Why the laptop does not see the built-in camera. What to do if the Skype camera does not work. What to do if your webcam isn't working

When using any program for communication, sometimes problems arise, and Skype, unfortunately, is no exception. Skype does not see the camera - a problem with which users contact the technical service very often. Today we will tell you how to solve it.

We will try to analyze all the reasons why Skype does not see the webcam, both on a computer and on a laptop.

Possible reasons

What if Skype can't see the camera? First of all, don't panic. As we said, this problem is quite common, and, in most cases, there are many solutions. But first, let's figure out why Skype does not see the webcam.

Disabled equipment

• The first and most common reason why Skype does not see the camera on a laptop is that the equipment is not turned on. On some laptops, no additional connection is required - I bought it, turned it on and everything works. But the opposite situation is not uncommon - for the web-camera to work, it needs to be additionally connected. Sometimes there is a special button on the keyboard for this, and in some cases you need to press a certain key combination.

Outdated version

• Let's say Skype stopped seeing the webcam on a laptop, and you just noticed it. The first thing to check in this case is whether an update has been released for the messenger. If a new version is released, and you forgot to install it, problems may arise not only with video communication, but in general with all the functionality of the program. To solve the problem, install the update, restart Skype and try calling again.

The camera in Skype is blocked by another program

• And Skype does not see the camera, both on a laptop and on a computer, if another program is open on the device that can use web equipment. These can be web browsers or instant messengers like Skype.

By the way, before starting to work with this messenger, we advise you to close all open programs, then the quality of communication will be much better.

Wrong device selected

• See which camera is set by default for communication in the program. Open Skype settings by clicking on the three dots located at the top of the screen and select "Sound and video settings".

Of course, this problem is more relevant for PC users who additionally connect a webcam to their device. All previously connected equipment remains in the system memory and can, as a result of a system error, be installed by the default messenger even in a disconnected state.

In the event that you have a laptop, do not rush to discard this reason, even if you are 100% sure that you have never used additional equipment, nevertheless, check - the webcam could be connected and tested in the store.

By the way, you can find out about that by reading our next article.

Drivers flew

• A very common reason that Skype does not see the camera on Windows 10 is a driver crash while updating the operating system. However, this can happen on a device with any operating system. "Firewood" fly off, not updated. You can check if there are any problems with this area by opening "Device Manager" ("Start" menu), and then - "Imaging Devices". Look for your WEB-camera in the list. If not, the drivers are not installed. If a yellow question mark or exclamation mark is lit opposite (as an option - a yellow triangle), the driver needs to be updated or reloaded.

What else can you do?

• It happens that Skype sees a video camera, but there is still no image. If this is what happened to you, please send our instructions to the user you are trying to contact. Most likely, it was he who had the problem.
• Or maybe you're trying to start a video call from an outdated device, or are you using an operating system that Skype doesn't support? Difficulties can arise on computers equipped with an Intel Pentium III processor or on the Windows XP SP2 operating system. You will install the program itself, but this version does not support video broadcasting
• If, however, there is video communication, but it is very bad (the image is pixelated, freezes during communication, you cannot see the interlocutor), we advise you to check the parameters of the Internet connection. With such "symptoms", this is precisely the case.
• And, finally, the most unpleasant situation. Your webcam has just fallen into disrepair. Go with the broken device to the service center to make sure, or go straight to the store for a new one.

We hope we were able to help you with your Skype camera problems! If you have any questions, ask them in the comments.

An article about why is already waiting for you on our website.

Many of us know about the existence of the Skype program. It is no secret that it earned its popularity thanks to the video communication function, which is not found in all analogue programs. Even many competing applications for communication over the Internet cannot boast of a "picture" during a conversation. Its appearance is due to the included webcam.

Thus, you can see the interlocutor if he has this "miracle of technology." On the latest laptop models, the webcam is already built directly into the device itself, but users often face a number of problems with it. Let's deal with them together.

What if the webcam is not working?

First of all, you need to find out if there are drivers for the "webcam" and if they work properly. Often, after rearranging or updating the system, the drivers for the webcam are forgotten or not considered necessary to be installed until it is needed for work. To check, you need to go to the "Device Manager", this can be done in different ways, such as:

• The shortcut keys Win + R;
• Through the command line;
• In the "Control Panel"
• To My Computer.

It contains all the necessary information about the drivers. Even an inexperienced user will be able to notice if something is wrong with the driver: it will not be there at all, a red cross or an exclamation mark will be drawn next to it, for example. The driver properties should indicate that the device is working properly. If you find the cause of your problems, just reinstall the driver.

Delete the existing one and download the new one. It is best to download the device from the official website, and in general, the drivers must be written on the installation disc that comes with your laptop. It will be more convenient to use special utilities that will indicate which drivers are missing and which are not working correctly, there are many of them on the Internet. Skype does not see the webcam on the laptop anyway?

If it's not about the drivers

There may be other reasons if the webcam refuses to work. You can check the performance even without Skype. Launch any video player and in the "open" tab look for a way to open the camera. If you see yourself, everything works. You can delve into the settings of Skype itself, open the video settings, note that the automatic video reception item should be marked. Check if your OS or laptop itself is out of date.

