I was filming a video using my laptop's integrated camera but it suddenly not working. i don't know why. Windows does not detect any camera connected to my laptop. but somehow when i was attending an online meeting, the camera was working again for a brief moment before it was not detected again. tried to scan for hardware changes and updating drivers, updating windows, and check for updates through Lenovo vantage. still does not solver my problem.

Tried to uninstall driver through Device Manager, now my camera is not showing in Device Manager, not even hidden. Tried to reinstall driver again but still not showing in device manager. I want to DIY it myself first before taking my laptop to a repair shop. I feel like its a hardware issue not software issue like loose cable or something.

My Laptop : Lenovo Ideapad 3 Slim 3 14ITL6

Windows Ver : 11 22H2

Hi Dhia A F,

I'm sorry to hear about the issue you're experiencing with your laptop's integrated camera. It's indeed possible that it could be a hardware issue, especially if the camera intermittently works. 

First, please ensure that your privacy settings are allowing the camera to be used. You can check this by going to Settings > Privacy > Camera and make sure it's turned on.

Second, try to reset the camera app. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Camera > Advanced options > Reset.

If the issue persists, you might want to try a system restore to a point when the camera was working. This can sometimes fix issues that aren't resolved by updating drivers or Windows.

Another thing, can you please share a screenshot how does the error look like if you will open the Windows camera app itself? What is the error message flashed in the Windows camera app itself?

Perhaps try these steps in addition as well.

Privacy Settings and Hotkeys

Open Lenovo Vantage and check if the Camera privacy settings is on. Turn them off.

- Open Vantage, then my device settings.  
- At the top select Monitor and Camera (is under the heading).  
- Check in there if the camera is on or off.
- Set the setting to Off.

Also make sure that you have not accidentally clicked the "FN" button and the hotkey (usually F8) for turning the camera on and off on your keyboard.

Make sure there is nothing obscuring the camera. Some devices some with a small latch that can be used to cover the camera.

- In Windows, Press the Windows button + X , select "Search" and start typing "Camera Privacy Settings"
- Make sure the Privacy settings are set to "off" and that Camera access is set to "On"
- Scroll further down to see a list of apps that are using your camera.  
- Try to find the programs in question and make sure they have access to your camera by sliding the bar to the right.

If this does not fix the issue, continue below.

Step 1. Manually update Camera Device Drivers.
- Press the Windows key + X , select "Device Manager"
- Expand "Cameras" and/or "Imaging devices" and "Human Interface Devices"
- For the Camera/Imaging Device and I2C HID devices, right click:
- Select Update Driver
- Browse my computer for drivers
- Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer
- Select the most recent Camera/Imaging and/or I2C related driver from the list for every device then Click "Next"
- The most recent driver is the one automatically highlighted in blue when entering the drivers list.
- Perform step 4, then do a restart of the device, if this doesn't solve the issue, then continue below:

Step 2. Uninstall Camera Device + Drivers.
- Press the Windows key + X , select "Device Manager"
- Under "Cameras" and/or "Imaging devices" - Select the device in question, right click and select "Uninstall Device"
- If prompted to uninstall drivers associated with the device, tick the box and continue.
- Perform a restart of the computer to have Windows install the most generic drivers for this device.
- Download the newest drivers for you device from the Support Page:
- Just plot in the serial number for your device and hit enter, might have to hit it twice. Then head to Drivers & Software, Manual Update then Camera & Card Read
- Now double check the privacy settings and the app access to your camera as described above.
- You can also try using online web-cameras to check if camera would work there or not

Step 3. Rolling back to a previous Win 10 Version
- Open the Windows 10 Settings Menu by clicking the gear icon in the Windows Start menu, or by pressing “Windows + I” keys.
- Click “Update & security”
- Click the “Recovery” tab on the sidebar.
- Under “Go back to the previous version of Windows 10,” click “Get started.”
- After some elapsed time after last update(10+ days), this option is often not available. Please continue below.

Step 3.2. System Restore Point:
- There should always be a "restore point" you can choose from "System Recovery"
- Click the Windows key and type "System Recovery" and click "Recovery" in the list.  
- Select "Open System Restore" - Click "Next" and select the latest "Restore point" where the device was working.
**Note: System Restore Points will only remove Apps and Programs installed after the selected Restore Point date. It will not remove word/text files or pictures etc.

Step 4. Disable Automatic Hardware drivers update  
- Right click the Windows Icon, select the "Search" Function.
- Type "Control Panel" and select "Small icons" or "Large Icons" in the "View By" top right.
- Click the "System Icon"
- Navigate to "Advanced System Settings" -> "Hardware"
- Click "Device Installation Settings" and Select "No"
**This will prevent Windows from interfering with your hardware drivers in future updates, but keep crucial security updates rolling.

In the event that this is not successful or the Rollback is not available, continue below:

Step 4. Check your antivirus software
In your antivirus software settings, look for settings that block access to your camera or permission to use your webcam. For help, visit your antivirus software company’s website.

In the unlikely event that this does not solve the issue, we will have to perform a factory reset of the device.

OKR - One Key Recovery
**This is a complete factory reset of the computer
**Loss of data can occur, so we advise you to backup your data if possible.
- Completely shut down the device.  
- Press the Novo Button :  It is the small reset hole on most devices that you need a unfolded paperclip to reach.  
- In case you do not own a device with a OKR button. You can also find out where it is or what reset function it is for your device at the support page under.

Knowledge Base & Guides -> User Guides -> And clicking the User guide(Not HTML one) in the list -> Ctrl+F to search the document for "Reset" and/or "Novo Button" / "Novo Hole"

I hope this helps. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.

