External Camera not detected or working in Windows 11

If your external camera or webcam is not detected or working in Windows 11/10 computer, the suggestions provided in this article will help. There can be multiple causes of this issue, like antivirus software conflict, corrupt driver, etc.

External Camera not detected or working in Windows 11/10

Go through the following suggestions if your external camera or webcam is not detected in Windows 11/10.

Preliminary fixes
Run the Camera Troubleshooter
Uninstall and reinstall the webcam driver
Check your Privacy settings
Disable your antivirus
Uninstall and reinstall the USB Serial Bus Controllers

All these fixes are explained in detail below.

Webcam not working or detected on PC

1] Preliminary fixes

Before proceeding with these troubleshooting steps, try these things:

Restart your computer.
Plug your webcam into another available USB port.
Check your webcam cable. The cable might be damaged.
Test your webcam on another working computer.

The above steps will let you know whether the problem is with your webcam.

2] Run the Camera Troubleshooter

Run the Camera Troubleshooter. It is an automated troubleshooter that helps fix camera issues on a Windows computer. To launch this troubleshooter, open Windows 11 Settings and go to System > Troubleshoot > Other Troubleshooters. Click on the Run button next to Camera.

3] Uninstall and reinstall the webcam driver

A corrupt driver also causes issues with the respective hardware device. In such cases, reinstalling the driver helps. Uninstall and reinstall your webcam driver by following the steps provided below:

Open the Device Manager.
Expand the Cameras branch.
Right-click on the webcam driver and select Uninstall device. Also, check for hidden devices. Go to View > Show hidden devices. Uninstall the camera drivers that appear after enabling the hidden devices.
Close the Device Manager and restart your computer.

Windows will automatically reinstall the missing driver on restart. Now, check if the issue is fixed.

4] Check your Privacy settings

The next step is to check your privacy settings. Your webcam might be blocked. Follow the instructions provided below:

Open Windows 11 Settings.
Go to Privacy & Security > Camera.
The Camera access button should be turned on. If it is off, turn it on.
Also, expand the Let apps access your camera tab and turn on the camera access for the desired apps.

5] Temporarily disable your antivirus

Your antivirus might be blocking your webcam. To check this, disable your antivirus and check if the issue persists. If this helps, manage webcam protection in your antivirus settings. If you do not know how to do this, refer to the support page of your antivirus.

6] Uninstall and reinstall the USB Serial Bus Controllers

If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall your USB Controllers. Before proceeding, we recommend you create a System Restore Point, so you can restore your system to previous working state if any problem occurs.

Follow the steps provided below:

Open the Device Manager.
Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers branch.
Right-click on USB Host Controller drivers one by one and select Uninstall device.
Close Device Manager and restart your computer. Windows 11 will automatically reinstall the missing driver.

That’s it.

Why is my camera not detected on Windows 11?

The most common cause of this issue is a corrupt camera driver. Open the Device Manager and expand the Cameras branch. If your camera driver shows a warning sign, uninstall it and restart your computer. Another cause is a faulty USB port or camera cable.

How do I connect my external camera to Windows 11?

An external USB camera can be connected to a Windows 11 computer by inserting its USB cable into any available USB ports. After connecting the camera, Windows 11 will automatically install the required driver.