What to do if the webcam on Skype on a laptop does not work. The camera on the laptop works, but it doesn’t show up on Skype.

All problems associated with the operation of the camera on a laptop can be divided into technical and software. Technical problems Most often, the camera cable is broken or the camera itself has failed. In this case, they can only help you at the service center. But with software reasons problems due to which the webcam on your laptop does not work, you can try to solve it yourself.

Video camera drivers

Most often, the camera on a laptop does not work due to the fact that the drivers for it are not installed or are not installed quite correctly. Also, do not forget about program errors that cause the laptop not to see the camera. In all these cases, the most optimal solution would be complete reinstallation video camera driver. First, you need to check the webcam on your laptop using the device manager:

1. Through the properties of “My Computer”, go to the “Device Manager” tab.
2. Find the webcam in the list of connected equipment.
   1. If you do not see the video camera in the list of devices, you need to update the hardware configuration and wait until it appears in the list of devices.
   2. If you see a yellow question mark next to the webcam, it means the driver is not installed or is not suitable for this device. You must remove the inappropriate driver using the context menu.
3. Use the right mouse button to go to context menu and select "Update Drivers".
   1. If you have a driver disk, insert it into your laptop and specify it as the source for the update.
   2. If there is no driver disk, select automatic search drivers on the Internet.
4. Once the installation is complete, reboot your laptop.

Although we figured out how to connect a camera on a laptop, it’s worth mentioning separately about the drivers themselves. If the manufacturer of your device has several versions of drivers for your video camera on its website, then you should choose the latest version.

Sometimes laptops of the same model may have webcams installed different companies. Then the driver must be searched by device ID. You can also find it in the task manager by going to the properties of the video camera and selecting the “Details” tab there. In it, in the “Property” drop-down menu, select “Hardware ID” and use the symbols specified there to search for the driver.

Video camera and specialized programs

It happens that some application or Skype does not see the webcam on the laptop. In this case, the problem lies not in the drivers or the camera, but in the video communication program itself. This problem can be resolved very easily. To do this, go to the program settings and select your laptop’s webcam from the list of devices designed for displaying video.

Setting up a webcam on a laptop

After you have completed all manipulations with drivers and video conferencing programs, you can begin setting up a webcam on your laptop. For this purpose, many manufacturers produce specialized utilities, which come with the drivers. The settings made in this way will be used for all programs that work with the webcam.

However, before you start working with drivers and changing settings, you should first restart your laptop. Sometimes when the operating system starts, a crash occurs and the service responsible for turning on the camera on the laptop does not start. In most cases normal reboot allows you to get rid of this problem.

In the century modern technologies is no longer something frightening and fascinating for anyone when from the screen of some strange device waves, smiles and says close person or an old friend located far away. Video communication through specialized computer programs, devices for video signal transmission and, of course, the presence high speed connection To global network The Internet has become an integral part of the lives of people around the world and is an integral part of their everyday life. Particular attention should be paid to how convenient it has become to communicate with friends and business partners from anywhere, because now you can find an Internet connection almost everywhere, and devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones already have a built-in video camera. Such a camera is usually called a webcam, since it is intended specifically for “web communication” (from the English web - web). Day after day, people spend long hours in such communication, but suddenly a problem arises - the camera on the laptop does not work. Panic. What to do? Without understanding the cause of the malfunction, it is difficult to do something, so the article will reveal the causes of malfunctions and ways to solve them using the example of laptops from popular manufacturers.

Causes of malfunctions in the built-in cameras of laptops

A number of factors and reasons can affect the performance of a laptop's built-in webcam. A malfunction can occur either due to the fault of the manufacturer or due to improper handling of the device by the user. It happens that the laptop does not see the webcam, but now it is very necessary for communication. Here the reasons may be:

• factory defects during production or final inspection of products;
• damage from a fall, blow or hit foreign objects and liquids into the laptop case;
• driver software error, operating system or specialized programs for camera operation.

Read more about all types of malfunctions and how to connect the laptop camera back to the device below.

