Included web cameras. Instructions for enabling and disabling the webcam on Asus, Acer, HP, Lenovo, DNS, Sony Vaio, Samsung, MSI laptops and personal computers

All laptops today come with integrated webcams. This attribute allows you to use a variety of applications and video calls. Today, in order to contact a friend on the other side of the continent, it is enough to turn on Skype and activate the device.

To check the camera's operation you often have to use third-party software

Many users are perplexed when the characteristics of their laptop are equipped with such an option, but in fact it is difficult to enable it. The webcam may be deactivated, and to start using it, you need to learn how to turn it on. How to turn on the webcam on a laptop? Let's look at it in more detail.

To activate the camera on a laptop computer, it is usually enough to run a special utility designed to work with such components.

Many experts praise the Live Webcam program, which can be found for free on the Internet. It has a very simple interface and is convenient for the average user.

An alternative option is to use an online service. Today there are a great variety of these resources, all of them make it possible to check the quality of the microphone and the camera integrated into the device as quickly as possible. After visiting such a site, it is important to allow data transfer in a new window. Only after this will it be possible to test the sound and picture. Each service offers its own instructions, which consist of a few simple steps.

Skype

The functionality can also be checked via Skype, it is convenient and simple. Select "Settings" from the "Tools" menu. Then find the Video Settings option. Clicking on this item will launch the image in the right corner of the screen. You can set equipment parameters such as contrast, brightness, white balance, hue after pressing the “Webcam Settings” button.

To check your device via Skype, you must first enable the auto receive option. You can also make a test call to one of your friends.

Configuration via Device Manager

For Windows users, it is possible to check active hardware through a special manager. It’s not difficult to get into it; just select “Device Manager” in the computer properties. If there is a camera in the list, it must be activated (select “Enable” after clicking on the camera).

If the device is missing, try installing the drivers. A laptop is usually sold with a disk on which all the drivers for the product components are recorded. Lost a disk? Download the element through the developer’s website.

If the camera is not built-in, but is connected via a USB connector, then the model and manufacturer will be marked on it. Once you know this data, you can quickly download and install the component.

Keyboard shortcuts

The “magic” Fn key is designed on laptop keyboards. It helps you increase or decrease the screen brightness, add volume, and do many other operations. Another use case is to turn the camera off and on. To activate the device, you must press Fn in combination with the button on which the camera icon is visible. Fn is usually located not far from the Ctrl key (on the left or right).

The combination for each laptop model may be different. For example, on Acer equipment the camera turns on after pressing Fn+V, and the DNS manufacturer claims to use Fn+F11.

For Lenovo, the Fn+Esc combination is usually suitable, but there are various exceptions. The manufacturer of this equipment offers users the EasyCapture utility for working with a webcam. A similar assistant in HP devices is HP MediaSmart.

Hackers are attacking!

The camera must be used with extreme caution. Recently, cybercriminals have become more active in the field of ratting, that is, illegal spying using devices connected to a laptop.

After visiting a malicious site, you voluntarily give the hacker the reins of your PC. Very often, attackers independently record videos and take pictures from the camera without your knowledge. They usually hunt for celebrities so that they can then post provocative materials online, but ordinary users are often unlucky.

To prevent this, it is important to be careful and follow a number of useful rules:

do not “follow” malicious, suspicious links;
install firewall;
use proven versions of software;
install updates in a timely manner;
protect yourself with an effective antivirus.

All modern laptops and tablets are equipped with cameras. But it is not always possible to use the built-in webcam right away. It must first be enabled and configured. Many users encounter problems due to the fact that they have not used such equipment before. Let's figure out how to turn on the camera on a laptop with the Windows operating system.

How to turn on the camera on a laptop with Windows 7

The seventh version of Windows does not have built-in capabilities to check the functionality of the camera. This makes working with it more difficult, but you can always download the necessary utility, or check the camera online through any site that supports video communication. Among the applications you need to choose what you need:

Skype;
WebcamMax Free;
ManyCam.

If you want to communicate with relatives, then you need to install a program that provides video communication, for example, Skype), if you want to record video using your laptop, then the utility must have a “Save” button. Most of these programs will automatically activate your camera; if this does not happen, then you should use other ways to turn on the camera on a Windows 7 laptop. To do this, you can use:

On older laptop models, you could activate the camera using a special button on the keyboard, above it, or on the side of the case. Manufacturers now use hotkeys:
- A cer – Fn+F6;
- A sus – Fn+V;
- Hp – Fn+F2.

