The camera shows a black picture
My laptop camera is not working and shows a black screen in meetings.
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
Either a physical shutter is closed, another app has already claimed the camera, or permissions are blocking it. The quickest thing to try first: check the privacy shutter and the function key — Many laptops have a small sliding cover over the lens and a keyboard key that disables the camera. Look for a camera symbol on the F keys. Most people are done in about 10 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 5 steps for Windows and Mac, rated easy.
Sounds like this
- •Black video
- •Camera error message
- •Light next to the camera stays off
Why it happens
Either a physical shutter is closed, another app has already claimed the camera, or permissions are blocking it.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Check the privacy shutter and the function key
Many laptops have a small sliding cover over the lens and a keyboard key that disables the camera. Look for a camera symbol on the F keys.
- 2
Close other apps that use the camera
Only one program can use the camera at a time. Quit Zoom, Teams, Skype and the Camera app, then reopen just the one you need.
- 3
Allow camera access
Open Settings, Privacy and security, Camera, and switch on access for the app you are using.
- 4
Test with the built-in Camera app
If the Camera app shows a picture, the hardware works and the problem is inside your meeting app.
- 5
Reinstall the camera driver
In Device Manager expand Cameras, right click the device, Uninstall device, then restart the computer.
If none of that worked
If Device Manager does not list a camera at all, the internal cable may be loose. A plug-in webcam is a quick and cheap workaround.
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Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
- Plain language
CommonFixes review desk
Technical editor
Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
- Fact checking
- Safety warnings
- Source links
This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
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