Factory negligence

The production process of built-in webcams for laptops involves a semi-automatic assembly line on a printed circuit board, so not every camera that comes out of the assembly will meet all quality standards. The assembly robot could miss soldering or make it unevenly, shop employees could attach the part incorrectly, etc. For such cases, there is special product quality control, which involves conducting cyclic tests of the devices’ performance. However, given the volume of production and the very short contractual delivery times, it is possible that controls may be relaxed in favor of compliance with contractual relations. How do you know if the camera on your laptop still doesn’t work due to a factory error? Very simple. If when buying a laptop the camera worked perfectly and served its purpose warranty period, then the reason is different. Otherwise, you need to take what you bought computer device to the manufacturer's service center and carry out free warranty repairs.

Physical damage by the user

A common reason why the camera on a laptop does not work is physical damage device in the event of an “accident” in which it fell, was knocked, was subjected to strong pressure, a change in temperature or high humidity. It is very important to understand that the most regular laptops are not suitable for such handling and operation in extreme conditions, so any of the above events can affect the performance of the webcam. She can:

• work incorrectly;
• trigger every other time;
• switch off spontaneously;
• respond to pressing the laptop case near her.

The listed symptoms that appear after these events indicate a malfunction of the camera hardware or the laptop itself. Therefore, in the case when this state of affairs no longer suits the user, it is necessary to take the device to a service center and carry out paid repairs, since warranty obligations do not cover damage caused by the user.

Software glitch

The most likely event leading to the camera not working on a laptop is a software failure. Here are some of the most common reasons:

• The laptop cannot see the webcam because it is disabled. This happens when the user involuntarily presses a key combination that turns off the device. The problem can be solved reverse actions(usually this is Fn + F1-F10 - depending on the laptop model).
• The driver for the webcam is not installed. This can be checked by going to the section: "Control Panel" / "Administration" / "Device Manager". It will be seen here unknown device with a yellow question mark. This designation indicates that the laptop has a device with an uninstalled driver (perhaps it is a webcam). To install the driver, you will need the driver disk that came with the laptop. You can also go to the computer manufacturer’s website and download the necessary installation file drivers. Here, in the "Device Manager", right-click on the already installed camera, you can enable or disable it.
• The utility responsible for turning on the camera does not work on it when the special curtain is opened. In this case, you will need to reinstall the program from the disk or from the manufacturer’s website.
• The driver or programs for operating the camera ended up in the isolated antivirus storage as malware due to high activity and suspicious activities. In this case, you will need to create an exception rule in the settings antivirus program, specifying the path to the camera files.
• Damage to operating system files after installation various programs containing malicious code. It’s difficult to say how to connect a camera on a laptop in this case. The situation is complicated by the fact that it is difficult to predict how damaged system after certain manipulations, it is impossible. You can identify an OS failure by noticing spontaneous reboots, « blue screen death", slowdown in work, constant pop-up of error windows and other things not inherent in normal operation laptop. This problem is treated by reinstalling the operating system at service centers or the place where the device was purchased.

The camera on an Asus laptop does not want to work

Beautiful design and the latest technologies The Asus laptop has always been different. The camera doesn't work for him either, for all the reasons listed above. However, it is worth noting that the manufacturer can place on the device body special switch, closing the electrical circuit for turning on the “eye”. This is what it is - an Asus laptop. Camera not working? You should check all the reasons and look for the “miracle” switch.

HP laptop camera not working

Next up is an HP laptop. The camera does not work on it in the same cases as with Asus and other manufacturers. You also need to check the entire package of pre-installed proprietary software - maybe some program is crashing.

Lenovo: laptop with a faulty camera

The successor to the American IBM is Lenovo laptop. The camera does not work on it in all of the specified cases or in the presence of special built-in technologies such as a “wonderful” switch, sensory inclusion or turning off the camera when the battery is low. Therefore, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the full functionality of the laptop by reading the User Manual.

Verdict - she died

If it becomes clear that the laptop’s built-in camera has “died,” you can always replace it service center or hang a new external one on the screen. External cameras differ best quality video signal transmission, but create certain inconveniences due to their bulkiness. How to connect a camera on a laptop? Very simple! You just need to insert the plug into the USB connector of the device and install the drivers.

One of the advantages of laptops over desktop ones personal computers consists of various built-in equipment, including a webcam. For users who spend a lot of time talking in video chats, failure of this device is quite unfortunate news.

Many problems with the webcam on a laptop can be resolved independently without the help of specialists. Let's look at why the camera may malfunction and how to fix it.

