All available ways to fix problems with a camera not working in Skype. The camera does not work on Skype - possible solutions to the problem

There are many reasons why video from a web camera may not be displayed in Skype. This may be preceded incorrect program settings, absence the correct driver version for the device or many other malfunctions that interfere with the correct operation of video communication.

Checking drivers

Incorrect or missing camera drivers can cause a lot of problems not only with Skype, but also with other similar programs and instant messengers.

How check driver performance:

Reinstalling the driver

In some cases, complete reinstallation Equipment software. This is not so easy to do, since most webcams do not come with a driver disk or do not even have them on the official website.

How to reinstall:

What to do if webcam not displayed in the manager:

Checking the camera without Skype

In some cases, the device may simply be broken, causing it to not work in all programs, not just Skype. In this case you will need test operability of the device using the built-in operating system tools. How to do it:

If the image from the webcam is displayed normally, then the problem is settings Skype programs. Otherwise, there are faults in the device itself.

Checking Skype settings

Incorrect settings in Skype can also become reason no image from your camera. Therefore, it’s worth going into the program and going through the points “ Tools», « Settings».

After this, you need to open the “ Video» and select the desired device for video communication.

Other reasons

Also, several other problems may affect the correct operation of the web camera. The first of them is insufficient throughput USB connector. Such a malfunction can occur mainly at very old computers equipped with outdated motherboards. In this case, serious upgrade PC (replace the motherboard and many other components) or at least purchase a USB expansion card that allows you to add faster ports to the computer.

Some users connect cameras via poor quality USB extenders that cause severe signal loss. In this case, everything is simple - just connect the device directly to the USB port of the computer or change the extension cord to a better one.

Problems with calls on Skype? Most likely, this is due to your or your interlocutor’s Internet connection. Low Internet connection can result in connection to remote calls, delays and poor quality of audio and video. In addition, if problems occur, you will see a call quality indicator. Use the following tips.

Check your computer and Internet connection.
A poor connection can result in dropouts, unclear or freezing video, and poor audio quality. If your connection quality is poor, you may receive the following notification: Poor network connection.

In addition, the following may affect call quality:

Make sure you have good wifi signal or if possible use a wired connection.

If your Internet connection deteriorates during a call, Skype may turn off some video streams in group calls. When the connection returns to normal, Skype will automatically turn the video back on.

If you are having connection problems on Windows, you can perform troubleshooting as described in Solve network connection problems.

Close all applications that may negatively affect call quality. File sharing apps, streaming audio or video, and even having your browser open can all take up bandwidth.

If you're using Skype on a laptop that's running in low-power mode, try connecting it to a power source or switching to maximum performance mode.

Checking your system's privacy permissions. For Mac OSX Mojave (10.14 or later) and Skype for Windows 10 (version 14) users, make sure to grant permission for Skype to use microphone and cameras.
- Mac OSX Mojave (10.14 or higher):
  -Go to the Mac section System Preferences>security and privacy>tab Confidentiality > Microphone or camera and providing access to Skype.
- Skype for Windows 10 (version 14):
  -Go to Start and then select Options gears > privacy> select cameras or microphone. In the section, make sure that Skype is replaced on. Restart Skype and go to your Skype audio and video Options to check the correct devices are selected in Skype.
Check your webcam. Make sure it is turned on, pointed towards you and not blocked by anything. In Skype for desktop, select your avatar > Audio and video settings and in the section Video Check what the webcam shows in the preview window.
Note. Skype for Windows 10 requires your webcam to meet the minimum requirements for Microsoft Store apps.
on Skype. During such a call, you will be asked to record a message, which will then be played back. This is the easiest way to check your audio settings. In Skype on your desktop, select your avatar>Audio and video settings >Make a free trial call.
Check the sound
. The range of devices available is vast, and there are a number of possible reasons why functionality may be impaired. Each brand has its own quirks, so we always recommend visiting the manufacturer's website to view the user manual or get troubleshooting help

Below are some steps you can follow.

Check your microphone, speakers, or headphones. Make sure they are connected and not muted. If it's a Bluetooth device, make sure it's connected as well.
Check your webcam. Make sure it is turned on, pointed towards you and not blocked by anything.
Make a free test call on Skype. During such a call, you will be asked to record a message, which will then be played back. This is the easiest way to check your audio settings.
Can you hear the echo of your voice? There may be a problem with your interlocutor's device. Ask him to turn down the audio volume.
Check the sound. Try playing a song or using another audio app to check the volume. If you hear sound, the problem may be on the other person's side. Ask him to do the same.
Refer to the manufacturer's website. The range of devices available is vast, and there are a number of possible reasons why functionality may be impaired. Each brand has its own quirks, so we always recommend visiting the manufacturer's website to view the user manual or get troubleshooting help.

