What the webcam icon looks like on a laptop. How to turn on the built-in camera on a laptop or connect a web camera - algorithm of actions

Almost all modern laptop models have a built-in camera (webcam). If not, users purchase it themselves. But they are not always configured or connected correctly.

And in this article you will learn how to turn on a video camera on a laptop, configure it and prepare it for further work.

How to check if the camera is working

1. In order to check the functionality of the video camera, go to the service " Webcam&Mic Test" and select " Check webcam».

2. Or run any utility, for example, Skype and see if the image is transmitted. If the video does not start and the indicator next to the camera is on, it means it is working normally, and the problem is in the program, in this case Skype.

If the indicator is off, it means the webcam is not functioning. By default, Windows does not have its own utility for managing the webcam, so you will have to enable it manually.

Installing drivers

The algorithm of actions will be the same for all models, whether you have Asus, MSI, Lenovo, Toshiba, Dell. This solution is not suitable only for MacBooks.

Before proceeding to the activation procedure, you need to see if the necessary drivers are installed.

If the software is not updated, then download them and install them manually. You can find and download the driver on the manufacturer’s website. That is, if you have a Lenovo brand computer, then go to The site of the company and in the support section, indicate your model (you can find it on the bottom of the laptop on a sticker) - a list of all available drivers will open.

If there is no exclamation mark icon, then the device may simply be disabled.

You can turn on the built-in video camera as follows:

Original program from the manufacturer

PC manufacturers can also build in their own programs to work with the camera. Where can I find it?

Sony Vaio on Windows 7 has the ArcSoft WebCam Companion utility built into it.

On HP on Windows 8, control is provided by the HP MediaSmart application.

In Windows 10, Asus suggests using "Life Frame".

It is also possible that you may have a different program, but this depends on the manufacturer and model of the laptop. In terms of functionality, they are all similar and easy to operate; it won’t be difficult for even a beginner to figure it out on their own.

Pressing special keys

Almost all models of not only laptops, but also netbooks, have special so-called “ Hotkeys» with which you can connect a video camera in a few clicks.

Hold down the FN button on your keyboard and simultaneously press the camera icon key. It is most often located on the bottom or top panel of keys.

In my case it is "FN + V".

If after these manipulations it still does not turn on, perhaps you have that rare case when the problem lies in its physical malfunction.

Enabling an external USB camera

The most common reason why a USB video camera on a laptop does not work is a problem with the cable. It may come loose, become worn, or the connector may not work. Try inserting the cable into a different input.

If everything is connected, but the video still does not turn on, then go to Device Manager and check whether the drivers are installed on the computer. The USB camera may appear as in the section image processing, so in " USB controllers».

Most often, drivers are included with the webcam on a disk - either on removable media or already embedded in the webcam, and when connected, the software is automatically installed. It can also be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. Some developers may provide a special utility to configure it.

Problem with programs

Perhaps the webcam is functioning normally, but its use in a specific program is prohibited. Most often this problem occurs with Skype. For example, if you previously used the built-in webcam, and then started connecting a removable one, then by default Skype will use the first option.

To change default settings:

1. go to “Tools”;
2. then go to “Settings”;
3. click on “Video Settings”;
4. and from the “Select camera” drop-down list, select the desired device.

If you wish, you can also adjust the video camera there: brightness, zoom, white balance, etc.

If after selecting the image still does not appear, it means that the problem is with the webcam itself - there are no drivers or physical damage.

Online services

In order to enable the built-in webcam on a laptop with not only photography, but also the ability to record video clips, you can use free services, and one of these “ Video Recorder».

When using video calling in a browser, the browser always asks if it can be used on this site. If you click no, the camera will not work. Also, to play video, the browser requires Flash Player; if it is not there, a corresponding notification will appear asking you to download and install it.

The main advantage of online services is that you do not need to download and install additional software, thereby polluting your computer. And such services work with all laptop models including Samsung, Toshiba and MSI.

Suddenly stopped working

Quite often, it happens that one day the camera stops working. And this happens due to physical damage, wear and tear, reinstalling Windows or software failures.

In the last two cases, the problem is solved by installing/reinstalling drivers.

How to disable the webcam on a laptop

If you do not want the video call to not work, simply turn it off in the program where you are talking.

If you want to completely turn off the video camera, go to the device manager, right-click on the camera and click “ Disable».

If there is a USB camera on the computer, then remove the cable from the computer connector or press the disconnect button.

