Webcam showing a black screen during video calls
The app doesn't have permission to use the webcam, or the camera is already open in another app. Go to Settings on Windows and check that your video app has camera permission, then close any other apps using the camera. Restart the video app and you should see your video.
Webcams need permission from your operating system to show video. If you deny the app permission, or if another app is already using the camera, your video app shows black. This is actually a safety feature. It stops apps from secretly recording you. Checking permissions and making sure only one app uses the camera at a time fixes it.
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Skip — I just want a technicianCommon mistakes to avoid
- Thinking the camera is broken when it just needs permission. Always test the Camera app first to see if it's a permissions problem
- Leaving another app open that's using the camera. Checking Task Manager helps find hidden apps
- Not restarting the video app after changing permissions. New permissions don't take effect until the app restarts
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- If you've tried all these steps and it still doesn't work, give us a call and we'll sort it out.
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