How to Fix Webcam Problem
Summary: This article details steps in fixing a webcam that doesn’t work.
If you like chatting through YM, Skype, and other messengers that use webcam, then you might be annoyed at a non-working webcam. Some common issues are blur or blank images, non-responsive camera, and errors in using the webcam as a source of video. You can troubleshoot this problem by yourself though. It’s not an entirely difficult process. In fact, if you have read the manual, you might be well familiar with the camera’s mechanisms and it would be easier to identify the cause of the problem.
Here are some steps for fixing webcam problems.
If you’re using a desktop computer with a USB web camera, the first step is to check if the webcam is actively connected to your PC. The USB cable should be plugged correctly. It would be better to connect the camera to the computer directly.
Next, shut down the computer and unplug the camera. Restart your PC and plug the webcam again. Afterwards, your computer system will try to reinstall the driver. Check if the camera works after this. If it doesn’t work, go to the Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Device Manager. Check if the webcam is recognized as a camera or not. Also, check if the drivers are installed properly. If you see a yellow exclamation point, there might be a problem with the camera drivers. You should update the driver so that the device will be compatible with your PC. Certain devices don’t work well if the drivers are outdated due to incompatibility issues. Go to the manufacturer’s website and download the available updates. You can also use a camera driver manager tool which helps in scanning the computer for hardware installations and enables you to install the right driver conveniently.
If it still doesn’t fix the problem, the next step is uninstalling the webcam software. Go to Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs and remove the corresponding software. Restart your computer. Then, reinstall the camera software. You may have to unplug the webcam first before reinstalling the software.
Don’t forget to select your desired webcam device as a video source, if you are using several devices connected to your PC. Most programs that use webcam have options for choosing the video source. Adjust these settings first so that you can use the webcam that you desire to use.
For blurry images or low quality pictures and video, check if your webcam has a focus ring. Try focusing the subjects in the right position and try adjusting the focus ring on the lens of the camera so that the image produced will be clearer.
Den Worwani