Webcam disabled by hardware

Present on almost all laptops special button, responsible for turning on/off the webcam. Depending on the laptop model, the camera can be controlled by pressing one key or using a special (usually two-key) combination. Also on the laptop there may be mechanical switch, disabling the webcam on hardware level, i.e. by breaking electrical connection, but this method of controlling the device is now rare.

This is what the camera on/off button looks like on ASUS laptops G751JY models:

And here is an example of a laptop keyboard Lenovo ThinkPad X1. To control the webcam here you need to press the “Fn” and “F7” keys simultaneously.

On other laptops, instead of pressing "F7" as in this example, you may need to press any other key. You can clarify this information in the technical documentation for the laptop or on the computer manufacturer’s website.

Be that as it may, before proceeding with any other actions, you should make sure that the webcam is turned on in at the moment. Here you just need to press the corresponding keyboard button or key combination, and if there is a switch, set it to the desired position.

You may also need to restart the program that is currently running the camera.

Reason 2: the camera is disabled by software

In Windows operating systems, almost all built-in or externally connected PC devices can be disabled programmatically. This can be done not only by the user himself, but also by any application that has access to system settings. Often, spontaneous turning off/on of the webcam occurs due to the fault malware. To check whether the device is on or off, simply do the following:

• Press the key combination “Win ​​+ R” on your laptop.
• The Run window will open. Enter the command “devmgmt.msc” into the line without quotes, click on the “OK” button.
• In the newly opened "Device Manager" system application, find and double-click on the "Image processing devices" section.
• If the webcam does not have any software or hardware malfunctions, its name will be displayed in the section that opens, for example:

• Next click right click mouse by webcam name. If the drop-down list shows "Enable device", click on it. The camera will have to work.

In some cases, due to system failures (usually due to driver problems) and for other reasons, the webcam itself may freeze. In these cases, it is enough to turn it off programmatically and then turn it back on. Just right-click on the camera name, select "Disconnect device", then again - "Enable device".

If, while manipulating the webcam in Device Manager, any application was launched to work with it, restart it.

Reason 3: malfunctions in the program working with the camera

Not always the reason for the webcam not working lies in system problems or hardware failures of the laptop itself. The application itself, through which the video is recorded or transmitted to the Internet, may fail. The cause of the malfunction may also be conflicts between two or more programs trying to simultaneously access the webcam. If, for example, one of the programs freezes in the computer’s memory, the other will no longer be able to work with the device.

The first step is to close all applications that can control the webcam. If one of the programs is frozen in the computer's memory, to exit it - open the "Task Manager" (keys "Ctrl + Shift + Esc"), find the name of the application in the list that appears, select it, then press "Del" to cancel the task . After this, you can try again to launch the program through which you record/transmit video from the camera.

In some situations, you may need to remove a particular program. This can be done from system application"Programs and components". To launch it, go to the "Control Panel" and select the appropriate item.

If only one program is installed or currently running on your computer that records or transmits video data, check that the settings in it are correct. Let's look at this with an example popular messenger Skype 8.25.0.5 ( latest version at the time of writing). The steps are as follows:

• Open the program settings menu, go to the "Sound and Video Settings" section.

• If the "Video" block indicates that the device was not found, this will indicate a problem with the camera, driver, or system as a whole.

• If there are no problems with the camera, it may simply not be selected as the default video recording device. In this case, simply click on the area opposite the “Camera” inscription, then enter the name of the webcam.

• Immediately after selecting a camera, a picture from the camera should be displayed at the bottom of the settings window.

In all programs that work with webcams, settings are made according to the same principle.

Reason 4: Driver problems

If the driver does not work, the name of the webcam will be displayed in the Device Manager application along with a yellow exclamation point, which also indicates the presence software faults(perhaps there is system failure). To fix the problem, the driver will need to be reinstalled, for which you must first remove it from the system:

• Find the name of your webcam in the list in Device Manager. It may not be listed in the Imaging Devices section. Also look at the "Other Devices" and "USB Controllers" sections.
• To remove the driver, right-click on the camera name, then select "Remove device". Agree to deletion in the dialog box that opens.