Very often, Skype users complain that they cannot make video calls because the program does not “see” the camera. Sometimes they cannot set it up initially, sometimes this happens after some event: “yesterday it worked, today it stopped.” In this article we will look at the reasons, indicate the main points that you need to pay attention to and make the ill-fated camera work.

1. Installing webcam drivers

When you connect the camera to your computer (laptop) for the first time, the device driver is installed. Here you must follow the manufacturer's instructions:

1.1. If your camera comes with an installation disk, you must first install the driver from it, then connect the camera and wait until it is detected.

1.2. Many camera models do not come with any discs. Windows installs drivers for them on its own.

1.3. Some models do not come with disks, but Windows cannot independently select a driver for them. In this case, you need to go to the manufacturer’s website, download the driver for your model there and install it.

In many cases, it is useful to do this, since these drivers are often newer than those that come on the included disk, or are installed by the operating system; some errors have been corrected in them, and improvements have been made. But, unfortunately, this is not always the case: there are cases when, after installing newer, “improved” drivers, cameras begin to work worse, or stop working altogether (computer freezes, blue screens). This is seen very often with Logitech products. In such cases, it is better not to install anything and the drivers installed by the operating system are much better than those offered by the manufacturer.

2. Checking the functionality of the webcam

2.1. After the message pops up that “hardware installation completed successfully,” let’s verify this by going to Device Manager:

Checking for a webcam in Device Manager

It should be located in the “Imaging Devices” section and can be called either simply “USB video device” or by the name of your camera model. At the same time, there should not be any exclamation or question marks near it. They indicate problems either with the camera itself or with its driver.

2.2. Now let's look at the image the camera produces. In Windows XP this was very easy to do: just go to My computer and launch the camera:

If we see ourselves, we move on to the next point.

For users of Windows 7 and Vista, the situation is a little more complicated by the fact that there are no such built-in tools as in XP and in order to make sure that the camera is working you need to use other programs that can receive its image. This could be, for example, Paint:

Or video player(eg Daum PotPlayer):

If we see the image from the webcam, then the camera is working normally.

3. Camera settings in Skype

Now about the painful part: we checked the camera in every possible way and it is guaranteed to work, but Skype categorically refuses to accept it, saying that "Skype did not detect a webcam...":

The camera is connected and working, but Skype refuses to recognize it as such

The problem has deep, long-standing roots; it can arise or disappear at the most unexpected moment, and the reason for its occurrence seems to be unknown to the developer himself. The official forum of the program is filled to capacity with messages “Skype does not see the Web camera,” to which the developers do not give a clear answer. Users independently found a way out of the situation: installing another (usually previous) version of the program.

3.1. Removing “buggy” Skype

Possible via standard Uninstalling programs(Start -> Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs), but it is better to use a more advanced program, for example RevoUninstaller:

Additionally, you can also do search and then delete on the system disk ( usually drive C:) all folders named “Skype”.

3.2. Download another version of Skype

Unfortunately, on the official website you can easily download only the latest, “most improved” version of the program. Users who encounter problems because of this will have to put a lot of effort into this, scouring the Internet in search of the right option, risking falling into the clutches of scammers along the way and infecting their computer with various nasty things. In order to help our readers, we have selected here a collection of different versions of the program (portable Skype 6.13 , offline version installers SSE, 6.6, 6.3, 6.1, 5.10, 4.2) And "corrected" folk craftsmen complete installers of old versions of Skype 3.8, 4.2, 5.5, 5.9 , which fixed the connection problem.

Download links:

P.S. (03.10.2014)

Since in June 2004, Microsoft began disconnect older versions of Skype from the network, this method has lost its relevance. For users who cannot cope with this problem, we offer another way to solve it -.

P.S.S. (11.10.2014)

3.3. Changing the web camera

If, despite all our tricks, nothing helps, then nothing remains but camera replacement. It's sad, but most likely your camera on another computer will work fine and Skype will accept it without any comments. In the same way, on your computer any other camera (working, of course) will work without any problems. All that remains is to come to terms with, admitting that you fell an innocent victim of the Hindu programming of the Skype developers, nothing personal))

Perhaps automatic software updates are a good thing, but you also need to know that no one is immune from the fact that in the new version, which will be automatically installed the next time you start it, no incident will happen, for example the camera stops working. To prevent a similar fate from befalling you at the most inopportune moment disable automatic updates(Tools->Settings->Advanced->Automatic Updates, click the “Turn off Automatic Updates” button, then “Save”).

4. Other Skype problems

Taking this opportunity, we will briefly describe several other problems that are not related to the one described above, but nevertheless are quite common among users.

4.1. The webcam is being used by another program

Unable to start video broadcast. Close all other programs that may be using the webcam

The webcam can broadcast images simultaneously only one program. All others that try to do this at the same time as the first one will either not have any image or will have a similar message. Accordingly, in order to use the camera, you need to control and close all programs that are currently intercepting the video stream.

