Try these steps in order:
- Check camera privacy settings in Windows:
- Go to Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.
- Make sure Camera access is On.
- Make sure Let apps access your camera is On.
- Run the automated camera troubleshooter:
- Open the Get Help app and run the camera troubleshooter.
- It automatically runs diagnostics and applies fixes for many camera problems.
- Check for Surface updates if this is a Surface device:
- Open the Surface app.
- Expand Help & support.
- If updates are available, select Check for updates and install them.
- Then use Get help in the Surface app to check for detected issues.
- Restart the device:
- A restart can restore the camera if drivers or permissions were affected.
- Reinstall the camera driver:
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Cameras.
- Look for the camera device.
- Open it, go to the Driver tab, and select Uninstall Device.
- If shown, select Attempt to remove the driver for this device.
- Restart the PC.
- Warning: Do not do this on Surface Pro X. On that device, uninstalling camera drivers may require a full system reset to restore them.
- If the camera appears only sometimes or stops randomly:
- Open Settings in Windows.
- Go to the camera settings for the device.
- Open Advanced camera options.
- Turn on Basic camera driver mode.
- Restart Teams or test the camera again.
- This can improve reliability, but it may disable some advanced manufacturer camera features.
- Check for a physical camera block:
- Some laptops have a camera shutter, privacy switch, or keyboard camera key that disables the webcam.
If the camera still does not work after these steps, service or repair may be needed.