7 Best Fixes for Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

Whether for individual, professional or professional use, Skype is one of the best visual communication software on mobile and PC. And a video call is impossible without a working camera. If you are unable to make Skype video calls because your webcam does not work or Skype does not detect the camera on your Windows PC, we have described seven (7) ways to resolve the issue below.

The Skype video call may not work if the application does not have access to your device’s camera. Sometimes this can be due to complications with your PC’s webcam driver. Running an outdated or unsupported Windows version may also prevent the Skype camera (or other application functionality) from working properly. Whatever the case, at least one of the fixes below should bring your Skype camera back to normal.

1. Check the connected camera

If you’re using an external USB camera, solving the Skype camera problem is as simple as making sure the camera is properly connected. You can also unplug the camera and plug it back in. Then you need to confirm if the external camera is actually functional. If you have another computer, you can use it on this device and check if the camera works.

If the external camera works on another computer but still doesn’t work on yours, you need to check if the USB ports are not defective or covered with debris. Also, if the external camera is powered by a driver / software, make sure the software and firmware / drivers are up to date. Some external webcams must be activated / activated manually after being connected to a computer. If you have such a camera, check if it is on before continuing to use it for your Skype call.

2. Check access to the camera

For laptop users (and desktop users with a built-in webcam), you want to make sure that the Skype app has access to use your computer’s camera. Otherwise, you may not be able to make Skype video calls. Here’s how to enable Skype access to your Windows 10 computer.

Step 1: Launch the Windows Settings menu.

2nd step: Select Confidentiality.

Step 3: In the Application permissions section, tap Camera.

Step 4: Scroll down to the “Microsoft Store Apps” section and check if Skype’s access to your PC’s webcam is enabled. Activate Skype to allow it to access your camera.

3. Update Skype

When was the last time you updated the Skype app? You can sometimes encounter problems and errors in use if you are using an outdated version of the application. Update Skype from the Microsoft Store and verify that the app now recognizes your camera.

Update Skype (Microsoft Store)

4. Update Windows 10

Skype has its system requirements for each version of Windows. To take advantage of all the functionality of the applications without problems, make sure that you are running the latest version of Windows on your computer. And if you’re using Skype on a desktop computer, you want to make sure that it is running at least DirectX v9.0 (or higher) and has a minimum of 512 MB of RAM. Keeping your DirectX up to date is important for using Skype and other video / graphics applications on your computer.

Fortunately, updating your Windows 10 operating system on your desktop would simultaneously update DirectX and some other software necessary for Skype to function properly. To update your version of Windows 10, follow these steps.

Step 1: Launch the Windows Settings menu.

Pro tip: Use the keyboard shortcut “Windows key + I” to quickly launch the Windows Settings menu.

2nd step: Press “Update and security”.

Step 3: Tap the “ Check for Updates ” button to download and install the latest version of Windows 10 on your device.

If your Windows 10 PC is up to date, but the Skype camera still doesn’t work, try the following fix below.

5. Reactivate the webcam driver

The Skype camera may not work because the application did not recognize your webcam. This could be because your webcam is behaving badly, not literally. You can solve this problem by deactivating and reactivating your webcam. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + X to launch the Windows quick access menu.

2nd step: Click Device Manager.

Step 3: Expand the Camera category and right-click the camera driver.

Step 4: Select Disable device.

Step 5: Tap Yes on the context map to continue.

Step 6: To reactivate the camera driver, right-click the device.

Step 7: Tap the Activate device option and your webcam should start working perfectly again.

Now launch the Skype application on your PC and check if the camera works now. If it doesn’t, try the following troubleshooting option below.

6. Switch to generic driver

If resetting the default webcam driver doesn’t work with your camera, and you still can’t make video calls over Skype, you need to switch to a generic driver built into the Windows 10 operating system. the webcam may be out of date, corrupt, or damaged.

Step 1: Launch Device Manager on your computer.

2nd step: Expand the Camera Driver section.

Step 3: Right-click on the webcam driver and press Update Driver.

Step 4: Then select “Browse my computer for driver software”.

Step 5: Select “Let me choose from a list of drivers available on my computer”.

Step 6: Choose the generic webcam driver available for your PC and press Next.

Step 7: When the update process is complete, press Close to return to the Device Manager.

Step 8: Restart your computer, launch Skype and check if the camera now works with the app.

7. Close other applications

If you have too many apps and programs running, it could slow down your PC and prevent Skype from recognizing or activating your device’s camera. Again, this is possible if you are using an older computer with limited memory and an old hard drive. With that in mind, if you have a video calling application or perhaps video conferencing and remote meeting applications open on your computer, you should close them if Skype cannot use your webcam.