How to fix Webcam black screen issues in Windows 10, 8.1 or 7

Fixing the webcam if it only shows a black screen after you updated your operating system to Windows 8.1 or 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.

The webcam only shows black screen since you update to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 because either you have an outdated webcam driver which only worked on your previous operating system or you might have to run the Windows troubleshooter feature to fix any registries problem to the webcam drivers. Nevertheless, you will learn how to fix this issue in just a couple of minutes by doing the steps posted in this article.

How to solve your webcam if it only shows a black screen from the update to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10:

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 show black screen no audio – Few users reported that their webcam shows black screen while detecting no audio. This is usually caused by a bad driver, and it can be easily fixed.
Webcam shows white screen, green screen, gray screen – Several users reported that their camera shows white, green or sometimes 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 – According to users, their webcam shows no activity or picture. This can be a driver or hardware-related issue.
Webcam shows mirror image, inverted image, picture upside down – Several users reported that their webcam shows inverted or mirror image. This is usually caused by a bad driver or your webcam settings.
Webcam not working, not detected – Few users reported that their camera isn’t working at all. If your webcam isn’t detected, be sure to connect it to a different port and update your drivers.

Solution 1 – Update your webcam driver

If your webcam shows black screen, you might be able to fix the problem by updating your drivers. You can do that with ease right from Device Manager by following these steps:

In the search box you have there you need to write Device Manager. Left click or tap on the Device manager icon after the search is finished.
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.
On the left side panel you will need to expand the Imaging devices group. Locate your camera, right click it and choose Update Driver.
Click on Browse my computer for driver software.
Left click on the Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
Left click or tap on the USB Video device.
Left click or tap on the Next button you have in the lower side of the window.
From here you need to follow the instructions you have on the screen and finish the driver update of your webcam in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
After the update is finished you need to reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device.

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

Solution 2 – Download the latest driver from your webcam manufacturer

If updating the driver from the Device Manager doesn’t help, you might have to download and install it manually. You can do that by following these simple steps:

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 (either Windows 8.1 or Windows 10).
If a new version of drivers for the Windows 8.1 or 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.

We also strongly recommend TweakBit’s Driver Updater (approved by Microsoft and Norton) to automatically download all the outdated drivers on your PC. This tool will keep your system safe as you can manually download and install the wrong driver version.

Disclaimer: some features of this tool are not free.

Solution 3 – Update your recording application

If the webcam shows black screen whenever you try to use it, the cause might be your recording application. To fix the issue, you need to do the following:

Uninstall the application you are trying to use the webcam from in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
Go on Windows Store and look for the latest version of the application compatible with Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
Download and install the latest application.
Reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device after the installation is completed.
Try and see if your webcam is working properly.

READ ALSO: How to Make Windows 8.1, 10 Stop Searching for Wireless Networks

Solution 4 – Uninstall your webcam driver

If your webcam shows black screen once you turn it on, the problem might be your driver. To fix the issue, you need to uninstall your driver by doing the following:

Open Device Manager.
Locate your webcam, right click it and choose Uninstall device from the menu.

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Confirmation dialog will now appear. Click on Uninstall to proceed.
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.

Solution 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 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.

Solution 6 – Remove your laptop battery

If your webcam shows 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.

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After doing that, put 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.

Solution 7 – Change your Exposure settings

If webcam shows black screen whenever you turn it on, you might have to change your camera settings. To do that, open your recording application and look for Video settings or Video enhancement section. Now locate Exposure and set it to Automatic.

This option is available in Skype, and you can change it by following these steps:

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

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

Solution 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.

Solution 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 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 8.1 or 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 November 2014 and has been since completely revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

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