Audio disabled in Windows 11 when plugging webcam

Anonymous
2023-09-07T10:40:27+00:00

Hello everyone,

Each time I plug my webcam, all audio gets disabled on Windows 11. I had a Logitech C920 and bought a Creative LiveCam to see if the problem would persist and it does, so it must be Windows related.

The only fix for now is to go under device manager, scroll down to "Sound, video and game controllers" disable device there and wait for 30 seconds or so. The issue is that it also disables the built-in webcam microphone, which can then not be used anymore for my Teams calls.

This is a major issue for me as I use this for work. I hope Windows can find a solution to this issue.

Thanks for your help!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2023-10-10T16:05:13+00:00

after many days of banging my head against a wall I found a fix online... I wish I remembered where so they could get the credit.

While logged in with admin permissions:

plug in the webcam, you'll see the speakers disable and you have no sound

open services 'as administrator'

go to windows audio and double click it to open

go to the login tab

switch it to log on as Local System account radio button at the top, hit apply

restart the windows audio service

now you have the right icon but still no sound

go to Windows Settings > Sound

scroll down to input devices, find your webcam and select it

scroll to the sound enhancements section and turn it off

close the settings window

go back to services

open the windows audio service again

go to the login tab

select This account

click browse

click advanced at the bottom

click find now on the right

select the LOCAL SERVICE account, click ok

The password fields need to be blank.. delete the ******** entries

click apply

restart the windows audio service

Sound is back and working

This was all done with a Logitech C920 webcam.

So far this change has stayed in place with no issues.. I haven't tested to see what happens if I connect a different type of webcam or if a future Windows update will break it again.

Very hard to find a way to handle this through gpo... if anybody has insight on how to implement that I'd be interested.

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-01-17T16:54:07+00:00

    Kind of, not exactly though. My older laptop running a current version of Win 11 was using the same Logitech C922 webcam with zero audio problems. To be fair, this new Acer laptop does have a bunch of fancy audio software my older Eluktronics machine didn't.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-01-16T19:05:16+00:00

    Thank you so much Jim,

    This has been bugging me for months. I've even taken the laptop into a computer workshop to get this looked at. They said they'd solved the issue, but at that point I didn't know that the clash was the webcam (Logitech C920). You've solved it for me. I'm so sorry you were banging your head against the wall with this one but thank you for finding and sharing the result.

    If the next Windows update breaks it again, I'll try this.

    Thanks again.

    Karen

    after many days of banging my head against a wall I found a fix online... I wish I remembered where so they could get the credit.

    While logged in with admin permissions:

    plug in the webcam, you'll see the speakers disable and you have no sound

    open services 'as administrator'

    go to windows audio and double click it to open

    go to the login tab

    switch it to log on as Local System account radio button at the top, hit apply

    restart the windows audio service

    now you have the right icon but still no sound

    go to Windows Settings > Sound

    scroll down to input devices, find your webcam and select it

    scroll to the sound enhancements section and turn it off

    close the settings window

    go back to services

    open the windows audio service again

    go to the login tab

    select This account

    click browse

    click advanced at the bottom

    click find now on the right

    select the LOCAL SERVICE account, click ok

    The password fields need to be blank.. delete the ******** entries

    click apply

    restart the windows audio service

    Sound is back and working

    This was all done with a Logitech C920 webcam.

    So far this change has stayed in place with no issues.. I haven't tested to see what happens if I connect a different type of webcam or if a future Windows update will break it again.

    Very hard to find a way to handle this through gpo... if anybody has insight on how to implement that I'd be interested.

    Was this answer helpful?

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-01-15T18:13:37+00:00

    Thank you so much for this!!

    Wish I had found this before ACER support suggested a full reset, windows re-installation...

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-01-15T18:03:41+00:00

    Here's the odd thing...

    I have same Logitech C920e & use it with my laptop, an HP EliteBook 840 G8, running Windows 11. Never had an issue at all. Never applied any fixes/workarounds.

    My coworker has the same laptop & camera. Like others have posted here, when she plugs in the camera, no audio devices installed. This is how it's been since the camera was purchased a couple of weeks ago. That camera works fine on my system as well.

    Anyone else see the same thing?

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