Microsoft Teams Camera Not Working — What Causes It & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

When your camera doesn't work in Microsoft Teams, others see a blank or black video feed, or Teams can't find the camera at all. The most common causes are Windows privacy settings blocking camera access, another app using the camera, or Teams needing to be restarted. Most fixes take under 5 minutes.

Affected Models

Microsoft Teams for Windows
Microsoft Teams for Mac
Microsoft Teams Free
Microsoft Teams for Work or School

Common Causes

Windows camera privacy settings are blocking Teams from accessing the camera
Another application (Zoom, Skype, a browser tab) is already using the camera and has locked it
The wrong camera is selected in Teams settings (e.g., a virtual camera or disconnected device)
The camera driver on Windows is outdated or corrupted
A recent Teams or Windows update changed permissions or broke the camera integration

How to Fix It

Check Windows camera privacy settings. Go to Windows Settings > Privacy > Camera. Make sure 'Allow apps to access your camera' is On. Scroll down and make sure Microsoft Teams specifically is set to On.

After a Windows update, privacy settings for camera access can get reset. This is the most common cause of camera issues in Teams.
Close all other apps that might be using the camera. Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and browser video tabs can all lock the camera, preventing Teams from accessing it.

Only one app can use the camera at a time. Check your taskbar for any running video apps.
In Teams, click on your profile picture > Settings > Devices. Under Camera, verify the correct camera is selected. Click the dropdown to choose from available cameras.

Teams may be set to a camera that is no longer connected or to a virtual camera that has no video source.
Restart Teams completely. Right-click the Teams icon in the taskbar, select Quit. Then reopen Teams from the Start menu.

A simple Teams restart resolves most temporary camera glitches without changing any settings.
If camera still does not work, update the camera driver. Right-click the Start button, open Device Manager, expand Imaging Devices or Cameras, right-click your camera, and select Update Driver.

An outdated driver can cause the camera to fail in some apps while working in others (like the built-in Camera app).

When to Call a Professional

Camera issues in Teams are a software or permissions problem. You do not need a technician. If the camera works in other apps but not Teams after all steps, reinstalling Teams will resolve it.

Frequently Asked Questions

My camera works in Zoom but not in Teams. What's different?

This points to a Teams-specific issue rather than the camera itself. Check Teams camera permissions in Windows Settings > Privacy > Camera. Also verify the correct camera is selected in Teams Settings > Devices. A clean reinstall of Teams usually resolves it if settings look correct.

Teams shows a black screen instead of my video. Is my camera broken?

Not necessarily. A black screen in Teams usually means another app has the camera locked. Close other video apps and restart Teams. If the black screen persists in all apps, check the physical camera — the lens cover may be closed or the camera may have a hardware fault.

How do I test if my camera works outside of Teams?

On Windows, search for 'Camera' in the Start menu and open the built-in Camera app. If it shows video, your camera hardware is working fine and the issue is Teams-specific. If the Camera app also shows a black screen or an error, the camera driver or hardware has a problem.