In fact, there are many reasons that have a direct impact on the correct operation of a web device. These are mainly: uninstalled, installed with an error or incompatible with the current version of the OS driver, software problems or system errors.

So, now let's talk in more detail why this happens, what to do if the laptop does not see the webcam and how to return it to operation.

Driver problem

First, open device Manager and make sure you have all the required drivers installed.

In details:

After completing the installation, be sure to restart your PC.

There are times when, due to various failures, the webcam software fails and the laptop does not see it. Then, before installing a new driver, you need to uninstall the old one.

For this:

Now you can proceed to installing fresh software.

If the device manager does not see the webcam, it simply is not in any section, then most likely the problem is in its malfunction.

System errors

The second problem, which may very well be, is the corruption of the system files responsible for the correct operation of the software.

How to fix errors:

It is a system tool that automatically restores important files from the backup area.

File system damaged

Another reason why a laptop usually does not see the built-in webcam. In short, a file system is a way of organizing and storing information. And with the slightest mistakes in it, the performance of certain components is disrupted.

How to fix everything:

To start checking, you need to reboot the system. All errors found will be corrected.

Solving Compatibility Issues

In some cases, the laptop may not see the built-in webcam due to problems with the compatibility of the installed software with the current version of Windows. Then the troubleshooter originally built into the OS comes to the rescue.

To run it you need:

Everything should work now.

How to enable it

After fixing all the problems, the webcam will be available for use. To enable it, special key combinations are used, most often these are:

You can also open "Start" and enter "camera" into the search bar.

What else could be

I have analyzed the main types of malfunctions, but there are other reasons why the laptop does not see the webcam.

Most often these are:

• The webcam is completely or partially out of order.
• Damage to the cable connecting the webcam to the motherboard.
• Faulty motherboard. Usually, in cases with a laptop, overheating of a separate component occurs.

You cannot fix all this on your own. It is necessary to communicate for help to specialists, for example, to us, for a more thorough diagnosis and repair.

The popular all over the world program Skype is known, perhaps, by every active user of the World Wide Web. You do not need to pay for communication with subscribers, and the interface is understandable even for those who have never used such applications. However, "beginners" often face technical problems, so today we want to answer one of the most popular questions. What if Skype does not see the camera? The first step is to find the cause of the problem.

Check the connection

No matter how trite it sounds, but sometimes the problem can be solved by itself after simple manipulations.

Using the camera with another program

It is possible that you have applications installed on your computer that also use the webcam. To do this, you need to turn off everything on your PC that you are not using at the moment. To rule out a possible conflict, simply close all programs and check the health of the hardware again.

Check camera operation

To find out why Skype is not working, you can use the following method:

• Open any video player.
• Right-click on the screen, click "Open", and then select "Camera or other device."
• If the webcam is already working, then you will see what it is currently filming.

Check for the correct drivers

Skype may not be able to see the camera because your PC or laptop does not have the required drivers. Therefore, try installing them from the disc that came with your laptop at the time of purchase.

You can check the availability of the required programs as follows:

• Find "Device Manager". If you are using the operating system Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, then press the "Win" and "R" buttons at the same time. Then issue the command "devmgmt.msc" and "Enter".
• Device Manager can also be found through My Computer and Control Panel.
• Next, you will need the Imaging Devices tab. Ideally, there should be no red crosses or exclamation marks opposite the lines.
• You should also find the "WebCam" icon. When you click on it, a window should appear with the inscription "The device is working normally."
• Try uninstalling the old driver and then installing the new one. To do this, right-click on the same icon and select "Delete". And the new program is best downloaded from the official website of your PC or laptop manufacturer.

Check Skype settings

Have you already installed the correct drivers, but the webcam performance is poor? Then you should configure the program itself. For this:

• Open Skype, go to "Tools", find "Settings" at the top of the window and select the "Video Settings" section.
• If you did everything correctly, then on the right you will see the image transmitted by the camera.
• Make sure that the program sees the built-in or portable camera - that is, the “WebCam” sign should appear.
• Next, find the line "Automatically receive video and share the screen for ..." and click the last item in the list "Nobody".
• After that, check the brightness, contrast, tints and other parameters in the "Properties". They may need to be customized by placing icons in the middle of the desired lines.

Check for updates

If your Windows operating system has not been reinstalled for a long time, then it may interfere with Skype or not support video broadcasts.

Perhaps the problem lies with the program itself. Oddly enough, but sometimes such phenomena are difficult to explain or fix. What to do in this case? We recommend that you delete the current version and download the latest version from the official website.

• First, turn off the program by clicking on the Skype icon and selecting "Exit".
• Next, you need to go to "Start", find "Settings" and then "Control Panel".
• In the list provided, select our program and uninstall it.

Don't worry about losing your account. After launching the new version, it will be updated automatically, and all old contacts will be in their place.

Equipment replacement

If all your attempts to restart the webcam are in vain, then you will have to replace it. The easiest way is to buy a separate device and connect it to a PC or laptop via a USB portal. After that, run the program again and wait until it finds a new camera. You might also have to look in Settings, find Camera and Debug.

If your computer is based on a Pentium 3 processor, you will not be able to make video calls. This type of equipment is outdated for a long time, so consider replacing it.

As you can see, Skype can be set up without any problems even for a person who knows little about a computer or laptop. So please read our tips carefully and try to fix the problems yourself.