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Fix Laptop Camera Black Screen Issues with 9 Easy Tips
Updating your Windows and drivers will quickly solve the laptop camera showing a black screen
9 min. read
Updated onJuly 23, 2024
updated onJuly 23, 2024
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Key notes
To fix various driver issues on your PC, you will need a dedicated tool to find the freshest and the original drivers. You can use PC HelpSoft Driver Updater to do it in 3 easy steps:
Windows 10 and 11 work with some of thebest high-quality webcamsto devastating effect. However, some users are starting to complain that their webcam is showing a black screen when using it.
This issue mostly occurs after an operating system upgrade. Thankfully, you can fix the issue quickly by following the steps in this guide carefully.
However, it must be noted that if you have any hardware malfunctions to the webcam this will not be an appropriate approach to the issue. If you are sure it is not a hardware issue, you can confidently use our solutions to solve the webcam black screen issue on Windows 10 and 11.
Why is my laptop camera black?
There are many things that can cause the black screen issues with your webcam on Windows 10. Below are some of the variations of this issue and the causes:
Without further ado, let’s just jump right in!
How do I fix my camera black screen?
1. Download the latest webcam driver
If the webcam camera of a laptop like HP, Dell, or Lenovo is showing a black screen, you can proceed to your webcam manufacturer’s website to download the latest driver. This should help fix the driver issue. try it.
We also strongly recommend using dedicated software, in order to make sure that your PC won’t have any problems caused by installing the wrong drivers.
Rid yourself of manually searching for the correct drivers withspecialized driver updating software. Any driver that is found broken will be compared to its built-in database and updated accordingly.
2. Update your webcam driver
The webcam black screen issue on Windows 10 is usually down to driver issues. Updating your drivers should help fix the issue in this case. Remember to restart your PC after the update.
3. Update your recording application
If you are facing the camera black screen issue on apps like Zoom or Skype on Windows 10, you can uninstall and reinstall the app. This is because the issue might be with the version of the app you are using.
So, reinstalling the latest version should solve the problem.
4. Uninstall your webcam driver
After reinstalling your drivers, check if the laptop camera is still showing a black screen on Windows 10.
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 onhow to prevent certain drivers from updating.
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 a 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.
6. Remove your laptop battery
Sometimes, the camera black screen issue on Windows 10 might be down to some glitches with your laptop.
To fix this, some users suggest that you 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.
After doing that, 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.
7. Change your Exposure settings
Keep in mind that every recording application is different, so you might not have the 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.
8. Make sure that your camera is compatible with your PC
If your camera shows black screen on Windows 10 or 11, the problem might be a compatibility issue. Some older webcams might not be fully compatible with your PC, 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 device 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.
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.
You can check out ouruseful article about the best USB hubsif you are thinking about changing your current one.
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 a 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 10.
How can I fix camera showing black screen on Windows 11?
After reinstalling the app, you camera should start working normally again on Windows 11.
Like Windows 10, the camera black screen issue on Windows 11 can also be due to outdated or faulty drivers.
The driver update process is pretty much the same in the new OS so you will find it very easy to perform by following the steps on our Windows 10 guide.
Also, other solutions in this guide should work seamlessly on Windows 11. So you can try them if updating your drivers does not work.
How do I restart my laptop camera?
The easiest way to restart your built-in webcam on a Windows 10 or 11 laptop is to restart your PC. Also, you might need to uninstall and reinstall the camera drivers as shown in this guide.
However, if you want to restart the camera for a particular app or program, you can turn off the access from settings and turn it on again.
The camera black screen issue on Windows 10 and 11 can be exasperating, as it restricts some apps like Zoom and Skype. But with the fixes in this guide, you should be able to restore normalcy easily.
While still on camera issues, you might be interested in our guide onwhat to do if the webcam is not working in Windows 11.
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.
More about the topics:Black screen issues,fix webcam
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
When he’s not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.
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Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Ivan has delved deep into understanding the Windows OS, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
