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Modern laptops have built-in webcams. Now it is impossible to find a model on sale that does not have a camera. But, like any other module, this one can also be faulty. Or users often simply don’t know how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7. We will try to solve this problem once and for all.

How to enable a webcam on a Windows 7 laptop?

Let's start with the fact that the webcam on a laptop works with pre-installed drivers by default. That is, when you buy a laptop in a store, it already has Windows 7 (or another version) with drivers for the webcam. If you have reinstalled the OS or there is some kind of malfunction in the camera, then the drivers must be installed again. But we'll talk about this later.

The easiest way to turn on a webcam on Windows 7 involves using Skype. Everyone has this program, and if not, then downloading it is easy. In Skype's settings there is a section called "Camera Settings". Already there, in the settings, you can turn on the camera and see your image. However, if you want to know how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7 without Skype, then there are other ways.

Alternatively, you can do this on a specialized website for testing webcams. Just go to webcammictest.com and click the "Test Webcam" button. If everything is fine with it, it will start and you will be able to see yourself in the image. In case of malfunction or any problem, the message “Webcam is not connected or is faulty” will be displayed.

Checking the camera on social networks

The same can be done on the social network Vkontakte or Facebook, for example. There you can create a profile photo using your webcam by clicking on the "Take instant photo" button. After this, a small “Adobe Flash Player Options” window will pop up and ask for permission to use the camera. You need to click "Allow" and "Close". The camera will then be activated and you will be able to take a photo. It is worth noting that the camera can only work on Internet sites if the Adobe Flash Player plug-in is installed. If there is something wrong with the camera, for example, the drivers are not installed, then you will see the message “Web camera not detected.”

You can also use special programs that enable and allow you to configure the camera: Active WebCam, RGS-AvaCam, Webcamoid, etc.

Checking status

If the described methods of how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7 do not help, then you need to check its status. To do this, you need to go to the device manager and check whether this module is present in the system at all. The easiest way to do this is to write on the command line: devmgmt.msc. This will immediately open the “Device Manager” window, and there we need to look for the camera in the list. It will be in the drop-down list under the "Imaging devices" line. Expand this list, and if there is a webcam there, then everything is fine with it. But there may be other situations:

  1. The webcam is not in the list of equipment at all. This is the worst case scenario, which means that the device is either physically broken or hardware disabled.
  2. There is some unidentified device. It could be a camera (or something else) that the computer simply cannot recognize. In 90% of cases this means that the software, that is, the driver, is missing.
  3. There is a camera, but it is marked with a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark. This means that the device is recognized and generally works, but there may be operational problems. This can be treated by removing the old driver and installing a new one.

Therefore, before you turn on the webcam on Windows 7, first check its condition. If it suddenly turns out that the computer simply doesn’t see it, then you won’t be able to turn it on at all.

How to enable a webcam on Windows 7 on an HP or Asus laptop?

Laptops have special functionality for quickly launching the camera using the Fn buttons. On laptops, these buttons allow you to slightly expand the functionality. For example, you can make the sound quieter or louder, the brightness higher or lower. You can also turn off the display and force the computer to sleep. How to enable a webcam on Windows 7 on an Asus or HP laptop in this way? Just press the Fn button and, without releasing it, click on the camera icon. Depending on the model, this icon may be located anywhere: at the top or bottom of the keyboard. It may not exist at all. When pressed, the built-in camera application is launched with different settings. On some laptops, a combination of these keys allows you to enable or disable the camera module itself. It all depends on the model.

But even if nothing worked out in this case, then your case is serious. At a minimum, you should try to install the driver.

Installing the camera driver

If you tried all the described methods on how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7, but still nothing worked, this means that you need to install a driver.

The information sticker on your laptop will indicate the model. Find this sticker and identify the model. This is important because depending on the model number, your laptop may have one or the other camera installed.

