How to Fix Webcam Black Screen on Windows

Problem solving

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Make sure that nothing is blocking the webcam's lens. While it may sound obvious, make sure that no stickers, dirt, or other peripherals are blocking the webcam's lens. If the built-in webcam has its own plastic shutter, make sure it's fully open so the lens is clear. If the lens is foggy due to lint or dirt, wipe it off quickly with a soft cloth.

If you are using a USB webcam, double check that it is plugged in.

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Close all open browser tabs and applications. If you see light on or near the webcam's lens (usually red or green), it's likely that the camera is being used by another app or website. If you are not sure which application is using it, close all open things. After closing open apps, close and reopen the app where you want to use the camera (e.g. Chrome, WhatsApp) and check if it works.

In addition to the application in the taskbar (taskbar), check also the application in the system tray (the part of the toolbar with the clock and smaller icons). You may need to click on the small arrow to see all the icons. Hover your mouse pointer over each icon to see what it is—if there's a chance it's using the camera, right-click it and choose Quit or Close.

You can also try restarting your personal computer to make sure that some services running in the background don't accidentally open the camera.

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Check the webcam option in the app or website. Depending on the app or website you're using (e.g. Zoom, Facebook), you may need to select your webcam or set up some options before you can play or take a photo. You can usually click a menu or icon to bring up a list of cameras or other devices—if the camera isn't already selected, select it, then grant the appropriate permissions if asked.

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Adjust permissions. The screen of the webcam may be black in the application you are using if that application does not have permission to access the camera. To adjust permissions, do:

Open the Start menu and click the Settings gear.

Click Privacy.

Scroll down the left column and select Camera under "App Permissions".

Observe the right pane—if you see "Camera access for this device is off" at the top of the window, click the Change button then turn the switch to On. If access is on, skip this step.

The slide switch under "Allow apps to access your camera" should be set to On. If not, click it to pop it up.

Scroll down to the "Allow desktop apps to access your camera" section. If this switch is not already on, click it to turn it on.

The list of apps below this section are apps that you've previously granted camera access to. Example: If you used a webcam while chatting on Facebook using Google Chrome, Google Chrome will be listed in this section.

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Try using the official webcam software. In some cases, the settings of the webcam application may be reset or messed up after updating the operating system. Open the webcam program (the opening procedure will vary depending on the webcam you are using), find Preferences or Settings, then adjust the video and screen settings to see if the webcam image has changed. .

If the webcam is built-in, you can try using the Camera app that is part of Windows 10.

If you're using a USB webcam made by Logitech or some other company, you may need to download the official software from the manufacturer's website first.

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Unplug another USB device from the computer (USB webcam only). It is likely that another USB device is interfering with the webcam. Keep the webcam plugged in, but unplug the other USB device. If the camera still doesn't work, plug it into another USB port and try again.

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Restart the computer in Safe Mode. If you open the webcam in Safe Mode and still get a black screen, try updating the driver. If the webcam can be used in Safe Mode, it is likely that the problem is caused by a startup program. Try disabling startup programs like anti-virus and social media tools like Slack or Steam.

If the webcam is still not working, follow the driver update procedure to further resolve the issue.

Update drivers

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Type device manager into the Windows search bar. If you don't see the search bar next to the Windows Start menu, click the magnifying glass, circle icon, or Start button to open it.

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Click Device Manager . This Device Manager is at the top of the search results.

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Scroll down and double-click Cameras . You should now see the webcam.

If you don't see the webcam here, it's likely in the Imaging Devices or Sound, video, and game controllers section.

If Camera doesn't show up in any section, make sure it's plugged in (if external), click the Action menu at the top, then select Scan for hardware changes.

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Click the webcam's name once. This is the camera selection step.

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Click the "Update" button. This button has a black box and green arrow at the top of the Device Manager window.

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Click Search automatically for updated driver software . This option is located in the center of the window. This is the step that tells Windows to start searching for software updates.

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Wait while Windows searches for updated and available drivers online.

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Install updated driver if found. If Windows finds updated drivers for the webcam, follow the on-screen instructions to install them.

If no drivers are found and the webcam still cannot be used, continue to the next step.

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Manually install the driver. If you still can't use the webcam, you may need to download a specialized driver from the manufacturer. If you own a laptop (laptop) with a built-in webcam, the driver is usually located on the website of the laptop manufacturer (eg Acer, Lenovo). If you have a USB webcam, visit the camera manufacturer's website.

Example: If you're using a Logitech C920, go to Logitech's support website, select the C920 model, and then click the Downloads link to search for software for the camera. Click Download Now to download Logitech software and drivers. Then you need to run the downloaded program to install the driver and accompanying software.

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Restart the computer. After the computer starts backing up, the webcam will recognize the new driver.

David Pac

Update 20 February 2022