Each model has its own keyboard shortcut; it can be viewed on the official website. Also look at the icons on the keyboard, they will also tell you what you need to press to activate - usually there is an icon depicting a camera on the desired button, and in addition you need to press the Fn button that switches the mode. After you activate the equipment, you can use it in any application, including through online services.

There is another way to make the webcam of a Windows 7 laptop start working - activate it through the “Device Manager”. To do this, go to the “Control Panel” through the “Start” menu. Open the “Device Manager” section, in it you will need to scroll to the “Imaging devices” line. There you will see the name of the built-in webcam. If there is a yellow exclamation mark next to it, then you will need preliminary settings - we will talk about this later. If there are no icons, then just right-click on the camera name and click the “Engage” option.
Applications that use it can automatically activate the camera. For example, Skype finds the equipment without any help when you turn it on for the first time. To install the program, you need to go to the official Skype website and download the installer for Windows. Download it and run it, then the program will be copied to your PC automatically. After registering and turning on for the first time, the program will require you to configure settings. You'll choose a theme and color scheme, check the microphone (it's also built into the laptop), and then see yourself through the built-in camera.

If you have a Windows 7 laptop, the camera will notify you of its functionality using an indication. This is provided in most models.

Setting up the camera in Windows 7

Since this version of the operating system does not have its own application for working with the camera, configuration is carried out using third-party utilities. One of the simplest options that works well with a system of any power is the AMCap application. It is designed for photography and video recording. It has many options that help solve the problem of how to set up a camera on a Windows 7 laptop. Most of them are concentrated in the Options tab. In it, you can make the picture on video and photo acceptable by dragging the sliders in the lines:

white balance;
brightness;
shade;
contrast;
definition;
gamma;
saturation.

You will also find additional options such as shooting against the light and gain. You can find similar functionality in the Skype menu. This will help you use your camera for calls, while still showing the most normal picture possible.

Enabling and setting up the camera on a Windows 10 laptop

Now let's move on to the question of how to enable the camera on a Windows 10 laptop. Activating the camera on XP, 8 or 10 laptops is much easier - the creators of the operating systems have provided easy access to them. In XP, the camera can be found through the “My Computer” menu, and in versions 8 and 10 of the OS there is a special “Camera” application that can be used for photos and video recording. This opportunity in modern operating systems has appeared due to the fact that they are installed not only on laptops and desktop PCs, but also on tablets. You only need to do the following:

Open the Start menu. Go to the "All Applications" directory
In the list that opens, go to the letter “K”.
Select the Camera app and double-click to turn it on.

Now let's move on to how to set up the camera on a Windows 10 laptop. To do this, the application has a gear icon in which you can set the image parameters:

release delay for photos;
flicker reduction;
video quality;
Displays the framing grid.

But there are also additional settings that will help you limit the access of certain applications to the recording equipment, as well as forcefully enable or disable it. To do this, select the Settings tab from the Start menu and go to the Privacy section. Here you can block all or individual applications from using the camera. Just select the control item on the right side of the menu.

What to do if the image on Skype is upside down?

Most often, the problem of how to configure the camera on a Windows laptop to eliminate the problem of an inverted image arises among owners of machines from the manufacturer Asus. The reason for the incorrect display of images in applications lies in the drivers - they must only be original for everything to function normally. You need to solve the problem using the following algorithm:

Determine your laptop model. Information about it may be located at the bottom of it or in documents.
Go to the manufacturer's official website and find your model in the list.
A window will open in front of you, listing all the drivers and utilities suitable for your laptop.
Select a webcam driver from among them (usually it has the word Camera in its name). Download it and install it.
Reboot your operating system.

After this, the webcam will start working correctly - the image will no longer be upside down. Interestingly, the camera on a Windows 10 laptop usually already receives the necessary drivers without user intervention. Users of the seventh version of the OS most often encounter problems with the image.

The camera does not work - how to fix the problem?