Do you recognize the model? Now go to the laptop manufacturer’s website and click on the “Support” section. All manufacturers allow users to download drivers on their website. In the "Support" section you need to select "Download software" and indicate your laptop model there. This will display a complete list with drivers for all devices that are used specifically in your model. You are interested in a camera driver, which may be called Camera driver or something else. After downloading the driver (or camera application), install it, restart your computer and check again using one of the suggested methods.

If the problem really was the absence or incorrect operation of the driver, then reinstalling it should solve the problem. But if this does not help, then the last option remains with a malfunction of the module itself. In this case, you will have to take the computer to the workshop, because the hardware problem will definitely not be solved using software.

Conclusion

Now you know how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7 on your computer, and what to do if this does not work. Unfortunately, cameras in laptops often break down in hardware, not software. However, replacing them does not involve any difficulty.

Feb 11 2014

Hello visitors to our computer blog. In this review, I will share information on how to enable a webcam on a laptop or computer.

The previous post was devoted to the topic or computer. Today we will talk about webcams, with the help of which you can communicate almost live over the Internet with other people.

Checking all cables and connectors

First of all, to check if your webcam is working, you need to make sure that it is connected to the computer if you are using a separate USB camera. If you have a laptop with a built-in camera, then we will need third-party programs to check its functionality.

We look in the device manager

We go to the device manager of our computer. I wrote more about how to get into the device manager here:. To do this, you need to follow these steps: My Computer (Computer) >>> Properties >>> Device Manager >>> Imaging Devices.

Your camera should be in the image processing devices tab. If there are question marks or exclamation marks next to it, then you need to download and install drivers.

If you have a laptop, then you may have a disk with drivers from it, if you don’t have one, then you need to go to the official website of the laptop manufacturer, type in your model and download the driver for the webcam.

If there is a down arrow, it means the equipment is disabled, you need to turn it on. Right-click on it and select Enable; you may need to restart the computer.

If you have a separate camera that connects via a USB cable, then the company and model markings should be written on it. We go to the browser, any search engine, type the camera model, it is advisable to download the drivers from the official website, but if this is not possible, then you can from others.

Windows Tools - Film Studio

The Windows 7 operating system does not have built-in programs with which you can turn on the webcam and make sure it works or not.

Such a program can be downloaded on the Internet, it is called Windows Movie Maker, but to use it, you need to download and install it on your computer. You can find Windows Movie Maker (Film Studio) on the Internet on the official Microsoft website or through any search engine.

Skype is our assistant

To check your webcam, you can use third-party programs, such as Skype and Mail RU agent. If you are not yet registered on Skype, but want to use it and register, then read here:

If everything is fine, then the first time you launch Skype with a working camera, the following window will appear: Your video is working!

Go to Skype >>> Tools >>> Settings... >>> Basic >>> Video settings >>> Webcam.

If everything is in order, the camera is working, then you should see a real-time image.

Webcam Surveyor

Webcam Surveyor is a simple utility for quickly checking your webcam. When I worked in a service center, I often used this utility to check the camera on laptops and regular computers. Its size is slightly more than 2 megabytes.

You can download the Webcam Surveyor program here:

After downloading and installing Webcam, go to the utility from the shortcut or start menu (if you checked the appropriate boxes at the time of installation).

This is a trial version for 30 days, click Agree.

Online camera verification services

There are online services for checking your webcam on the Internet in real time. Here are two links for testing:

The toolster.ru service is temporarily down, I hope everything will get better soon.

We go to one of the sites and are immediately asked to give us access to our camera and microphone, but are warned that we may be recorded. Click Allow to view or Deny if you change your mind.

Of course there is a risk, but it is minimal. To check the camera, I think nothing bad will happen in a couple of seconds.

If your camera has a microphone, then a green scale will jump near the image on the right, which indicates the microphone sound level.

On the second testing site everything is the same, only a slightly different interface and no microphone check.

What to do if the picture is upside down

In my practice, there have been cases when a user turned on his webcam, and the picture on his monitor was upside down. This means that your camera drivers are not working correctly, or are not installed for your model.

