Webcam Keeps Turning Off and On

Sometimes Windows users may run into an issue where their webcam is consistently turning on and off on its own. This annoying problem can become even more exasperating due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having stable digital communication has become crucial when it comes to both our work, as well as personal lives. There are several possible solutions to the issue, so users may need to try a couple of them until they find the right one. However, before you proceed, make sure that your Windows OS, browser, and even BIOS are all up-to-date as using outdated versions could be lead to incompatibilities. 

Check the Power Settings for the Camera’s USB Port

The issue with the camera may be the result of setting it to turn off while inactive. To stop this behavior, follow the steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard.
2. From the available options, open 'Device Manager.'
3. Locate the 'Universal Bus Controllers (USB)' section and expand it by clicking on the node icon in front of it.
4. Right-click the USB port where your camera is connected. If you are not sure, you can start disabling each in turn until you reach the one that will result in the camera turning off.
5. Open the 'Properties' menu.
6. Go to the 'Power Management' tab.
7. Find the 'Allow computer to turn off this device to save power' and disable it if it is currently active.
8. Save the change and close the windows.
9. Restart the PC and see if the camera now works as expected.

Reset the Camera App

1. Type settings in the search field on the taskbar and open the top result.
2. Now locate and open the 'Apps' section.
3. Use the search field to locate the 'Camera' app.
4. Select it and click on 'Advanced options.'
5. Scroll down until you reach the 'Reset' section and then click the 'Reset' button.

Reinstall the Camera App

1. Type powershell in the search field on the taskbar and then click on the 'Run as Administrator' option on the right side.
2. In the Windows PowerShell window, input the following command and then press Enter to execute it:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCamera|Remove-AppxPackage

3. After the camera app has been removed, reboot your PC.
4. Finally, visit the Microsoft Store to do a fresh install of the application.