You have a meeting in 10 minutes and the webcam is dead. Most of the time it is software, not hardware. Here is the quick run-through, in the order worth trying.
Quick fix (2 minutes)
- Restart the app: close Zoom/Meet completely (Task Manager → End Process), then open it again
- Settings → Privacy → Camera: turn on “Allow apps to access camera”. If that is off, nothing works.
- Another app is already using the camera: Skype, Teams, OBS, another browser tab. Close them ALL.
60% of cases end right here.
Step 2: Camera driver
- Device Manager → Cameras (or Imaging devices)
- Right-click → Update driver → Search automatically
- If that does not help — Uninstall device, then restart
This comes up a lot on newer Lenovo and Dell laptops — Lenovo Vantage / Dell Update needs to be up to date.
Step 3: BIOS / hardware switch
Plenty of laptops have a physical switch or an F-key that turns the camera off for privacy. Check:
- F-keys along the top row — some have a camera icon with a line through it
- A slider next to the camera (Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell Latitude) — a physical shutter
- In the BIOS, “Integrated Camera” should be set to “Enabled”
Step 4: Test the camera in the Windows app
Start → “Camera” (or Win+R → “microsoft.windows.camera:”). If you see a picture, the camera works and the problem is in the app you are using (Zoom, Teams).
If you see nothing in the Camera app either, it is a software issue, not the camera itself.
Step 5: Zoom and Meet specific problems
Zoom:
- Settings → Video → Camera → pick the right camera
- Try “HD” or “Original ratio” — sometimes the resolution is the problem
Google Meet:
- Click the ⚙ icon → Video → choose the camera from the list
- Chrome → click the camera icon in the address bar → “Allow” for meet.google.com
MS Teams:
- … → Settings → Devices → Camera
- The new Teams (2.0) often plays up → go back to the classic version if it will not work
An external camera as a backup
If the meeting is urgent, a USB webcam works instantly:
- Logitech C270 — 3,000 RSD, basic but reliable
- Logitech C920 — 7,500 RSD, professional quality
Plug and play, no driver needed, works with every app.
What we do
- Remote fix over AnyDesk: 1,500 RSD (usually 15-30 min)
- Replacing the internal camera: 2,000 RSD labour + the price of the module (2,000-4,000 RSD)
- Urgent (same day): courier + remote = 2,000 RSD
Tell us in your message that it is urgent because of a meeting — we try to sort those out over messages.