To solve this problem, you need to go to the official website of your camera manufacturer, download and install the original drivers.

What to do if nothing helps

If, after all the steps taken, your camera still does not work, then I recommend the following:

  • To restart a computer
  • Insert the cable from the camera into another USB socket
  • Remove drivers and install original ones from the official website
  • Take it to a repair or service center

And finally, buy a new one to replace the old one that didn’t work.

How to turn on a webcam on a laptop or computer | website

In custody

Today, my friends and I learned how to turn on the webcam on a laptop or computer if it doesn’t work. To do this, we used the following assistants: cables and connectors, device manager, Windows tools - film studio, Skype and Webcam Surveyor programs, a couple of online services. We also learned what to do if the camera image is upside down.

You may have questions related to how to turn on the webcam on your computer or laptop. You can ask them below in the comments to this article, and also use the form with me.

Thank you for reading me on

A web camera (“webcam”) is a digital device for recording video information that can be transmitted over the network. “Webcam” is an attribute of any laptop: manufacturers equip their products with web cameras “by default.” Also, many types of them are sold separately.

The difference between “webcams” ​​and full-fledged video cameras is their focus on the capabilities of network programs with multimedia functions, that is, the emphasis is not on the quality of shooting, but on the ability to quickly transfer images to the network. Therefore, the majority of models have low resolution, not the best color rendition and a minimum of settings. The most expensive web cameras are capable of shooting at the level of a “mid-range” camera.

How to install and configure a webcam on Windows 7

Installing and configuring the built-in camera

The built-in web cameras of laptops are usually ready to work right away; just launch a network application, for example, Skype, and set the desired video parameters in it.

If the program reports that you do not have a camera, but you are definitely sure otherwise, it means that it is disabled or not installed. On some laptop models, first of all, you need to physically turn on the web - simultaneously press the Fn key + one of the keys in the F1-F12 row. A miniature in the form of a camera drawn on the button will help you determine the desired combination.

Find “Image Processing Devices” in the list of equipment and expand the tab. If the web camera is installed but not active, you will see an icon next to it in the form of a circle with an arrow.

To enable a device, expand its context menu and click “Enable”. When prompted by Windows, restart your computer and the camera will start working.

If there is no web camera in the device manager, but there is unidentified hardware, as in the picture, then you need to install a driver.

You can try to install the driver for the webcam using the system - most likely, Windows will find something suitable in its databases, and the device will work. To do this, select the “Update drivers” command from the context menu of the unknown hardware.

and specify the search method - automatically or manually. If you have not previously installed a web camera, then there are probably no suitable drivers on your computer. Automatic search will allow you to find them on the Internet.

You can also find out the model of the “webcam” from the documentation for the laptop, go to its manufacturer’s website and download drivers from there.

Not always, but often, a program for configuring the built-in web camera is installed along with the driver. For example, Cyberlink YouCam on HP laptops:

With its help, you can not only adjust shooting parameters, but also edit the image.

Installing and configuring an external camera

By external we mean a “webcam” as a separate device that is connected externally to a peripheral port of the computer. Most of these cameras have a USB interface, that is, they are universal, capable of working on any PC, not just Windows.

External “webcams” ​​come in completely different designs and shapes, many are equipped with a built-in microphone, and some have a separate switch on the body. To connect them, it is best to use active extension cables that can additionally power the device, thereby improving the signal quality. The active cable allows you to distance the camera from the computer by a distance of 10 meters or more, and the passive (regular) cable allows you to distance it by a maximum of 5 m.

The delivery package of an external web camera always includes a CD/DVD with drivers and software from the manufacturer. To set up the camera, just connect it to the PC port, turn it on if there is a button for this, insert the disc into the drive and install the software. The program included in the set will allow you to configure shooting parameters, as well as turn on or off options such as microphone volume, password protection and much more.

However, thanks to plug&play technology, most web sites can work without manually installing drivers. Once physically connected, Windows recognizes and configures them automatically.

