Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

Video chat on Skype is very interesting and useful. However, experiencing a malfunctioning camera while using Skype on Windows PC or Android or iPhone can disrupt video calls and virtual interactions. This guide will list the reasons that cause Skype video not working issue and the solutions to troubleshoot the same on your Windows 10 PC.

Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

How to Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

Here are some common reasons that cause this issue:

  • Camera is not properly connected or some other app is using your camera
  • Network connection is not stable
  • Video call settings on Skype are not appropriate
  • Webcam drivers are outdated
  • Outdated Skype or DirectX

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Methods

1. Clean Camera/Webcam – If you see a black webcam on your Skype, this may be because something is covering your camera either a cloth or dust.

  • Check if your inbuilt camera or web camera is filled with something like dust, dirt, and even cover.
  • Take a clean microfiber cloth and clean your camera. Make sure you do not damage it. Check if the camera works on Skype.

webcam

2. Restart PC – Restarting your computer will resolve many complicated issues and if Skype camera not working Windows 10, reboot your computer as instructed below.

1. Press the Windows + D keys together to go to the Desktop.

2. Then, press the Alt + F4 keys simultaneously.

3. Now, select the Restart option and hit Enter key as shown.

select Restart option. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

3. Check Skype Server Status – If your Skype server is out of the network, you must face Skype video not working. If you are facing the same, check the Skype server status as instructed below.

1. Visit the official Skype Status page.

2. Now, ensure you get a Normal service message.

ensure you get a Normal service message. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

3. If you receive something else, you have no other options than to wait.

4. Check Internet Connection – Make sure your internet is stable and there are no interruptions between your router and the device. Run a speed test to check whether you have enough network stability to use Skype without any errors.

You can run a speed test to know the optimum level of network speed required for the proper connection

Also, check if your device satisfies the below requirements.

  • Connect limited devices to the same network.
  • Ensure you have bought the router verified by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
  • Avoid using old, broken, or damaged cables.

If you face any trouble with the internet connection, check our guide How to Troubleshoot Network Connectivity Problems on Windows 10 to fix them.

5. Close Background Programs using Camera – If there are too many applications and programs running on your computer, it may slow down your PC and cause Skype video not working Windows 10 issue. If there are any other video calling apps, perhaps they might interfere with Skype, causing you trouble. You must make sure you close all the applications by following our guide How to End Task in Windows 10.

Click on End Task

6. Use Skype Web version – While you try to resolve said problem, you can switch to its web version.

1. Visit the Skype web version official site on your browser.

Visit the Skype web version official site on your browser. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

2. Now, type your credentials, sign up for your account and start enjoying video chat on Skype.

sign up for your account and start enjoying video chat on Skype

Also Read: Fix Camera In Use by Another App in Windows 10

Method 2: Run Hardware & Device Troubleshooter

Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter to identify the issues with your device and fix the same.

1. Press the Windows + R keys together to launch the Run dialog box.

2. Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and hit Enter key.

Type msdt.exe id DeviceDiagnostic and hit Enter

3. In the Hardware and Devices window, click on Next.

click on Next. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

4. Now, follow the on-screen instructions and reboot the PC.

apply this fix

Note: Sometimes, your troubleshooter may not identify any problem. In this case, move to the next method.

the following screen will appear if it could not identify the issue

Also Read: Fix Skype Stereo Mix Not Working in Windows 10

Method 3: Allow Skype to Access Camera

Ensure you have enabled camera permissions for Skype as instructed below:

1. Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I keys simultaneously.

2. Then, click on Privacy.

click on Privacy. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

3. Navigate to the Camera menu in the left pane and toggle on Allow apps to access your camera option in the right pane.

Ensure Allow apps to access your camera option is enabled

4. Then, scroll down the screen and toggle on the Skype app under Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your camera as depicted.

scroll down the screen and toggle on the Skype app under Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your camera

5. If you cannot find Skype in the list, visit Microsoft support link for further details or try the next troubleshooting method.

