Camera not working

Dear @IMF,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft 365 Q&A forum community support team. I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing a black screen during your Teams calls. To help me narrow down the cause and provide you with a specific solution, could you please provide a few more details regarding your setup? 

Please check the following information:

• Are you using the Teams Desktop Application or Teams on the Web (via a browser like Edge, Chrome, or Safari)?
• Does your camera work correctly in other apps, such as the built-in Camera app (Windows) or Photo Booth (Mac)?
• Are you using a built-in laptop camera or an external USB webcam?
• Does your webcam have a physical privacy slider or a "kill switch" on the side of your laptop that might be covering the lens?
• When you are in a meeting, if you go to More > Device Settings, do you see your camera's name listed in the dropdown menu under Video Settings?

Meanwhile, the operating system may sometimes lock the camera for security reasons. Please check the following:

• Windows: Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and ensure "Camera access" and "Let apps access your camera" are both turned On.
• macOS: Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera and ensure your browser or the Teams app is toggled On.

For additional step-by-step troubleshooting, you can also refer to this official Microsoft guide: My camera isn't working in Microsoft Teams.

Once I have this information, I will be able to provide the next steps to get your video working again. I am here to help and look forward to your reply.

Follow these steps to troubleshoot a black screen from the camera in Microsoft Teams:

1. Make a test call in Teams
   1. In Teams, select Settings and more (top-right).
   2. Select Settings > Devices.
   3. Under Audio settings, select Make a test call.
   4. Follow the Test Call Bot instructions and confirm whether the camera preview shows video.
2. Check camera permissions in Windows
   1. Open the Settings app in Windows.
   2. Go to Privacy & security > Camera.
   3. Turn Let apps access your camera On.
   4. Under Let apps access your camera, turn Microsoft Teams (work or school) On.
   5. If it is already on, turn it Off and then On again.
   6. Close all apps and restart the device.
3. Test the camera in another app (to see if it’s Teams-specific)
   1. Open Start > Camera.
   2. Check if the preview works.
   3. If the camera works here but not in Teams, the issue is likely with Teams or its permissions.
4. Update the camera driver (for black screen/no video)
   1. Select Start > Device Manager.
   2. Expand Cameras and locate the camera.
   3. Right-click the camera and select Update driver.
   4. Select Search automatically for drivers.
   5. Restart the computer after the update.
5. Check for Windows updates
   1. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
   2. If View optional updates or Advanced options > Optional updates is available, check for camera driver updates there.
   3. Install available updates and restart the device.
6. If using Teams on the web (browser)
   • Ensure the browser is allowed to use the camera:
     • In Edge: Settings and more > Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Camera, and turn on Ask before accessing (recommended).
     • In Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Permissions > Camera, select the correct device and choose Sites can ask to use your camera.
     • In Safari: Preferences > Websites > Camera, and set When visiting other websites to Ask or Allow.
7. Physical checks
   • Ensure any privacy shutter/slider on the camera is open.
   • Clean the camera lens and make sure nothing is blocking it.

If the camera still shows only a black screen in Teams but works in other apps after these steps, contact the organization’s IT admin or Contact Microsoft support for further investigation.

References:

• My camera isn't working in Microsoft Teams
• Camera doesn't work in Windows