Best regards.
Dex_Lenovo

Thank you for your reply.

I have checked my camera again today and it is working somehow. I only have uninstalled the camera device and driver in Device Manager and then installing the driver. The camera have apparently registered again in Device Manager after giving my laptop a "rest" over the night.

According to my experience, the camera should not be working again after a while. I think this has happened twice in a few days. but the first time i got this problem, i did not do anything but the camera somehow working again.

If you are curious about error code that windows default camera app shows, this is the code : 0xA00F4244

If this problem occurs too frequently, i will go to a repair shop but not official one because my warranty has expired.

Hi.

Thanks for the response.

0xa00f4244, your device cannot access your webcam or camera and shows the message "We cannot find your camera" can either mean there is a hardware failure on your device or a drivers issue.

Here's what I honestly think, the camera may be working now and it's good to know that. I suggest to further observe the unit first for any other camera issues that might come back after a while. Feel free to come back in this thread anytime if there is any update.

Regards.
Dex

Pudiste solucionar el problema? Ando pasando por algo similar e reinstalo el windows y funciona normal pero de ahí al día deja de detectar a la cámara y tampoco me aparece en administrador de dispositivos

@yunhk wrote:

Pudiste solucionar el problema? Ando pasando por algo similar e reinstalo el windows y funciona normal pero de ahí al día deja de detectar a la cámara y tampoco me aparece en administrador de dispositivos

Hi yunhk,

I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing a similar issue. It sounds like your camera might be having intermittent hardware or driver issues. Here are a few steps you can try:

Check Privacy Settings: Ensure that your camera is allowed in the privacy settings. Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera and make sure it's turned on.

Reset Camera App: Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Camera > Advanced options > Reset.

Update Drivers: Manually update your camera drivers. Go to Device Manager, expand Cameras or Imaging devices, right-click your camera, and select Update driver.

Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers: Uninstall the camera device and drivers from Device Manager, then restart your laptop to let Windows reinstall the generic drivers.

Check Antivirus Settings: Ensure your antivirus software isn't blocking the camera.

System Restore: If the issue persists, consider performing a system restore to a point when the camera was working.

If these steps don't resolve the issue, it might be a hardware problem, and you may need to visit a repair shop.

Feel free to update us on your progress.

Best regards,
Dex_Lenovo

******************************************************

Hola yunhk,

Lamento saber que estás experimentando un problema similar. Parece que su cámara podría tener problemas intermitentes de hardware o controladores. Aquí hay algunos pasos que puedes probar:

Verifique la configuración de privacidad: asegúrese de que su cámara esté permitida en la configuración de privacidad. Vaya a Configuración > Privacidad > Cámara y asegúrese de que esté activado.

Restablecer la aplicación de la cámara: vaya a Configuración > Aplicaciones > Aplicaciones y funciones > Cámara > Opciones avanzadas > Restablecer.

Actualizar controladores: actualice manualmente los controladores de su cámara. Vaya al Administrador de dispositivos, expanda Cámaras o Dispositivos de imágenes, haga clic derecho en su cámara y seleccione Actualizar controlador.

Desinstale y reinstale los controladores: desinstale el dispositivo de la cámara y los controladores desde el Administrador de dispositivos, luego reinicie su computadora portátil para permitir que Windows reinstale los controladores genéricos.

Verifique la configuración antivirus: asegúrese de que su software antivirus no esté bloqueando la cámara.

Restaurar sistema: si el problema persiste, considere realizar una restauración del sistema a un punto en el que la cámara estaba funcionando.

Si estos pasos no resuelven el problema, es posible que se trate de un problema de hardware y es posible que deba visitar un taller de reparación.

No dudes en informarnos sobre tu progreso.

Atentamente,
Dex_Lenovo

Actually im having the exact same problem as the gentleman above mentioned.

My camera suddenly stopped working, i tried fixing it by updating my BIOS and reinstalling the camera driver, it worked but again crashed, for once it again worked after i restarted my laptop but now its completely stopped working.

I tried installing the drivers, also i uninstalled the device so that windows can again reinstall it by scanning hardware at restart but my integrated camera is not even recognized by the OS now. 

It can be a hardware related issue but the fact that i was able to fix it with BIOS and driver update makes me think otherwise.

Can you please help me on this.

(I've attached screenshot of the error)

I am also facing the same issue in the last few days. lenovo ideapad model. Camera not working. Kindly share some way to fix this issue. Do we need to contact lenovo customer care?

Hi mjunaidansari,

I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue. Given that the camera worked temporarily after updating the BIOS and drivers, it suggests a potential intermittent hardware issue or a conflict with the drivers.

Here are a few steps you can try:

1. Check Privacy Settings: Ensure that your camera is allowed in the privacy settings. Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera and make sure it's turned on.

2. Reset Camera App: Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Camera > Advanced options > Reset.

3. Update Drivers: Manually update your camera drivers. Go to Device Manager, expand Cameras or Imaging devices, right-click your camera, and select Update driver.

4. Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers: Uninstall the camera device and drivers from Device Manager, then restart your laptop to let Windows reinstall the generic drivers.

5. Check Antivirus Settings: Ensure your antivirus software isn't blocking the camera.

6. System Restore: If the issue persists, consider performing a system restore to a point when the camera was working.

If these steps don't resolve the issue, it might be a hardware problem, and you may need to visit a repair shop. You can find a local authorized service center here.

Feel free to update us on your progress.

Best regards,
Dex_Lenovo

i have similar issue

tried all solutions above

laptop  LOQ 15irx9  i7/rtx4060

just 1 month old

camera keeps saying ( front facing camera)

lenovo vantage says   used by another app

is this a defect in lenovo laptops ?