Method 4: Update Windows

In case of corrupt or old operating system, you might face Skype video not working Windows 10 issue. Follow our guide How to Download and Install Windows 10 Latest Update to do the same.

Update Windows

Also Read: Fix Snap Camera No Available Camera Input Error

Method 5: Update DirectX

To enjoy a seamless multimedia experience on Skype, you have to make sure DirectX is installed, and it is updated to its latest version such as DirectX12.

1. Press Windows Key + R and type dxdiag, then hit Enter.

type dxdiag in run dialog box

2. The following screen will be displayed on the screen when your Windows 10 PC already contains DirectX 12.

The following screen will be displayed on the screen when your system already contains DirectX 12

3. If you do not have DirectX 12 in your system, download and install it from the official website by following the on-screen instructions.

If you do not have DirectX 12 in your system download and install it. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

Method 6: Update Camera Drivers

The newer version of Skype will not be supported by the outdated drivers and now, to resolve Skype camera not working Windows 10 issue, you have to update your camera drivers. Read and implement the steps instructed in our guide to Update Graphics Drivers in Windows 10 to follow the same for your camera drivers too.

update camera driver

Also Read: Fix Laptop Camera Not Detected on Windows 10

Method 7: Reinstall Camera Driver

If you still face Skype video not working Windows 10 issue after updating your camera drivers, then reinstall them to fix any incompatibility issues as instructed in our guide How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers on Windows 10.

select Uninstall device

Also Read: How to Fix Omegle Camera Not Working

Method 8: Switch to Generic Driver

If updating or reinstalling camera drivers does not help you fix Skype camera not working Windows 10 issue, then you can switch to generic built-in drivers that are already present in your Windows 10 operating system.

1. Hit the Windows key and type device manager, then click on Open.

open Device manager. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

2. Then, expand the Cameras section by double-clicking on it. Right-click on your camera driver and then, select Update driver as shown.

update driver

3. Now, click on Browse my computer for driver software followed by Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer in the upcoming window.

let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer

4. Then, select any generic webcam driver for Windows.

5. Wait until Windows installs the latest compatible driver and if you receive any prompts, click on Yes to proceed.

6. Finally, close the device manager, restart your computer and check if you can video chat on Skype.

Method 9: Modify Antivirus Settings

If your Skype camera not working Windows 10, this might be due to an overprotective antivirus suite.

Option I: Whitelist Skype

If you do not want Skype to be blocked by any antivirus program, then you may it to the allowed apps list.

Note: Here, Avast is taken as an example, follow the steps according to your antivirus program.

1. Press the Windows key and type avast, then click on Open.

open avast antivirus

2. Now, click on the Menu option in the right corner as depicted.

click on the Menu option

3. Then, select Settings from the drop-down list.

Launch Avast from the search menu and navigate to Settings. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

4. Now, in the General tab, click on the Blocked & Allowed apps tab, and in the right pane, click on ALLOW APP under the List of allowed apps field.

switch to the Blocked Allowed apps tab and click on ALLOW APP under the List of allowed apps field

5. Now, click on ADD > option corresponding to Skype to add the application to the whitelist.

Note: Here App Installer is taken as an example, follow the steps according to your antivirus program.

click on ADD option

Note: You can browse for the Skype installation path by selecting the SELECT APP PATH option.

6. Finally, click on ADD to confirm the prompt, and now, you have added Skype to Avast Whitelist.

click on ADD to confirm the prompt. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

Note: Here, you may check/uncheck the Avast features (like Ransomware Shield) depending upon your convenience.

7. If you want to remove Skype (later if you wish) from the Avast whitelist, then click on the three-dotted icon in the main Settings window. You will see two options over here. Click on Remove.

  • Change allowed features: You can modify the features that you have enabled while whitelisting the program.
  • Remove: Remove Skype from the Avast whitelist.

click on the three dotted icon in the main Settings window

Option II: Disable Antivirus Temporarily

If you do not know how to disable the antivirus program on your Windows 10 PC, please check our guide How to Disable Antivirus Temporarily on Windows 10, and follow the instructions.

