When attempting to use a built-in laptop webcam or a USB camera within a virtual machine, you may see a black screen or an error stating the device is not found. This is a common hurdle when setting up video conferencing or testing camera-based applications in a virtualized environment. In this post, we will see what you can do if your Camera is not working in a virtual machine running Hyper-V or VirtualBox (if you use VMware, we already have a guide for you).
Camera not working in Virtual Machine in Hyper-V
Hyper-V has an architectural issue. It is a Type-1 hypervisor that runs directly on the hardware, meaning it fully controls the system’s resources. Because of this, the host operating system cannot directly access devices like cameras. To make local resources available to the virtual machine, you need to use a specific policy called Enhanced Session Mode.
If your camera is not working in a Hyper-V Virtual Machine, follow the solutions mentioned below.
- Enable Enhanced Session Mode Policy
- Utilize Remote Desktop Connection (RDP)
- Check Basic Session Audio/Video Drivers
Let us talk about them in detail.
1] Enable Enhanced Session Mode Policy
Enhanced Session Mode leverages the same underlying technology as Remote Desktop Services to create a more interactive connection to the virtual machine. Unlike the standard basic session, which only transmits keyboard, mouse, and basic display data, this mode actively negotiates which local resources (like cameras, clipboards, and drives) should be redirected from the physical host to the guest operating system.
- Open Hyper-V Manager and select your computer name from the left panel.
- Click Hyper-V Settings at the bottom right.
- Under Users, click Enhanced Session Mode Policy.
- Start your VM and wait for the login screen to appear.
- Click the Show Options button (or monitor icon) on the connection bar.
- Go to the Local Resources tab and click More… at the bottom.
- Scroll down, check the box next to your webcam, and click OK.
- Click Connect and log in. Your camera should now work.
Finally, check if your issue is resolved.
2] Utilize Remote Desktop Connection (RDP)
Remote Desktop Connection has built-in functionality to redirect local devices over the network. By connecting this way instead of using Hyper-V’s standard viewer, you bypass the hardware-sharing limitations and tell Windows to pass the camera feed directly to the remote session.
First, find your VM’s IP address. For that, log into your VM, open Command Prompt, type ipconfig, and note down the IPv4 address.
Now, follow the steps mentioned below to connect.
- On your host machine, press Windows Key + R, type mstsc, and hit Enter to open Remote Desktop Connection.
- Enter the VM’s IP address in the “Computer” field and click “Show Options” at the bottom left.
- Go to the Local Resources tab.
- Under Local devices and drives, click the More button.
- In the list that appears, scroll down and check the box next to your webcam (if may show as Camera or Integrated Webcam).
- Click OK, then go to the General tab and click on Connect.
Enter your VM credentials when prompted. The camera should now be accessible inside the virtual machine.
3] Check Basic Session Audio/Video Drivers
The camera feed relies on specific Windows services and drivers for the guest operating system to receive it. If these components are missing or outdated, the VM simply won’t recognize that a camera is being shared, even if Enhanced Session is enabled.
Inside your VM, press Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter. Scroll down and look for Remote Desktop Services in the list. Check if the Status column says Running; if not, right-click it and select Properties. Change the Startup type to Automatic, and click OK.
Now, inside your VM, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting it from the menu, then scan the list for any entries marked with a yellow exclamation point, paying special attention to the Audio/Video category or anything under Other devices. If you spot a device labeled Microsoft Hyper-V Video or an unknown device with a warning icon, simply right-click it, choose Update driver, and then select Search automatically for drivers to let Windows find and install the correct version.
Once the installation completes, restart your virtual machine to apply the changes, then test the Enhanced Session connection again.
Camera not working in Virtual Machine in VirtualBox
In VirtualBox, the problem usually lies in how USB devices are passed through. While VirtualBox supports USB passthrough, the webcam requires a specific filter to bypass the host OS, and the Guest Additions (which contain the necessary drivers) are often outdated or missing entirely.
If your camera is not working in a VirtualBox VM, follow the solutions below.
- Install VirtualBox Extension Pack
- Create a specific USB Filter
- Fix Driver Installation and Hardware Compatibility
Let us talk about them in detail.
1] Install VirtualBox Extension Pack
The base VirtualBox installation does not include support for USB 2.0/3.0 devices, and webcams are treated as USB devices by the software. The Extension Pack adds the necessary USB controllers and the Host Webcam Passthrough feature, allowing your VM to recognize and access the camera.
Follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open VirtualBox, click Help > About VirtualBox, and note the version number.
- Go to the official VirtualBox website, find the Downloads page, and click All supported platforms under Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack.
- In VirtualBox, go to File > Tools > Extension Pack Manager.
- Click the Install button (green plus icon), browse to the downloaded .vbox-extpack file, and select it.
- Once installed, you’ll see the Extension Pack listed. Restart VirtualBox, then go to your VM’sSettings > USBand enable USB 3.0 (xHCI) Controller.
- Start your VM, click Devices > Webcams from the menu bar, and select your camera from the list.
Finally, check if your issue is resolved.
2] Create a specific USB Filter
Creating a USB filter forces VirtualBox to automatically grab the camera the moment it’s detected, preventing your host operating system from locking it first. This ensures the device is exclusively passed through to the guest VM every time without manual intervention. To create a USB filter, follow the steps below.
- Power off your VM.
- Right-click on it and select Settings.
- Go to the USB section.
- Select USB 3.0 (xHCI) Controller.
- Click the Add new USB filter icon (the blue plus symbol with a USB sign).
- From the dropdown list, select your camera device.
- Click OK.
Start your VM. The camera will now be automatically captured and available inside the guest OS.
3] Fix Driver Installation and Hardware Compatibility
Webcam drivers often fail to install due to Windows driver signature policies blocking them, or because the virtual hardware is too basic for modern camera drivers to communicate with. Safe Mode bypasses the signature enforcement while enabling I/O APIC and PAE/NX, which provides a more advanced hardware interface that newer operating systems expect.
That’s it!
Read: How to reset a Virtual Machine in VirtualBox
How do I fix my camera not working?
Start by checking the basics: ensure no other app on your host computer is using the camera, then look at your VM settings. For VirtualBox, install the Extension Pack and enable USB 3.0; for Hyper-V, turn on Enhanced Session Mode and share the camera as a local resource before logging in.
Read: How to install Windows 11 on VirtualBox
Why does my camera work on the host but not in the VM?
Virtual machines don’t have direct access to hardware; they rely on a “passthrough” layer. If this layer is missing (like the VirtualBox Extension Pack) or if the connection method is too basic (like a standard Hyper-V session), the VM simply cannot see the camera, even though the host detects it perfectly.
Also Read: Install Rocky Linux on VirtualBox in Windows 11.