Using the example of the most common operating systems Windows XP and Windows 7 today, we will describe how to check the camera on a laptop. If there should be no problems with the first of them, then with the second, untrained users may have difficulties. Following the instructions below, this procedure will not be difficult to complete.

How was it?

The easiest way to perform such an operation as checking the camera on a laptop is in the Windows XP operating system. Just go to “My Computer” and find the desired device in the “Scanners and Cameras” section. Then double-click with the left mouse button on its icon. A window will open showing what is happening at the current time. If there is no such icon, then you need to install drivers, which can be taken either on the Internet or from a laptop CD (it must be included with the mobile PC). The installation procedure for this software will be described in the next section.

Drivers

To ensure the normal functioning of any computer device, drivers are needed. These are programs that control the operation of equipment, including webcams. First you need to check that they are installed correctly. To do this, go to “Start”, then “Control Panel”. In the window that opens, find “Device Manager”. Point the manipulator pointer at it and double-click the left mouse button. Then you need to pay attention to the section “Image processing devices” (for Windows 7) or “Scanners and cameras” (for Windows XP). Open it with a single click of the mouse. There should not be any icons next to the webcam (for example, a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark). In this case, we skip this stage and proceed to the next one. Otherwise, before you test the webcam on your laptop, you must install this software. It can be downloaded from the official website of the mobile PC manufacturer. To do this, use a search engine to find the appropriate Internet resource. Then you need to find the software we need in the “Download” section and download it. At the next stage, press the key combination “Vin” (the Windows logo is drawn on it) and “E” in the English keyboard layout. Explorer will open. In it we find the “Downloads” folder (in some versions there may be Download). Then we find the drivers and double-click the mouse to start the installation process. In the future, following the instructions of the wizard, we install them. After this, it is recommended to reboot.

Specialized means

At the next stage of solving the problem of how to check the camera on a laptop, you need to use specialized software (for example, “VirtualDub”) or Internet resources (http://videochatru.com/ is one of them). In the first case, you need to download such software from the Internet and install it in exactly the same way as drivers. Then we launch this program. After this, what is happening in the visibility range of the webcam should appear on the mobile PC screen. In the future, this program can be used to shoot videos. Another option for implementing this check is to use the Skype program. In its menu, you need to go directly to the “Tools” section, then - “Settings” and then - “Video Settings”. In this case, exactly the same picture will appear as in the previous case.

Internet

In some cases, specialized software can be replaced with a website. One of them is http://videochatru.com/. In this case, to get an answer to the question: “How to check if the camera is working?” - just connect to the global web on your mobile PC and launch the browser. Enter the previously given address into it and press “Enter”. Then you will need to give permission for the browser to use the webcam. After this, an image from this device will appear on the computer screen. If in the first case you can check the camera without an Internet connection, then you need to install special software. In the second, the situation is exactly the opposite. As a result, we note: if there is Internet, then we use the second method. Otherwise, the first one is left without an alternative.

Summary

This material described how to check the camera on a laptop running operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows 7. The easiest way to do this is in the first of them. Just install the drivers and go to “My Computer”. But in the case of Windows 7, everything is much more complicated. Not only do you need to install drivers, you also have to use special software or an Internet resource. This is the answer to how to check the camera on laptops in this case. Moreover, those methods that work on the “seven” are perfect for Windows XP. So in this case there are significantly more options for checking the functionality of this device.

We often need a camera to communicate on Skype or another messenger, but, as luck would have it, it doesn’t turn on. It may not be configured or even enabled. We offer you several effective methods for checking connection and configuration, which should help you out at such an important moment.

Checking the connection

If you are using a USB camera, you should initially check all connectors and cables. Sometimes you need to additionally press the power button on the gadget itself. The camera built into your laptop will require certain programs.

The easiest way is to check the camera online. You just need to go to the site that provides such a service, click “Allow” in the drop-down window, and you will appear on the screen.

Refer to Device Manager

You can check the camera's operation using Device Manager.

A question mark or exclamation mark next to the name indicates the need to install drivers. They are located on the disk with the operating system. If there is none, they can be found on the official website of the gadget manufacturer.

Choose drivers exclusively for the model of your laptop or USB camera.

When there is a downward arrow opposite the name, you need to right-click and select “Engage” in the context menu.

Turning on the camera

You can turn on the camera using standard programs and special utilities.

Take advantage of special programs

You can turn on the camera using Windows Movie Maker (film studio) or Skype. If they are not on your laptop, install them.