Disable Antivirus Temporarily. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

Also Read: How to Uninstall McAfee LiveSafe in Windows 10

Method 10: Disable Windows Defender Firewall (Not Recommended)

 If your Skype camera accessing rights are blocked by Windows Defender Firewall, follow our guide Allow or Block Apps through the Windows Firewall if you want to whitelist Skype on Windows Firewall. Alternately, you can disable then re-enable Windows Firewall once you have fixed such conflicts.

turn off Windows Defender Firewall not recommended

Method 11: Tweak Registry Keys

Some users have suggested that tweaking some registry keys in the Registry editor has helped them fix Skype camera not working Windows 10 issue.

1. Hit the Windows key and type Registry editor, then click on Open.

open Registry editor. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

2. Now, navigate to the following location path in the Registry Editor.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows Media Foundation\Platform

navigate to the following location in the Registry editor

3. Then, right-click on the right pane and click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value to create a new registry key.

click on New DWORD 32 bit Value to create a new registry key. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

4. Name the key as EnterFrameServerMode and double-click on the key to open it.

5. Type the Value data as 0 and click on OK to save the changes.

Type the Value data as 0 and click on OK to save the changes

6. Finally, restart the PC and check if you can access the camera on Skype.

Also Read: Fix I/O Device Error in Windows 10

Method 12: Re-register Camera

If all the above-mentioned methods do not help you fix Skype camera not working Windows 10 issue, then try re-registering the camera to fix all the hardware issues associated with the camera and thereby you can enjoy the video chat on Skype.

1. Press the Windows key, type powershell, and click on Run as Administrator.

open Powershell as Administrator

2. Then, type the following command and hit Enter key.

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

type the following command and hit Enter

3. Wait for the command to be executed and check if you have fixed the issue. If you’re still having issues with your device, you may need to reset the camera.

Method 13: Reset Camera App

If re-registering does not help you fix Skype video not working Windows 10 issue, reset the camera app as instructed below.

1. Hit the Windows key, type Camera, and click on App settings.

Type Camera in the search menu and click on App settings

2. Then, scroll down the screen and select the Reset option as highlighted.

scroll down the screen and select the Reset option. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

3. Next, click on Reset again on the prompt screen as shown.

confirm the following prompt by clicking on Reset

4. Finally, close the Settings app.

Also Read: How to Send Skype Code with Proper Format

Method 14: Reinstall Skype

If none of the above-stated methods helped you, then reinstall Skype.

1. Press and hold Windows + I keys together to open Windows Settings.

2. Now, click on Apps.

Select Apps

3. Now, search and click on Skype and select Uninstall option.

search and click on Skype and select Uninstall option. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

4. Now, confirm the prompt if any, and reboot your PC once you have uninstalled Skype.

5. Visit the official Skype download site and click on the Get Skype for Windows 10 & 11 buttons as depicted.

Visit the official Skype download site

6. Then, click on the Get Skype for Windows option and wait until the download gets completed on your device.

click on the Get Skype for Windows option

7. Now, navigate to My downloads and launch the Skype Installer file.

navigate to My downloads and launch the Skype Installer file. Fix Skype Camera Not Working on Windows 10

8. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation of Skype on your PC. Finally, you have reinstalled Skype on your computer. It would have fixed all the issues associated with the app.

Also Read: Fix 0xC00D36D5 No Cameras are Attached in Windows 10

Method 15: Replace Webcam

If you still cannot access camera in Skype web version and if everything seems to be black or blank, you can try replacing your webcam, For an inbuilt version of the camera, seek professional help.

webcam

Recommended: Fix Camera Not Working on Teams

We hope that this guide was helpful and you could fix Skype camera not working on Windows 10. Let us know which method worked for you the best. Also, if you have any queries/suggestions regarding this article, then feel free to drop them in the comments section.

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