Programs for working with web cameras

If the webcam control program is not included in the package, you can install it separately. There are many applications for Windows 7 that make it possible to configure the camera more finely than the standard ones. And their additional features will make video chatting more fun.

ManyCam

This program will not only improve the quality of the picture transmitted to the interlocutor, but will also add a special charm to your appearance - cartoon eyes or mouth, glasses, mustache, beard, horns, etc. Or change the background of the room, for example, to a seascape. The program can detect motion, so all visual overlays will move with your face. In addition, ManyCam allows you to draw on an image directly online.

If you are video chatting with several interlocutors, you can enable a separate window with different special effects for each.

ManyCam is fully compatible with Windows 7.

iSpy

iSpy is a video surveillance program with the function of transmitting footage over the Internet. Allows you to partially replace the more expensive IP video surveillance technology and can be used to protect premises and outdoor areas.

To work with iSpy, you can configure an unlimited number of web cameras, including those connected to different computers on the same local network. The recorded material is saved in Flash format and transferred to the server for storage. The user can view both archives and real-time images at any time, as well as remotely turn on or off the cameras.

All modern laptops and tablets are equipped with cameras. But it is not always possible to use the built-in webcam right away. It must first be enabled and configured. Many users encounter problems due to the fact that they have not used such equipment before. Let's figure out how to turn on the camera on a laptop with the Windows operating system.

How to turn on the camera on a laptop with Windows 7

The seventh version of Windows does not have built-in capabilities to check the functionality of the camera. This makes working with it more difficult, but you can always download the necessary utility, or check the camera online through any site that supports video communication. Among the applications you need to choose what you need:

  • Skype;
  • WebcamMax Free;
  • ManyCam.

If you want to communicate with relatives, then you need to install a program that provides video communication, for example, Skype), if you want to record video using your laptop, then the utility must have a “Save” button. Most of these programs will automatically activate your camera; if this does not happen, then you should use other ways to turn on the camera on a Windows 7 laptop. To do this, you can use:

  1. On older laptop models, you could activate the camera using a special button on the keyboard, above it, or on the side of the case. Manufacturers now use hotkeys:
    • A cer – Fn+F6;
    • A sus – Fn+V;
    • Hp – Fn+F2.

Each model has its own keyboard shortcut; it can be viewed on the official website. Also look at the icons on the keyboard, they will also tell you what you need to press to activate - usually there is an icon depicting a camera on the desired button, and in addition you need to press the Fn button that switches the mode. After you activate the equipment, you can use it in any application, including through online services.

  1. There is another way to make the webcam of a Windows 7 laptop start working - activate it through the “Device Manager”. To do this, go to the “Control Panel” through the “Start” menu. Open the “Device Manager” section, in it you will need to scroll to the “Imaging devices” line. There you will see the name of the built-in webcam. If there is a yellow exclamation mark next to it, then you will need preliminary settings - we will talk about this later. If there are no icons, then just right-click on the camera name and click the “Engage” option.
  2. Applications that use it can automatically activate the camera. For example, Skype finds the equipment without any help when you turn it on for the first time. To install the program, you need to go to the official Skype website and download the installer for Windows. Download it and run it, then the program will be copied to your PC automatically. After registering and turning on for the first time, the program will require you to configure settings. You'll choose a theme and color scheme, check the microphone (it's also built into the laptop), and then see yourself through the built-in camera.

If you have a Windows 7 laptop, the camera will notify you of its functionality using an indication. This is provided in most models.

Setting up the camera in Windows 7

Since this version of the operating system does not have its own application for working with the camera, configuration is carried out using third-party utilities. One of the simplest options that works well with a system of any power is the AMCap application. It is designed for photography and video recording. It has many options that help solve the problem of how to set up a camera on a Windows 7 laptop. Most of them are concentrated in the Options tab. In it, you can make the picture on video and photo acceptable by dragging the sliders in the lines:

  • white balance;
  • brightness;
  • shade;
  • contrast;
  • definition;
  • gamma;
  • saturation.

