SOLVED! Microsoft Surface Camera Not Working

Ever run into Microsoft Surface camera not working? Corrupt cache in your camera app is the first suspect and you will have to reset your app. Additionally, you may have to uninstall then reinstall, update the drivers, check your privacy settings, end programs and reconfigure Windows Defender. To get detailed steps on how to solve this issue, ensure to read this article to the end but first, let’s see what could be the issue.

Microsoft Surface Camera Won’t Work: Suspects 

Driver

All in all, the camera driver plays a key role in the interactions between cameras and your device. If the camera driver is damaged, corrupted, or out of date, the camera would go haywire. Hence, once it comes to Microsoft Surface camera not working, you should take the camera driver into account. 

Permissions 

On Windows devices, apps could only access the camera if people grant them permission. For example, it’s possible to allow or disallow Skype to use the camera. If you have denied Skype the permission to use the camera of your Surface Pro, the camera won’t work during Skype calls.

Background Program 

Many programs run in the background of your Microsoft Surface Pro at any time and their operation sometimes involves components of the device. In the case that one of the background programs is using the camera, other processes cannot access it.  

How To Fix The Microsoft Surface Camera

Reset Camera 

By resetting the camera, you could help get rid of hiccups that interfere with its performance. Therefore, if you notice Microsoft Surface camera not working, restart the camera at the earliest opportunity. 

• Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings.
• Step 2: Select Apps then choose Apps & features.
• Step 3: From the list of applications, pick Camera and hit Advanced options.
• Step 4: Scroll to the bottom then click Reset.
• Step 5: Close Settings and see how things turn out.

Uninstall And Reinstall 

Windows Camera is a system application so there is no option for uninstallation. That being said, if you make use of  PowerShell, you could uninstall and reinstall the Camera app.

• Step 1: Press Windows + X to open Quick Link Menu.
• Step 2: Click Windows PowerShell (Admin) to open PowerShell with administrative privileges.
• Step 3: To uninstall Camera, type the following command then hit Enter: Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Remove-AppxPackage
• Step 4: Afterward, type the following command then hit Enter to reinstall the Camera app. Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
• Step 5: Restart your computer then try using the camera again

Update Camera Driver

Microsoft Surface Pro has two cameras which means there are two drivers to update.

• Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Quick Link Menu and click Device Manager.
• Step 2: Double-click Cameras then right-click Intel AVStream Camera.
• Step 3: Choose Update driver and select Search automatically for updated driver software.
• Step 4: Double-click System devices, right-click Surface Camera Rear and Surface Camera Front then hit Properties. 
• Step 5: Go to the Driver tab then click Update Driver. Once the update completes, restart your computer and determine whether the issue persists. 

Apply Changes To Privacy Settings

• Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings.
• Step 2: Select Privacy, look to the left and choose Camera.
• Step 3: Under Allow apps to access your camera, toggle the switch to “enabled”. 
• Step 4: On the list of Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your camera, look for the Camera app on the list and toggle the switch to “enabled”.
• Step 5: Scroll down to the list of Allow desktop apps to access your camera then toggle the switch to “enabled”.

End Programs 

If a background program is using the camera, you will have to end it to regain access to the camera.

• Step 1: Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open Security Options.
• Step 2: Hir  Task Manager.
• Step 3: In Processes tab, select applications that might be using the camera and choose End Task.

Reconfigure Windows Defender Firewall

• Step 1: Press Windows + R to open Run.
• Step 2: Type control and hit Enter to open Control Panel.
• Step 3: Select System and Security then choose Windows Defender Firewall
• Step 4: Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall then go to the Camera app. 
• Step 5: Uncheck the boxes beside Camera (under Private and Public columns) then Click Ok to save changes.

How Do I Change Camera Settings?

To get the most out of the camera, you can change camera settings to fit your preference. Open the Camera app, swipe in from the right edge of the screen and then select Settings. Click Options then proceed to adjust each of the options. The options include: Changing the photo aspect ratio or video quality, turning location info on or off, and showing or hiding gridlines.

What Should I Do When Microsoft Surface Pro Fails To Detect External Cameras?

If your device fails to detect external cameras, a couple of fixes exist. In the beginning, it’s a good idea to restart your computer. Also, ensure that you have the latest Windows updates by going to Update & Security settings and hitting Check updates. Last but not least, you can switch between USB ports, open the Windows troubleshooter and let the troubleshooter run all the way.

Advice

• Before starting a  Skype call, close all non-essential programs.
• Use a plain background to improve your concentration while working.
• For quality video calls, invest in an external camera.
• To avoid buffering, stick to wired instead of wireless connections.