The easiest way to check the camera on a Windows laptop is to launch any application that uses it. But what to do if instead of a picture you get a black screen and an error message. There are several ways to fix this:

Turn on the camera from the keyboard. Some versions of laptops without activating the camera using a key combination will not turn it on. To get started, you need to press the Fn button and the one with the camera icon on it.
Install the application to configure and operate the camera. Some manufacturers have a camera activation option built into it. You need to download one of the proprietary utilities:
- EasyCapture for Lenovo;
- Life Frame Utility for ASUS;
- HP Camera for HP.

You can download them from the official website of the manufacturer.

If the laptop camera does not work, then it can be disabled in the “Privacy” tab. In order to activate it, go through the “Start” menu to the “Settings” directory and select the “Privacy” section. The right side of the window will list modules for which you can change settings. Find “Camera” among them. Usually it is third on the list. Select the module and pay attention to the right side of the window. In it, the top switch should be in the “Enable” application. If you've been limiting your ability to use the camera for one or more apps and have now changed your mind, turn it on. For example, previously you could disable the camera for Skype, but now you decide to use it - just move the switch to the “Allow” position.
In all versions of Windows, the webcam can be disabled using Device Manager. You can access it through the “Control Panel” or by right-clicking on the “Start” icon. In the manager list, find the camera and right-click on its name. Check the status of the device. If it is disabled, the word “Enable” will appear in the top line of the context menu. This is usually enough to activate the camera.
Another reason why the camera does not work on a Windows laptop is the lack of necessary drivers or their outdated version. You can install the missing components in several ways: using special utilities, manually, or from the disk that comes with the laptop. If you do not have a disk with components from your laptop, then it is best to manually download the drivers from the official website, having previously found out the laptop model. In this case, you will definitely receive their licensed and current version.

In most cases, after these steps the webcam will work again. If this does not happen, then you need to go to a repair shop - most likely the problem is hardware. The cable or the camera module itself may be damaged.

Now you know how to set up and turn on the camera on your laptop. This is not very difficult even for a novice user - you just need to have the program installed or download the necessary utilities and drivers. Share the information you receive with your friends, tell us about your problems with cameras in the comments, and ask questions. Feedback is welcome.

Many of modern laptops and netbooks have at their disposal the entire technological arsenal for comfortable work on the Internet. And, of course, it cannot do without a built-in camera, thanks to which the user can arrange video conferences and send photos and videos to their friends. But not all users know how to turn on the camera on a laptop. In this article you can find the answer to this question.

First, you need to make sure that the laptop actually has a camera built into it. It is most often located in the central part of the upper half of the laptop, directly above the device’s display. Sometimes manufacturers build a small LED next to it (this is what will signal that the camera is on) or make a self-explanatory sign “Webcam” or “DigiCam” next to the device’s eye. If you cannot find such signs of the presence of a camera, you can look for information about this in your passport or laptop operating instructions. After this, you can move on to the question of how to turn on the camera on a laptop.

Most often, the camera built into the device is launched by pressing a simple key combination. For example, on almost all Asus laptops this happens using the combination “Fn + V” (in this case, on the “V” key you can easily find the image of the camera). But don’t despair if you couldn’t find this combination on your device. There are several more options for how to turn on the camera on a laptop.

First, you need to make sure that all drivers and software for the built-in camera are installed. If any of the software is missing, you will need to go to the manufacturer’s website and download from there all the missing utilities and programs. Most often, laptops from popular global brands use software such as “Willing Webcam”, “Webcam Plus!” and “Active WebCam”, but other software may be suitable for a specific laptop model. After installing all the necessary drivers, the camera will turn on automatically immediately after launching the corresponding program.

But how to turn on the camera in a laptop if, after installing all the necessary software, it does not want to start? You can try to run the installed program manually. To do this, you need to click on its shortcut or launch the corresponding utility from the start menu. In most cases, the camera on a laptop or netbook turns on immediately after this.

Another surefire way to get the built-in camera to work is to enable it from the Control Panel (the user will find it by left-clicking the famous Start menu). In the “Control Panel” we find a section called “Scanners and Cameras” and select the built-in camera in it. Once started, this device should turn on immediately.

If none of the methods described above helped achieve the goal, you can use one of the utilities from third-party developers. Hundreds of such programs can be easily found on the Internet, but before launching them, it is advisable to check all downloaded files with an antivirus. You can also visit the official website of your laptop manufacturer. Often on this resource you can find information about which third-party programs are ideal for a specific device model.

