Why won’t my camera work after upgrading to Windows 11?
Many users discover their previously functional camera stops working after upgrading to Windows 11, leaving them unable to join video calls or take photos. This frustrating situation often stems from outdated drivers, disabled privacy settings, or corrupted camera applications that need proper reinstallation. Whether you’re dealing with a built-in webcam or external USB camera, getting your camera functionality restored requires understanding Windows 11’s updated camera management system and following the right troubleshooting steps.
Camera driver installation and reinstallation for Windows 11
Windows 11 introduces enhanced privacy controls and updated camera drivers that can cause compatibility issues with older hardware and software configurations. The camera functionality depends on three critical components working together: proper hardware drivers, correct privacy permissions, and a functioning camera application. This tutorial covers the complete process of reinstalling camera drivers, configuring privacy settings, and restoring the Windows Camera app to ensure your camera works reliably across all applications.
You’ll need administrator access to your Windows 11 computer and an active internet connection for driver downloads. We’ll use Device Manager for driver management, Windows Settings for privacy configuration, and PowerShell for advanced troubleshooting. The process typically takes 15-20 minutes and resolves most camera-related issues in Windows 11.
Download camera drivers and reinstall camera app on Windows
Reinstall camera driver through Device Manager
- Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting “Device Manager” from the context menu that appears.
- Expand the “Cameras” or “Imaging devices” section to locate your camera hardware, which may appear with a yellow warning triangle if drivers are problematic.
- Right-click on your camera device and select “Uninstall device” from the dropdown menu, then confirm the uninstallation when prompted by the system dialog.
- Check the box labeled “Delete the driver software for this device” if you want to completely remove existing drivers before reinstalling fresh ones.
- Restart your computer to allow Windows 11 to automatically detect the camera hardware and attempt to install appropriate drivers from Windows Update.
- If automatic installation fails, return to Device Manager and right-click on “Cameras” section, then select “Scan for hardware changes” to trigger manual detection.
- For manufacturer-specific drivers, visit your computer or camera manufacturer’s website to download the latest Windows 11-compatible drivers for your specific model.
Camera app install and configuration in Windows 11
- Open the Microsoft Store by clicking the Store icon in the taskbar or searching for “Microsoft Store” in the Start menu search bar.
- Search for “Windows Camera” in the Microsoft Store search box and locate the official Microsoft Camera app in the search results.
- Click “Get” or “Install” to download and install the latest version of the Windows Camera app, which may resolve compatibility issues with Windows 11.
- If you’re experiencing other Windows 11 issues, you might also want to check our guide on fixing Windows 11 file sharing problems.
- Alternatively, use PowerShell to reinstall the camera app by opening Windows PowerShell as administrator from the Start menu right-click context menu.
- Execute the PowerShell command Get-AppxPackage camera | Remove-AppxPackage to completely remove the existing camera app and its associated files.
- Follow this with Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”} to reinstall all default Windows apps including the camera.
Expert Tip: Always create a system restore point before making significant driver changes, as this allows you to quickly revert if new drivers cause additional problems.
Configure camera privacy settings and permissions
- Navigate to Windows Settings by pressing Windows key + I, then click on “Privacy & security” in the left sidebar menu.
- Select “Camera” from the privacy options list to access comprehensive camera permission settings that control which applications can access your camera hardware.
- Toggle the “Camera access” switch to “On” to enable system-wide camera functionality, ensuring that Windows 11 allows applications to use your camera device.
- Review the “Let apps access your camera” setting and enable it if you want Microsoft Store apps to have camera access permissions.
- Scroll down to review individual app permissions and enable camera access for specific applications like Teams, Zoom, or other video conferencing software you regularly use.
- Check the “Let desktop apps access your camera” setting and enable it to allow traditional desktop applications to use your camera for video calls and recording.
Camera installer troubleshooting for Windows 11 issues
• Camera not detected in Device Manager: Navigate to Device Manager and look under “Other devices” or “Unknown devices” sections where your camera might appear with generic names or question marks. Right-click the unrecognized device and select “Update driver” then choose “Search automatically for drivers” to let Windows find appropriate drivers online.
• Camera app crashes or shows black screen: Open Windows Settings and go to Apps > Installed apps, then locate the Camera app and click the three-dot menu to select “Advanced options”. Click “Reset” to restore the app to default settings, which often resolves corruption issues that cause crashes or display problems.
• External USB camera not working properly: Try connecting your USB camera to different USB ports, preferably USB 3.0 ports for better performance and compatibility with Windows 11 systems. Check if the camera works on another computer to determine whether the issue is hardware-related or specific to your Windows 11 installation.
• Camera works in some apps but not others: Review individual app permissions in Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and ensure that problematic applications have camera access enabled. Some applications require both “Let apps access your camera” and “Let desktop apps access your camera” permissions to function correctly in Windows 11.