webcam not working

[silverflash]

I have a HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15-ec2xxx. Its been a year since i purchased it. works great but I am not able to access my webcam. I Have used it in the past, like 3 months ago and it was working fine. But i accidentally opened it yesterday and it wasnt working, there was just this grey screen and after a brief moment i would see some rainbow color flickering on the edges of the preview window and i could also see it display showing what my camera sees but only on the edge, Its hard to explain, I tried everything I could from updating drivers to reinstalling it although everything is already up to date. I also tried third party software but none seems to make it work. I tried killing processes that might be able to but still no help. Can anyone help me with this. There is an important exam coming up in 2 weeks and I have to use my cam

[Raj_05]

Hi @silverflash,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

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

If your HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15's webcam is not working, there are several troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the issue. Please follow these steps.

• Check if the webcam is physically covered: Some laptops have a physical cover or shutter that can be slid to cover the webcam. Make sure it is not covering the webcam lens.
• Update drivers: Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause issues with the webcam. Go to the HP support website (hp.com/support) and enter your laptop's model number to find the latest webcam driver for your specific laptop. Download and install the driver, then restart your laptop.
• Check webcam privacy settings: In Windows, open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I, then go to "Privacy" and select "Camera" from the left-hand menu. Make sure the "Allow apps to access your camera" toggle switch is turned on. Also, scroll down and ensure that the toggle switch under "Choose which apps can access your camera" is enabled for the applications you want to use the webcam with.
• Scan for malware: Malware or viruses can interfere with the proper functioning of the webcam. Run a full system scan using your antivirus software to check for any malware infections.
• Check device manager: Right-click on the Start button and select "Device Manager" from the menu. Expand the "Imaging devices" or "Cameras" category and check if your webcam is listed. If you see a yellow exclamation mark or a red "X" symbol, it indicates a driver or hardware issue. Right-click on the webcam and select "Update driver" to install any available updates.
• Restart your laptop: Sometimes, a simple restart can fix temporary glitches or conflicts that may be causing the webcam to malfunction. Restart your laptop and check if the webcam starts working.
• Test the webcam in other applications: Try using the webcam in different applications such as Skype, Zoom, or the Camera app. This will help determine if the issue is specific to a particular application or a broader problem.
• Perform a system restore (if applicable): If the webcam was working fine previously but stopped after a recent software change or update, you can try performing a system restore to revert your laptop to a previous state when the webcam was working correctly. Keep in mind that this will undo any system changes made since the restore point was created.

I hope this helps. 
 

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4
HP Support