HP Envy x360 Windows camera privacy button thingy

[holinbo1]

I've got a HP envy. Works fine overall but my current issue is the camera switch. The camera works fine, but because the button is physically loose, whenever I turn the camera on from the switch the camera flickers from detectable to undetectable, making the camera very unusbale. I can't replace the button, is there a way to just disable the button's function so it doesn't turn off the camera when the switch is on (the camera always remains detectable, basically)

[Nal_NR]

Hi @holinbo1,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd be glad to help you! 

If you can’t replace the camera privacy button on your HP Envy x360, here are a few approaches that may help disable its function, allowing the camera to stay on without interruptions:

Override the Privacy Switch with Software: Some HP models allow control over the camera switch via the BIOS settings. You can try this:

• Restart your laptop and enter the BIOS (typically by pressing F10 during boot-up).
• Look for an option related to the camera or privacy switch and see if you can disable it.
• If you find an option, disable it, save the changes, and restart the laptop.

Disable Privacy Switch through Device Manager: If the switch isn’t configurable in the BIOS, you can try updating or modifying the camera driver settings to prevent the switch from toggling it:

• Open Device Manager (you can access it by right-clicking on the Start button).
• Expand Imaging Devices or Cameras and right-click on your camera, then select Update driver.
• Check if there are settings in the camera properties (within Device Manager) that could help disable hardware-based privacy settings, though this may be rare.

Use an External Camera: As a workaround, you could use an external webcam for uninterrupted video calls. Once connected, the system typically defaults to the external camera, bypassing the need for the laptop’s privacy switch.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

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