How to fix webcam black screen issues in Windows 10

by Ivan Jenic

Troubleshooting Expert

September 24, 2020

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Fixing the webcam if it only shows a black screen after you updated your operating system to Windows 10 can be done very quickly by following the tutorial you have below.

But you will have to be aware that if you have any hardware malfunctions to the webcam this will not be an appropriate approach to the issue.

There are many problems with your webcam that can occur on Windows 10, and in this article, we’re going to show you how to fix the following issues:

• A4Tech, Logitech webcam shows black screen – Almost every webcam can have this problem, and many users reported this issue with A4Tech and Logitech webcams.
• Webcam shows a black screen no audio – This is usually caused by a bad driver, and it can be easily fixed.
• Webcam shows a white screen, green screen, gray screen – This is a variation of this problem, but you should be able to fix it by using solutions from this article.
• Webcam shows no activity, no picture –This can be a driver or a hardware-related issue.
• Webcam shows mirror image, inverted image, picture upside down –This is usually caused by a bad driver or your webcam settings.
• Webcam not working, not detected – If your webcam isn’t detected, be sure to connect it to a different port and update your drivers.

How can I deal with my webcam’s black screen problems?

1. Download the latest driver from your webcam manufacturer
2. Update your webcam driver
3. Update your recording application
4. Uninstall your webcam driver
5. Add an additional light source
6. Remove your laptop battery
7. Change your Exposure settings
8. Make sure that your camera is compatible with your PC
9. Disconnect other USB devices and connect the camera to a different port

1. Download the latest driver from your webcam manufacturer

1. Go on your manufacturer’s website and look for a driver to your webcam that is compatible with the version of Windows that you installed.
2. If a new version of drivers for Windows 10 is available you will need to uninstall the current drivers you use and install the new drivers from the website.

In most cases downloading the driver directly from the manufacturer should fix the problem, so be sure to try it.

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2. Update your webcam driver

1. In the search box, write Device Manager.
2. If you are prompt by a user account controls window you will need to left click or tap on the Yes button to allow you to make changes in this window.
3. On the left side panel, you will need to expand the Imaging devices group.
4. Locate your camera, right-click it, and choose Update Driver.
   
5. Click on Browse my computer for driver software.
   
6. Left-click on the Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
   
7. Left-click on the USB Video device.
8. Left-click on the Next button you have in the lower side of the window.
9. From here you need to follow the instructions you have on the screen and finish the driver update of your webcam in Windows 10.
10. After the update is finished you need to reboot your Windows 10 device.

After updating the driver, check if the problem is resolved.

3. Update your recording application

1. Uninstall the application you are trying to use the webcam from in Windows 10.
2. Go on Microsoft Store and look for the latest version of the application compatible with Windows 10.
3. Download and install the latest application.
4. Reboot your Windows 10 device after the installation is completed.

The Microsoft Store won’t load on Windows 10? Check out this guide and solve the problem in no time.

4. Uninstall your webcam driver

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Locate your webcam, right-click it, and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
   
3. Click on Uninstall to proceed.
   
4. Now click on Scan for hardware changes icon and wait while Windows installs the necessary drivers.
   

After reinstalling your drivers, check if the issue still persists. Keep in mind that Windows 10 can sometimes update your drivers automatically in the background causing this issue to reappear.

If this happens, you’ll have to repeat this process and uninstall your driver once again. To prevent your webcam driver from automatically updating be sure to check our guide on how to prevent certain drivers from updating.

5. Add an additional light source

According to users, sometimes you might fix this problem simply by adding an additional light source.

If your webcam shows a black screen, simply use a flashlight or any other light source, and point it at your camera. After doing that your webcam should start working again.

Keep in mind that this is a crude workaround, but if this solution works for you, you need to repeat it whenever you want to use your webcam.

6. Remove your laptop battery

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If your webcam shows a black screen, you might be able to fix this problem simply by turning off your laptop and removing its battery.

Disconnect your laptop from the power outlet and remove its battery.

Now press and hold the power button for 30 seconds or more. You might have to repeat this process a couple of times in order for this solution to work.

After doing that, but the laptop battery back into your laptop and start it normally. Now your webcam should start working again.

If the issue still persists, you might have to remove your battery and repeat the entire process again.

7. Change your Exposure settings

1. Open Skype and go to Tools and select Options.
   
2. Now navigate to Video settings and click on Webcam settings.
   
3. Go to the Camera Control tab and check the Auto checkbox next to Exposure.

Keep in mind that every recording application is different, so you might not have the Exposure option available.

This isn’t a universal solution, and you’ll have to repeat it for every video recording app that you want to use.

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8. Make sure that your camera is compatible with your PC

If your webcam shows black screen, the problem might be a compatibility issue. Some older webcams might not be fully compatible with Windows 10, and that can cause this issue to appear.

To check if the compatibility is the issue, we advise you to try your webcam on a different Windows 10 PC and see if the issue reappears.

If the issue manifests on another PC, the camera might not be fully compatible with Windows 10, and your only solution is to replace it.

9. Disconnect other USB devices and connect the camera to a different port

If you’re using a USB camera, you should know that sometimes other USB devices can cause interference. This can occur if you’re using a USB hub.

To fix the issue, it’s advised to disconnect unnecessary USB devices and check if your webcam works.

If the issue still persists and your webcam shows a black screen, you might want to try connecting it to a different port. Try connecting your camera to every available port and check if that solves the issue.

The solutions above are all you need to find and fix your webcam if it only shows a black screen since the update to  Windows 10.

Please post below in the comments section of the page if you encountered any other issues to your webcam and the fixes posted above don’t work for you.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been since revamped and updated in September 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

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