Webcam not working: how to fix it

Your camera shows a black picture, says it cannot find a camera, or does not work in a video call. Go from physical switches and permissions to updates and the driver, on Windows and on a Mac.

Before you start

A camera can be built into a laptop or be a separate USB webcam. The first checks are the same. A quick test helps: on Windows open the Camera app from the Start menu. On a Mac, open Photo Booth or FaceTime. If the picture works there but not in your call app, the camera is fine and the app needs attention. This takes about 12 minutes in total.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check the shutter, switch and cable

This takes about 2 minutes.

1. Look for a small sliding shutter over the lens and slide it open.
2. Look for a camera switch on the side of a laptop, or a keyboard key with a camera symbol. Some laptops use a function key combination. Switch the camera on.
3. For a USB webcam, push the cable in firmly. Try a different USB port, plugged straight into the computer instead of through a hub.
4. Close any other program that might use the camera, such as another video call app. Only one app can use it at a time.
5. Restart the computer. On Windows, choose Start, Power, then Restart. Sleep is not a restart.

Fix 2: Allow apps to use the camera

The computer can block the camera for all apps, or only for one. This takes about 3 minutes.

On Windows 11

1. Open Settings then Privacy & security then Camera.
2. Turn on Camera access and Let apps access your camera.
3. Turn on Let desktop apps access your camera. Browsers and most video call programs need it.
4. In the app list, make sure your app is switched on.

On Windows 10

1. Open Settings then Privacy then Camera.
2. If camera access is off for this device, select Change and turn it on.
3. Turn on Allow apps to access your camera and, for programs installed outside the Microsoft Store, Allow desktop apps to access your camera.

On a Mac

1. On macOS Ventura and later, open System Settings then Privacy & Security then Camera. On earlier versions, use System Preferences then Security & Privacy then Privacy then Camera.
2. Turn on the switch beside your app. Quit and reopen the app if it asks you to.
3. If you use Screen Time, open Content & Privacy, then App Restrictions, and check that the camera is allowed.

Fix 3: Test in the Camera app

This takes about 1 minute and tells you where the fault is.

1. On Windows, select Start and open Camera. On a Mac, open Photo Booth.
2. If you see yourself, the camera works. Look at your call app's own settings and choose the correct camera there.
3. If you see an error, note its code and look it up in the table below.

Fix 4: Install updates

This takes about 5 minutes. Camera drivers often arrive through Windows Update.

1. On Windows 11, open Settings then Windows Update and select Check for updates. Then open Advanced options and Optional updates to look for a camera driver.
2. On Windows 10, open Settings then Update & Security then Windows Update and select Check for updates, then View optional updates if it is shown.
3. On a Mac, open System Settings then General then Software Update. On earlier versions, open System Preferences and choose Software Update.
4. Restart when asked, then test again. If an update will not install, see Windows Update stuck or failing.

If your security software has a webcam protection feature, check its settings to see whether it is blocking your app.

Fix 5: Reinstall the camera driver (Windows)

A driver is the small program that lets Windows use a device. This takes about 5 minutes.

1. Select the search box on the taskbar, type Device Manager, and open it.
2. Look for your camera under Cameras, Imaging devices or Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Select Action, then Scan for hardware changes. Test the camera again.
4. If it is still not working, right-click the camera and select Properties. On the Driver tab, select Roll Back Driver if it is available, then Yes. Skip this if the button is greyed out.
5. Otherwise, on the Driver tab select Uninstall Device, then OK, restart, and let Windows install the camera again.

More on this tool is in how to fix driver problems in Device Manager. If you need a driver, get it from the camera or computer maker's website. Never use a driver-updater program. If a USB webcam is not seen at all, see USB device not recognized.

Fix 6: Restart the Mac

On a Mac with Apple silicon, restart the Mac. On an Intel-based Mac, Apple lists resetting the SMC (a chip that manages power and some hardware). Apple's support page for your Mac model explains how. A flashing green light next to the camera, or a camera that still fails, may mean the Mac needs service.

If it still does not work

• Plug a USB webcam into another computer. If it fails there too, the webcam is probably faulty.
• If the camera works in the Camera app but not in your call app, reinstall or update that app and choose the camera in its settings.
• Use the support page on your computer maker's website for your model.

Frequently asked questions