Troubleshooting Webcam Issues

Due to the restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people had to continue working while isolated in their own homes. To ensure the same level of smooth communication, organizations adopted various platforms for online video calls and conferences. As a result, the webcam became one of the essential devices that people rely on. So what can users who are experiencing problems with their webcams do to fix the issues? Although there may be various reasons causing a particular problem, users can try a couple of methods that could be able to help them.

The first solution requires that users may a backup of their computer as a precaution. When ready, press the Windows button + R on your keyboard. In the Run command window, type regedit and click OK. Navigate to the following Registry key location - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows Media Foundation > Platform. Select the 'Platform' folder, right-click it, and choose 'New' followed by 'DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the newly created value 'EnableFrameServerMode.' Now, right-click it and select 'Modify.' Set the Value data to '0.'

On 64-bit Windows systems, navigate to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > WOW6432Node > Microsoft > Windows Media Foundation > Platform' and repeat the same instructions as above. All that is left is to restart your PC to update the changes and then test if the problem has been fixed.

Users also have to make sure that the particular application encountering the issue has been allowed to access the webcam. To check if this is the case, users will have to open their privacy settings. Start by pressing the Windows key + I on the keyboard. When the Settings window appears, locate the 'Privacy' section and open it. Choose 'Camera' from the left pane of the window. Select 'Allow applications to access your camera.' Try and see if the problem has been resolved.