You will also find additional options such as shooting against the light and gain. You can find similar functionality in the Skype menu. This will help you use your camera for calls, while still showing the most normal picture possible.

Enabling and setting up the camera on a Windows 10 laptop

Now let's move on to the question of how to enable the camera on a Windows 10 laptop. Activating the camera on XP, 8 or 10 laptops is much easier - the creators of the operating systems have provided easy access to them. In XP, the camera can be found through the “My Computer” menu, and in versions 8 and 10 of the OS there is a special “Camera” application that can be used for photos and video recording. This opportunity in modern operating systems has appeared due to the fact that they are installed not only on laptops and desktop PCs, but also on tablets. You only need to do the following:

  1. Open the Start menu. Go to the "All Applications" directory
  2. In the list that opens, go to the letter “K”.
  3. Select the Camera app and double-click to turn it on.

Now let's move on to how to set up the camera on a Windows 10 laptop. To do this, the application has a gear icon in which you can set the image parameters:

  • release delay for photos;
  • flicker reduction;
  • video quality;
  • Displays the framing grid.

But there are also additional settings that will help you limit the access of certain applications to the recording equipment, as well as forcefully enable or disable it. To do this, select the Settings tab from the Start menu and go to the Privacy section. Here you can block all or individual applications from using the camera. Just select its controls on the right side of the menu.

What to do if the image on Skype is upside down?

Most often, the problem of how to configure the camera on a Windows laptop to eliminate the problem of an inverted image arises among owners of machines from the manufacturer Asus. The reason for the incorrect display of images in applications lies in the drivers - they must only be original for everything to function normally. You need to solve the problem using the following algorithm:

  1. Determine your laptop model. Information about it may be located at the bottom of it or in documents.
  2. Go to the manufacturer's official website and find your model in the list.
  3. A window will open in front of you, listing all the drivers and utilities suitable for your laptop.
  4. Select a webcam driver from among them (usually it has the word Camera in its name). Download it and install it.
  5. Reboot your operating system.

After this, the webcam will start working correctly - the image will no longer be upside down. Interestingly, the camera on a Windows 10 laptop usually already receives the necessary drivers without user intervention. Users of the seventh version of the OS most often encounter problems with the image.

The camera does not work - how to fix the problem?

The easiest way to check the camera on a Windows laptop is to launch any application that uses it. But what to do if instead of a picture you get a black screen and an error message. There are several ways to fix this:

  1. Turn on the camera from the keyboard. Some versions of laptops without activating the camera using a key combination will not turn it on. To get started, you need to press the Fn button and the one with the camera icon on it.
  2. Install the application to configure and operate the camera. Some manufacturers have a camera activation option built into it. You need to download one of the proprietary utilities:
    • EasyCapture for Lenovo;
    • Life Frame Utility for ASUS;
    • HP Camera for HP.

You can download them from the manufacturer's official website.

  1. If the laptop camera does not work, then it can be disabled in the “Privacy” tab. In order to activate it, go through the “Start” menu to the “Settings” directory and select the “Privacy” section. The right side of the window will list the modules for which you can change settings. Find “Camera” among them. Usually it is third on the list. Select the module and pay attention to the right side of the window. In it, the top switch should be in the “Enable” application. If you've been limiting your ability to use the camera for one or more apps and have now changed your mind, turn it on. For example, previously you could disable the camera for Skype, but now you decide to use it - just move the switch to the “Allow” position.
  2. In all versions of Windows, the webcam can be disabled using Device Manager. You can access it through the “Control Panel” or by right-clicking on the “Start” icon. In the manager list, find the camera and right-click on its name. Check the status of the device. If it is disabled, the word “Enable” will appear in the top line of the context menu. This is usually enough to activate the camera.
  3. Another reason why the camera does not work on a Windows laptop is the lack of necessary drivers or their outdated version. You can install the missing components in several ways: using special utilities, manually, or from the disk that comes with the laptop. If you do not have a disk with components from your laptop, then it is best to manually download the drivers from the official website, having previously found out the laptop model. In this case, you will definitely receive their licensed and current version.