The next task is to find and install the required driver. In the case of web cameras built into a laptop, everything is simple - just go to the manufacturer’s website and download the required software. Here's an example for Asus laptops:

• Go to https://www.asus.com/.
• On the right side of the page, click on the search button, then enter in the displayed search bar laptop model (indicated on the case), for example - “K42N”. Select the name of the laptop from the drop-down list.

• After logging into the page of the selected laptop, follow the "Support" link.
• Open the "Drivers and Utilities" tab, then specify the version of the operating system installed on the laptop.

• Below you will see a list of available drivers. Find the "Camera" section, then click on the "Download" button.

• Install the driver following the onscreen instructions.

Similar steps will have to be performed for laptops from any other manufacturers.

If there are any difficulties with independent search, downloading and installing the webcam driver, use a utility to automatically perform all these actions, for example - DriverHub. You can download applications from the official website of the developers - https://ru.drvhub.net/. The program is free and easy to use (even beginners can handle it).

In laptops there is usually no need to search additional settings cameras to work with it. But there are also moments when the camera simply stops working without visible reasons. There are several ways to correct this situation.

How to turn on the camera

First, you should try rebooting the camera, and better than a laptop. If this method does not help, then you can check whether it is turned off. Some laptop models have separate buttons to control the camera. If there are no such control buttons, then we try to use the key combination “V” and Fn.

The second way is to contact ESC key. If there is an image of a camera on it, then you should press it in combination with the Fn button. If these methods do not help correct the situation, then you can try to study the instructions.

Why doesn't the camera work on my laptop?

Very often, the OS has built-in applications to control this device. Here you can change any settings and parameters. In the application options you can find special function turning on or off the equipment.

If the camera suddenly stops working in specific application, then you can try to fix this through the options of the application itself. For example, in Skype we go to the settings and find the “video settings” function. Here we find the device and if it is disabled, then you need to check the device manager.

Checking drivers when the camera is not working

Usually, when updating the system, the drivers are installed themselves. But it also happens that they are not compatible with this equipment. Here you can reinstall through device manager necessary drivers. All this is done through the “start” button. Next, we need to find image processing and double-click the left mouse button.

The settings open and here we check this option, paying attention to the “disconnect” or “connect” key. If it says enable, then you need to press this key. If during all these checks the exclamation mark, then this means only one thing - you need to reinstall the drivers. To do this, you need to turn to an Internet search engine for help. There you can find detailed instructions by reinstalling them.

It is worth noting that sometimes the reason broken camera are parameters or settings. It's not even about the software. Here the module may fail or the cable may be faulty. It is quite difficult to fix a problem in this area, so in this case it is better to contact a service center.

How to turn on a webcam on a laptop is a very common and popularly asked question in lately. The point is that modern laptops and netbooks are equipped with built-in cameras so that the user can have a video call over the Internet from anywhere in the world. And today we’ll talk about the cameras that are built into laptops, how to turn them on correctly, and what to do if they don’t work. This information will be relevant for computer users. In this article I will talk about several activation methods, and also describe some possible malfunctions, making the camera’s operation not entirely correct. Well, let's go!

The first step is to contact the owners external web cameras, who are not satisfied with the quality of the built-in. As a rule, such devices are connected via USB cable, so if it does not turn on or is not detected, check the connection, try inserting it into another USB connector. Didn't help? Or do you still have a built-in web camera? Maybe you forgot to install the drivers? Read on!

Drivers for webcam

Drivers are special utility utilities that “tell” the computer about a new connected device so that the system “understands” it and operates correctly. You probably have drivers installed on your laptop for a printer, scanner, or some other things? So, a webcam is no exception. It also needs its own drivers, and if you don’t have them installed, be sure to download them from the Internet and install them.

I would like to note that now you can very often find webcams that do not require special drivers from the manufacturer. It is enough to insert the camera into the desired connector, after which the system will install the drivers for the webcam, which were already preinstalled in the system. This especially applies to users who have Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed.

If you need to find a driver for a webcam, then don’t worry, finding them won’t be difficult, you just need to know the model of the camera, or the laptop if it has a built-in camera. In order to determine the model, pay attention to the packaging (when you bought it) of the webcam or on the webcam itself or on the wire; there may be a sticker in which the model is written, see the image below.

