Surface Pro 7 camera doesn't work and light always on until reboot

Anonymous
2020-05-11T05:55:28+00:00

Hello! I have Surface Pro 7 i3 4/128 Gb. Camera works several times for Windows Hello and then stops, camera light always on until reboot. I have all updates.

I tried:

  1. uninstall camera in Device Manager;
  2. check and uncheck camera in UEFI;
  3. fresh start and reset;
  4. reinstall Windows with MediaCreationTool1909.

The last method helped me for a week, camera light stopped turns on for Windows Hello (only IR camera turned on) and camera worked. Now camera turns on again and stops after 2-10 times. How to fix it?

Surface | Surface Pro | Sound and camera

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-04-02T02:40:22+00:00

    I'm still having the same issue. I've even gotten a replacement from Microsoft, and the problem persist. Mine is an I5. Please fix this issue.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-12-15T20:52:41+00:00

    I'm not sure it's related to Windows Hello. Once I run Zoom, and it was the same problem.

    But I agree it doesn't feel like a hardware issue.

    I own two Surface Pro 7 i5, and both have the same camera issue from time to time, not very often.

    Besides that, I love SP7, and I have not experienced any other issues.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-12-15T20:39:42+00:00

    I have the same exact issue as you guys and I'm also running the i3 SP7.  The light shuts off as soon as I disable facial recognition in Windows Hello, BUT if you go into the camera app (or any other program), the camera will not work. Luckily the camera app gave an error message saying the camera is currently reserved. I do not feel this is a hardware issue but a bug related to Windows Hello.

    Behavior recap

    • Occasionally the SP7 camera light will remain on (infrared blaster does not) after trying to use Windows Hello
    • Any programs attempting to use the front camera will not work, including the default camera app
    • Common temporary "fix" is to reboot the device
    • IF you disable facial recognition the light turns off AND the default camera app will give an error message

    I don't know how useful this information might be, but hopefully it can help in solving the problem.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-12-12T17:32:14+00:00

    I also have this issue and am on my third i5 Surface Pro 7 (the first one just stopped working completely, the second one stopped connecting to type covers and damaged the original type cover). Both the second one and my current one had this camera issue, but it's usually infrequent enough that I would just restart. However, that is really, really annoying and should not be considered the solution.

    I'll add that I was a big Microsoft supporter in the past and love the Surface Pro as a concept, but all of the hardware issues on this are just disappointing and it's made me skeptical of future MS hardware.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-12-01T23:15:31+00:00

    I have an i5 (8GB 256SSD), and its happened so often I just use the PIN now, in this age os masks somehow its become easier to use a PIN, if its nay consolation, the feceID on my iPad works flawlessly, which somehow makes the issue with my SP7 even more annoying.

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