In most cases, after these steps the webcam will work again. If this does not happen, then you need to go to a repair shop - most likely the problem is hardware. The cable or the camera module itself may be damaged.

Now you know how to set up and turn on the camera on your laptop. This is not very difficult even for a novice user - you just need to have the program installed or download the necessary utilities and drivers. Share the information you receive with your friends, tell us about your problems with cameras in the comments, and ask questions. Feedback is welcome.


Almost all modern laptop models are sold with a built-in webcam. Considering that video communication is becoming more and more popular among computer users every year, this is very convenient.

But suppose you didn’t use the camera, but after making the first call, you noticed the image - very light, dark, black and white, and this option is also possible - the camera simply did not turn on. In any case, you need to configure the webcam on your laptop for it to work correctly in the future.

Often, problems with the camera are solved very easily. If nothing helps, then the problem may be related to the hardware, and you need to take the laptop in for repair. To buy a brand new, or not entirely new, laptop with confidence that the camera is in working order, I advise you to read about several ways to check the camera on a laptop.

So, the first thing to do is check installed drivers for the camera. Go to “Start” - "Control Panel". Here we open the item "Device Manager".

Find an item in the list and expand it by clicking on the small arrow. Available connected devices will be displayed here. The one that is responsible for the camera will be called something like Web, Cam, Video. Make sure that the icon next to the name does not have a yellow exclamation mark or a red cross - this may indicate that the drivers are installed incorrectly or are missing.

Right-click on the desired device and go to the context menu item “Properties”.

On the General tab, in the field "Device Status" should be written "The device is working normally". This means that the camera is in good working order. If there is a different inscription, go to the “Driver” tab.

Here you can see which driver was installed, when it was installed, update or remove existing drivers.

If problems with the camera began after repairing the laptop, then click “Update” and select "Automatically search for updated drivers". The wizard will search for drivers on your laptop and on the Internet. If it finds drivers on the laptop, install them and the problem will be solved.

You can install the drivers yourself. An installation disk should be included with your laptop or camera. Insert it into your laptop's drive, then follow the suggested installation wizard steps. As a result, you will install all the drivers necessary for the connected devices, including the camera.

If you can’t find the disk, or you bought the camera separately, but the laptop simply doesn’t have a disk drive, don’t worry. You can download drivers from the official website of the laptop manufacturer completely free of charge. Then install the device drivers yourself.

Special programs can also help in finding and installing drivers on a laptop. You can use the free Driver Pack Solution program. You can download it and read about it in more detail by following the link.

After installing the drivers, be sure to restart your laptop.

The second thing to do is check if the camera is connected in Device Manager. We go to the already familiar device manager and open the item "Image Processing Devices". Look at the icon of the device responsible for the camera; there should not be any arrows next to it, as shown in the figure.

If it is there, right-click on it and select from the context menu "Engage".

The device manager will blink, that is, it will update, the arrow will disappear, and the camera should work.

The third thing you need to do is install a special web camera program. You can download it from the Internet, for example, LiveCam, WebCam Max or SplitCam. There are also various portable versions that do not need to be installed on your computer; download and use.

Launch the selected program. After this, a window should appear with the image entering the camera, and a green indicator next to the camera itself will light up, indicating that it is working.

In such programs you can configure the camera. Find the appropriate item. For me it’s “Options” - “Video Capture Filter”.

Here you can change some camera parameters and make the image normal for perception.

If you do not want to download any programs, then consider the fourth point. It is suitable for those who have Skype installed on laptop. You can also configure the camera using it. Go to “Tools” - “Settings”.

Next, on the “Basic” tab, open "Video Settings". Here the video from the camera should appear in the main window; to change the settings, click on the button "Webcam Settings".

In the next window you can select the desired settings for the camera image.

I hope the described methods will help you set up the camera on your laptop: the image from it will be displayed during video calls, with normal brightness and contrast.

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