How to install drivers for a webcam

As an example, I decided to take a non-built-in webcam in a laptop so that you know how to turn on a webcam on a computer. So, if you know the model, you can now start searching. We type something like this into Google: “(driver model)” and you will be happy! In order not to be unfounded, let's look at a live example. I have an old web camera, for which we will now find the necessary driver.

I recognized the camera model from the sticker. I go to Google and enter “ilook 300 drivers”, after which I look at the links so that they lead to the manufacturer’s website, and not some sharashka office.

I opened two links, one in Russian and the other in English. Let's figure out how to download a driver for a webcam using the example of a Russian-language site. I go to the website, but there is no link to download drivers, so I click “Technical Specifications”.

This is where the drivers are located. I select the one I need and download it.

After downloading, we simply install them, agreeing to all the requirements and agreements in the software installation wizard. You can then restart your computer, although this is usually not necessary.

Skype can help you

What to do if the drivers did not help? How to turn on the webcam on a laptop then? Firstly, there is no need to remove them under any circumstances, let them be. And secondly, we should check Skype settings and see if there is a signal at all or not. To do this, we turn on the program, in top menu select “Tools” - “Settings”. Next, in the “Basic” tab, click on the item: “Video settings”.

If you see a video broadcast in the window that opens on the right, then the camera is configured correctly. By the way, in this window you can also adjust the camera, for example, make the picture lighter or darker; if you play a little with these settings, you can improve your image.

And in the case when no video broadcast appeared, and instead you saw the message: “Skype did not detect a video camera,” then you have a problem either with Skype or with wires or connectors, which, by the way, is more likely.

Reinstall Skype, and if that doesn't help, deal with technical side question, and not with the software, since everything is fine with it. But let me remind you once again that correct driver- deposit successful work devices. If you install the wrong driver or not for your system version, you will not see any image. Therefore, I advise you to install the correct driver for your webcam.

Additional options for turning on the webcam

You can also check if the webcam is working correctly standard means Windows. To do this, go to the Start menu - Control Panel - Hardware and Sound.

In the “Devices and Printers” section, select the “Device Manager” subsection. In the window that opens, look for “Image processing devices.” If you don’t have anything there, then the problem is really on the technical side.

You can try turning on and then turning off your webcam again. To do this, right-click on it and select “Disable”.

Reboot the computer. Then go back to the device manager and select “Enable” by right-clicking on the webcam.

The following information will be relevant for users who use the built-in web camera. Thus, I will show you how to turn on the webcam on your laptop. As a way of inclusion we can suggest next option. Among the F1…F12 keys we look for the one on which blue icon with a camera. After that, press the Fn + button combination desired key. This way you activate and deactivate the webcam.

So, you understand how to turn on the camera on your laptop and computer. Now let's check it not through Skype.

There are special programs, which are designed to work with web cameras, but to check the functionality of the web camera, are usually used Skype programs, or in other similar clients where video conversations are possible, for example Mail Agent.

Regarding online services, here we can cite as an example a world-scale project “”. Both sites offer their users to chat online with a randomly selected interlocutor from among those who are also currently on the site. It doesn't really matter, we're here to test the webcam.

I'll look at an example of the first service. Move the mouse pointer to bottom screen on the left and click “Allow access to devices.”

A window will appear, select Allow and click Close.

In principle, everything after which you will be able to see yourself on the screen, which is what we needed.

Webcam program

I didn’t want to talk about the programs, but after finishing the article, I decided to add to the article. I think this addition will be important for some users.

The most popular, as far as I know, is considered WebcamMax program. This program is paid, but for those who have studied my video course and more experienced users, I think they understand how and where to get it.

The program is simple, after opening, click on the “man” picture, a menu will appear on the right. Here you can select your webcam if it does not want to show.

The program also has all sorts of effects to apply to you. How to do this? Click on the cap.

Effects that you can use will appear on the right.

To apply multiple effects, select 3 hats in the top menu, then navigate through the categories on the left, where there will be different overlays. The cool thing is that when you move your head, these overlays move with you. I experimented a little and this is what I came up with:

That's all I wanted to tell you on this topic. I hope that now the question of how to turn on a webcam on a laptop will no longer arise. If you can’t turn on the webcam, then you can try connecting it to another computer and check if it’s working. And don't forget that you need to install drivers.