Everything is clear with the film studio - you just need to open it to start the camera.

With Skype it’s a little more complicated:

You can also turn on the device using any utility or special program for creating photos and videos on your computer. There are many of them on the Internet, just download wisely - do not introduce viruses. To do this, check the files through verified .

The most difficult situations

In the most difficult cases, you can restart the laptop, move the portable camera to another connector, update or reinstall the official drivers.

When all else fails, you should contact a technician or take the gadget (USB camera or entire laptop) to a service center.

Almost every current laptop model is sold with a built-in webcam. Considering that video communication is becoming more and more popular every day, this can be considered very convenient. But it may well be that the video camera was not initially configured. As a result, after making a test call, the user may well turn his attention to the picture - too light, dark white, darkish, and this option is also likely - the video camera simply may not turn on. Be that as it may, a task appears: how to install a webcam on a laptop?

Important! There are a huge number of web cameras available on the product market, which, according to their characteristics, will satisfy the needs of every buyer. To make it easier for you to make your choice, we recommend that you pay attention to a separate review on this topic.

Camera setup

Quite often, problematic issues with a built-in video camera have simple solutions. If no simple steps help, then it is likely that the problem lies in the hardware component - in this case, you are better off sending the laptop to a service center for repair work.

First stage

So, the first thing you need to do is carry out a routine check of the video camera drivers that are installed on the laptop:

• To begin, click on “Start” - “Control Panel”.
• Here open “Device Manager”.
• In the proposed list, open “Image processing devices”, expand the line by clicking on the small arrow. All devices available to you that are connected will be played here. What makes the video camera work will have a name like Cam, Video, Web.

Important! Make sure that the icon next to the name does not contain a yellowish exclamation mark or a reddish cross. This may indicate an erroneous location of the drivers or that they are missing altogether.

• After you right-click on the desired device, go to the context menu line called “Properties”.
• On the tab called “General” in the “Device Status” field, it must be written “The device is working normally.” This means that the video camera is in full working order. If a different inscription is indicated there, then go to the “Driver” tab. Here you can see which specific driver was installed and at what time, as well as update or remove drivers that currently exist.

If the problems with the video camera began after repair work was carried out on the laptop, click “Update”, and then “Automatically search for updated drivers”. As a result, drivers available on the laptop, as well as on the global web, will be found. When you find the drivers that are located on the laptop, you can install them, and this will solve your problematic issue.

Important! You can install the drivers yourself. But for this, a special disk must be included with the laptop or video camera in order to install the driver. After placing the disk in the device's disk drive, go through all the necessary steps and follow the instructions that the installation wizard offers you. Ultimately, you will be able to install all the necessary drivers that are needed for the connected devices, including the video camera.

If you just can’t find the disk or purchased a video camera separately from your laptop, and the computer device simply does not have a disk drive, that’s okay. Download drivers from the official website of the laptop manufacturer, and on a completely free basis. Then you can install the driver on your laptop yourself.

Important! Special programs can help you find and install a driver. For example: you can use a completely free program called Driver Pack Solution. Once the drivers have been installed, be sure to restart your laptop.

Second phase

The second thing you need to do to install and configure a webcam on a laptop is to check the video camera connection in the device manager. To accomplish this:

• Go to Device Manager and open the tab called “Imaging Devices”.

Important! When examining the icon that is responsible for the video camera, keep in mind that there should not be any arrows near it.

• If the arrow is still present, then right-click on it and click on the “Engage” line.
• The device manager that opens will begin to blink, in other words, it will perform an update, after which the arrow will disappear and the video camera will start working.

Third stage

The third point will be to install a special program that allows you to work directly with the webcam:

1. You can download it from the global network, especially SplitCam, LiveCam, WebCam Max.
2. After launching the program that you have chosen, you will be able to see a special window with the image that falls into the lens of the video camera. A special green indicator will shine close to the video camera itself - it means that the camera is fully operational and in good condition.

Important! After installing the webcam, you need to check whether it functions correctly. So that you do not have any problems in the future, how to do this is described in the link.

Without programs

For those who are interested in how to install a camera on a laptop without lengthy processes of downloading some programs, you can use another method. It is perfect for those who have Skype on their laptop:

1. Go to “Tools” - “Settings”.
2. After that, on the “Basic” tab, click on “Video Settings”. Here an image will appear in the main window, which is transmitted directly from the video camera. To change the settings, you can click on “Webcam Settings”.
3. In the next window you can select all the necessary settings for the image from the video camera.

