken” webcams turn out to be a setting or a closed shutter.
FAQ
Why is my webcam not working?
The most common causes are Windows privacy settings, another app using the camera, a missing or outdated driver, antivirus webcam protection, or a closed privacy shutter. Microsoft Support lists these as the main reasons.
Why did my webcam suddenly stop working?
Usually a Windows update changed privacy settings or the camera driver, or antivirus software added webcam protection. Check privacy settings first, then update or roll back the driver.
Why is my webcam not working on Zoom or Teams?
If it works in the Windows Camera app but not in Zoom or Teams, check that desktop apps have camera access in Windows privacy settings, and check browser site permissions for web versions. Microsoft Teams support names browser permissions as a common cause.
How do I enable my webcam in Windows 11?
Go to Start → Settings → Privacy & security → Camera and turn on Camera access, Let apps access your camera, and Let desktop apps access your camera. If it is still off, check for a physical switch or shutter and, on laptops, the BIOS setting.
How do I know if my webcam is broken?
Run our Webcam Test. If it works there, the hardware is fine. If it fails there, in the Windows Camera app and on another computer, the hardware has likely failed.
Sources
- Microsoft Support, Camera doesn’t work in Windows | Microsoft Support.
- Microsoft Support, My camera isn’t working in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Support.
- Dell Support, Camera Does Not Work in Windows: Laptop or USB Webcams | Dell US.
- Dell Support, Troubleshooting and Resolving Dell Webcam Driver Issues in Windows | Dell US.
- Logitech, C920S Pro HD Webcam.
- AnkerWork, PowerConf C200 Webcam.
- OBSBOT, OBSBOT Meet 2 specs.
Last updated: October 12, 2026. Researched and written by 123EasyTech Editorial.
