Fix: Microsoft Teams camera not working on PC & Mac

by Teodor Nechita

Software Managing Editor

Last update:March 17, 2020

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Part of the modern work environment is having face-to-face meetings with your colleagues, as well as being able to chat remotely. One middle ground between the two is holding video conferences, and a lot of collaborative tools have this feature.

One such collaborative tool is Microsoft Teams, which is a unified platform where users can chat, send items, hold conferences and more.

However, not all things are going smoothly fro Microsoft Teams, since plenty of users have been reporting to have issues with it. More precisely, they say that Microsoft Teams fails to detect their webcams, especially during video conferences.

I have a Lenovo Ideapad Y70 with a built in camera and Windows 10 Home. My company uses MS Teams and I can log in and see and hear everyone and they can hear me, but my face is frozen or doesn’t appear at all. I’ve uninstalled Teams several times, made sure everything is updated. I can’t get it to work.

Fortunately, this problem is rather common, so many solutions were found over time that proved themselves to be effective. That is why we’ve compiled this step-by-step guide so that you can use your camera in Microsoft Teams efficiently.

Not a big fan of Microsoft Teams? Why not try these neat alternatives!

How can I make my camera work in Microsoft Teams?

1. Make sure Microsoft Teams has permission to use the webcam

In Windows 10 you need to provide apps permissions to use your hardware components. This includes giving programs like Microsoft Teams or Skype the permission to use your webcam.

You can give apps permission to use your webcam by following these steps:

1. Press Windows Key + I
2. Go to Privacy
3. Select Camera
4. Make sure that Allow apps to access your Camera is activated
5. Also, make sure that Choose apps that can use your camera is activated for Teams.
6. If it happens to already be on, turn it off and leave it like that for a few seconds before turning it back on again.

2. Update all of your drivers

One common reason for why the camera is not being detected in old camera drivers. That is why it is good to keep all of your drivers updated to the latest version.

For a more detailed guide on how to update all of your drivers, check out this dedicated guide.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

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You can also choose to automatically update your drivers as you can permanently damage your PC if you download and install a wrong driver version.
For that, we recommend you to try a dedicated tool that is automatically searching for the latest driver versions for your PC. One of the best is IObit Driver Booster 7, one of the latest programs for keeping your drivers safe from the creators of Advanced System Care. It is free to download and it makes a great job at keeping your drivers up and running.

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3. Run Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

Various issues can occur that can affect your camera’s functionality, that is why using the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter is recommended.

1. Press Start
2. Go to Settings
3. Select Update & Security 
4. Click on Troubleshoot

4. Re-register your webcam

1. Press Windows + X
2. Go to Device Manager
3. Look under Imaging devices
4. Right-click on your camera device and select Uninstall
5. Click OK
6. Select Action
7. Choose Scan for hardware changes
8. Reboot the PC

By following these guides, you should be able to make your webcam run again in Microsoft Teams.

Did you find this guide useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

FAQ: Learn more about Microsoft Teams

• What cameras work with Microsoft Teams?

To enjoy the full capabilities of Microsoft Teams video conferences, the best approach is to use a device manufactured by certified partners. To check the list of Microsoft Teams certified webcams, go to Microsoft’s support page and scroll down to cameras.

• How far can a webcam see?

Most webcams are capable of capturing clear images up to 10-30 feet. However, the quality of the images depends on other factors as well, including light and webcam settings.

• Can a laptop camera be on without light?

When the laptop camera is turned on, there is a LED indicator light that confirms the device in actively recording images. However, malware programs can hack your laptop webcam firmware so as to turn it on without activating the LED indicator. For this reason, it’s always best to keep a sticker on your webcam when you’re not using it.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2019 and has been since updated for freshness and accuracy.

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