Important! Installing a webcam without connecting a microphone makes no sense. We have additionally prepared articles for you that will be useful to you:

Question from a user

Good afternoon.

Tell me how to get the webcam to work. It seems like I already downloaded the driver, reinstalled it 10 times - but it still doesn’t work (it only shows a black screen). What else could be wrong?

Good day!

Yes, today's Internet no longer surprises anyone with streaming video, webcams, etc. In general, in general, there are not so many problems with webcams, and by following a simple series of steps you can eliminate the reason for its inoperability (unless, of course, it is related to the hardware component - after all, your webcam could simply break down).

Why the webcam may not work

1) The camera is simply not active...

By default, the webcam in a laptop is always on and power is supplied to it (it’s just not active in real time - after all, you don’t always need the camera, but only when talking on the Internet, or when recording video).

And for it to start taking images, you just need to launch some application that uses it.

For example, in Windows 10 there is such a program as “Camera”. It's in the START menu.

If you have Windows 7/8, then some problem may arise - because... they do not have a built-in basic program for working with a webcam. In this case, you can use Skype or Media Player Classic(which is present in every codec set).

Addition! About where to download normal Media Player Classic -

Using Media Player Classic as an example, I’ll show you how to open an image from a webcam in it (relevant for all versions of Windows).

After installing the program, go to its settings: "View/Settings" . In the “Capture” section, indicate your camera in the “Video” column, the microphone in the audio column, and “Russia” in the country (it should look something like what I have in the screenshot below).

If everything is fine with the camera, the image should appear in the player window.

2) Drivers are not installed

If the image from the webcam is not transmitted, then very often the reason for this is the drivers (or rather, their absence). To see if the driver is installed on the system, open device Manager (press the combination Win+Pause and in the menu on the left you will see a link to launch it).

In Device Manager, look at the tabs "Cameras" And "Other devices" .

If the driver is installed, then in the "Cameras" tab - the model of your device should be displayed, if there is no driver - then in "Other devices" you will see a mark with a yellow exclamation mark on some "Integrated WebCam"(see visual screenshot below).

Device Manager - checking if there is a driver for the webcam

To update the driver, you can try using the Windows function: right-click on “Camera” and select from the menu that appears.

3) It is turned off in Device Manager or Windows Control Panel

It is also worth noting that in addition to the lack of a driver, the camera can simply be disabled in the device manager. Pay attention to the icon: is there an arrow on it?

If you have Windows 10, then open the START menu and go to the settings section.

In chapter "Confidentiality" open the tab "Camera" and allow applications to use the hardware.

By the way, please note that at the bottom of the window you can specify applications individually, which can use the camera and which cannot.

4) Check the spec. laptop control centers, antivirus.

And there is one more point that may affect the operation of the webcam...

Some laptops have control centers (included with the drivers). They allow you to configure the laptop’s power supply, adjust its monitor (brightness, contrast, etc.), and fine-tune the keyboard and touchpad.

Often in such centers there are privacy (security) settings that may limit the use of a microphone and camera. I recommend checking this moment.

By the way, some antiviruses can also block the transmission of images from the camera, fearing that an attacker’s application will be able to gain control over it (and therefore receive confidential information about you). Try disabling your antivirus for a while.

PS

Alternative not obvious reasons

1) Check Is the camera taped over? or some kind of sticker. I have noticed this “trick” with some laptop users more than once - people are afraid that hackers (or tracking software) will be able to take pictures of their personal life and, just in case, they cover the camera. Naturally, in this case, the camera will not show anything other than a black screen...

2) Is the webcam busy? another application? It’s just that if you run two applications at the same time that “want” to use the camera, then perhaps nothing will be shown in one of them. Try restarting your PC (after previewing and turning off everything unnecessary), and use only the only software to view video from the camera.

3) Between the time you launch the program to display video from the webcam and the time you see the picture on the computer screen, 10-15 seconds may pass. ! Those. there is a certain pause. It’s just that many users launch the program and do not see the image after 2-3 seconds. - they believe that it does not work and are looking for the “cause” of the problem (which is not there!).

4) If all of the above did not help, maybe your camera is just broken(hardware reason). I would recommend that you buy an inexpensive external webcam (connected to a USB port) from some Chinese store (for example). If you catch a promotion (+ take advantage of cashback) - you can spend mere trifles...

Additions on the topic are welcome...

That's all for now.