Sometimes it can be difficult to understand exactly which program “privatized” the video stream. In such cases, either restarting the computer helps, or it is enough to remove the webcam from the USB connector for a few seconds and then insert it back.

4.2. Is this the correct camera being used?

If there are several video sources, you need to select the one from where we want to receive the image

If you have several web cameras connected to your computer, or have a TV tuner, or another video device, in the program settings (Tools -> Settings -> Video Settings) you need to select exactly the one with which we want to make video calls.

4.3. Outdated version of Windows

A critical error occurs when trying to launch Skype

The next victim of “Indian programming” was Windows XP SP2 users. The solution is appropriate: either update Windows to version SP3, or remove this version of Skype and install the previous one ( 6.6 or less) and disable automatic updating (see paragraphs 3.1, 3.2, 3.4).

4.4. "Weak computer"

New versions of Skype have disabled the ability to make video calls for users who, in their opinion, have an “outdated PC” (for example, based on a Pentium III processor). At first, the user is reassured that they have “another version”:

The solution again is to remove this version, install the previous one ( 6.1 or less) and disabling automatic updates (see paragraphs 3.1, 3.2, 3.4).

Skype, according to statistics, is still one of the most popular means of online communication, including video communication. However, in recent years, its position has weakened due to the fact that users began to use other instant messengers, which are becoming more and more popular every day (the same WhatsApp or Viber). However, for the vast majority of our compatriots, Skype is still one of the most popular programs.

Unfortunately, difficulties may arise with this software, which often depend on the user himself. For example, some people’s cameras don’t work when making calls. Why does this happen and how to solve the problem? I'll try to give you a hint.

Causes and solutions

First of all, you as a user must make sure that the webcam is connected to the computer via a USB port. It is possible that the latter does not work or is simply disabled, so it makes sense to use a different port. If you're using a laptop, you don't need to connect anything—this device already has a built-in camera.

Now open Skype, enter your username and password for your account and once you are logged in, go to the “Tools” - “Settings” - “Video Settings” section. If everything is fine with the camera, then you should see your image.

If there is no image, then the first thing to do is check if the camera is being used in another application. Yes, it cannot be used in two programs at once, so if it is used somewhere else, that program must be terminated.

Be sure to install drivers for it, because without them it will not function. To do this, take the disk that was offered with the device and launch it, simultaneously installing the drivers. If the disk is missing, then go to the manufacturer’s website and download drivers from the site. If the drivers are already installed, you need to check if they work properly. To do this, click on the “Start” button - “Control Panel” - “System” - “Device Manager”. Here we find our camera and if you see a yellow exclamation mark next to it, it means you need to install or reinstall the drivers.

In some cases, the reason lies in the obviously low Internet speed. In this case, I can only advise.

Look at your status. If you have the status set to “Invisible”, then you need to change it to another, visible one. According to comments on a computer forum, this is one of the reasons for the problem.

You can also try deleting the profile folder (for example, in Windows 7 it is located at C:\Users\username\AppData\Skype\username\). After removing it, the video broadcast can start working. Still, I advise you not to delete the folder, but to rename it in order to avoid problems with the performance of the program.

Some laptops have a separate button that turns on the camera. Take a close look, perhaps it is also on your device and someone accidentally clicked on it.

Sometimes problems can arise specifically with the new version of Skype. In this case, it is recommended to download a special “old” version of the utility. You can find it on the company's official website.

If nothing helps, then you can try to reinstall it yourself; this method helped me run the program on my laptop. To do this, go to the official website and download the latest version of the utility. However, I can recommend that you download not the regular PC version, but the so-called business version (Skype Business Edition). After installing it, the problem was solved and it was not possible to find out what it was.

If your Skype camera does not work on your laptop or computer, do not panic, because this is a fairly common glitch in using the messenger beloved by many. In our article we will try to understand this issue and find out what the most common problems are associated with.

If you don't know why the camera doesn't work on Skype, we suggest you start checking with the following:

Update the program version to the freshest. (It is highly desirable that your interlocutor has the same installed.)
Check your internet connection. Make sure that everything is in order with the Internet - the connection must be reliable and uninterrupted, since Skype itself determines its speed and, if necessary, automatically reduces the quality of the transmitted image so that the call is not interrupted. Because of this, other difficulties may arise - for example, suddenly.
Make sure your webcam is working. First, see if it is connected at all (the wire could have become disconnected - maybe someone touched it while cleaning, or a dog chewed it). If it is intact, connect it to another USB input. If you use it via a USB hub, connect it directly to your computer.

We hope that you will no longer have problems with the camera not working on Skype. Stay with us and you will learn many more interesting things - for example, . Good luck!