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I recently went to use the camera for a Teams meeting and it wasn't working so I went to the setting and made sure all apps had access to the camera and it still didn't work. Then I opened up the camera app and it said:

rg210514_0-1753312971612.png

Then I went and looked at similar questions online and so I went to device manager and the camera was in hidden devices and it said it needed to be connected. I scanned for hardware changes and nothing happened. Then I uninstalled the camera and windows was apparently supposed to reinstall it but now it isn't even in hidden devices anymore.

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Hi @rg210514,

 

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. You're doing all the right things so far. Since your camera disappeared from Device Manager on your HP Pc, after uninstalling it, and Windows didn’t reinstall it automatically, here’s how to fix it step by step:

Fix: Camera Missing After Uninstall

1. Use “Add Legacy Hardware” in Device Manager

This is the most effective method when the camera no longer appears—even under hidden devices:

  1. Open Device Manager
  2. Click Action > Add legacy hardware
  3. Click Next, then choose:
    • “Search for and install the hardware automatically (Recommended)”
  4. If Windows detects the camera, it will reinstall the driver.

If not, continue with manual selection: 5. Choose “Install the hardware that I manually select from a list”

  1. Select Imaging Devices or Cameras
  2. Choose HP Webcam or USB Video Device (if listed)
  3. Complete the wizard and restart your PC


2. Download the Camera Driver from HP

If the above doesn’t work:

  1. Go to HP Official HP® Support
  2. Enter your HP PC model number (e.g., HP Notebook 15-dw1xxx)
  3. Download the latest Camera or Imaging Device driver
  4. Install and restart


3. Run HP PC Hardware Diagnostics

To check if the camera hardware is still functional:


4. BIOS Check (Optional)

Sometimes the camera is disabled in BIOS:

  • Restart and press Esc or F10 repeatedly to enter BIOS
  • Look for Built-in Device Options or Advanced > Device Configuration
  • Ensure the camera is enabled

 

I hope this helps.

 

Take care, and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

 

Regards,

VikramTheGreat

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