We should not forget that in some cases the user does not even have to rack his brains about how to turn on the camera on a laptop. The developers of popular programs for communicating via the Internet have already taken care of this. For example, after installing and launching one of the most popular communication programs called “Skype”, the laptop’s built-in camera will start automatically.

Nowadays the laptop market is overflowing with a variety of models. Manufacturers of spare parts for laptops regularly release new models. And it’s hard to imagine that any company today would release a laptop without a webcam. If previously only expensive models were equipped with it, today the presence of this component will no longer surprise anyone. However, when buying a new PC, some users cannot understand how to turn on the camera on their laptop. Let's try to figure this issue out together.

Preparation

First you need to see if the camera on the laptop is turned on at all. You need to run the program that is responsible for its operation. You can also try running a web camera test from the client program interface. If, when you start it, no image appears on the display, then the camera is not connected at all.

How to turn on the camera on a laptop in this case?

On the keyboard unit you need to find the "Fn" key. As a rule, there are two such keys. They are located at the bottom of the keyboard in different corners. When the user presses the "Fn" key, he can access other function keys. Typically, such keys are highlighted in blue, and they are located at the top of the keyboard block (on the F1, F2, F3, F4, etc. keys). However, you need to carefully examine the keyboard to avoid using other functions by mistake. While holding down the "Fn" key, simply press another key indicating the web camera. After this, a camera icon with the word “On” should appear on the laptop desktop.

How to turn on the camera on a laptop if this method does not help?

If the method with the "Fn" key does not help, you can try the option with standard Windows tools. In the “Start” menu, select “Control Panel”, where we go to the “Administration” tab. We look for the “Computer Management” shortcut in the window that opens, where we need “Hardware Manager”. The entire list of computer devices will open in front of you. There should be a web camera icon in the "Image Processing Device" tab. Here you can enable it by right-clicking on the icon and selecting “Enable”.

How to turn on the camera in a laptop if it is standalone?

If, however, your laptop does not have a built-in camera, and you are using a standalone one, then you need to see if there is a power button on it. Sometimes users simply forget to turn it on. After turning on this button, the camera will start on its own and display the application interface on the display.

How to turn on the camera on a laptop if none of the methods helped?

So, if the camera still fails to connect, you need to check whether the drivers are installed for it. How to do this? If the camera does not appear in Device Manager, then, of course, no drivers are installed.

What to do in this case?

The algorithm for finding a driver for a web camera is quite simple: we determine the model, search for a suitable driver on the Internet, download and install. You can find the camera model on the packaging or directly on the device itself (if the camera is standalone).

Another way

You can also check the camera's operation in the Skype program interface. When you start Skype, it should turn on automatically and show the image on the screen.

We often need a camera to communicate on Skype or another messenger, but, as luck would have it, it doesn’t turn on. It may not be configured or even enabled. We offer you several effective methods for checking the connection and configuration, which should help out at such an important moment.

Checking the connection

If you are using a USB camera, you should initially check all connectors and cables. Sometimes you need to additionally press the power button on the gadget itself. The camera built into your laptop will require certain programs.

The easiest way is to check the camera online. You just need to go to the site that provides such a service, click “Allow” in the drop-down window, and you will appear on the screen.

Refer to Device Manager

You can check the camera's operation using Device Manager.

A question mark or exclamation mark next to the name indicates the need to install drivers. They are located on the disk with the operating system. If there is none, they can be found on the official website of the gadget manufacturer.

Choose drivers exclusively for the model of your laptop or USB camera.

When there is a downward arrow opposite the name, you need to right-click and select “Engage” in the context menu.

Turn on the camera

You can turn on the camera using standard programs and special utilities.

Take advantage of special programs

You can turn on the camera using Windows Movie Maker (film studio) or Skype. If they are not on your laptop, install them.

Everything is clear with the film studio - you just need to open it to start the camera.

With Skype it’s a little more complicated:

You can also turn on the device using any utility or special program for creating photos and videos on your computer. There are many of them on the Internet, just download wisely - do not introduce viruses. To do this, check the files through verified .

The most difficult situations

In the most difficult cases, you can restart the laptop, move the portable camera to another connector, update or reinstall the official drivers.

When all else fails, you should contact a technician or take the gadget (USB camera or entire laptop) to a service center.