Almost all laptops have a built-in webcam for the possibility of conferences and negotiations. But often there are difficulties and owners of laptops with Windows 7 can not turn it on, because, unlike the previous version of Vista, this operating system is no longer equipped with the appropriate WindowsMovieMaker application.
Users of Windows 7 have to download it from the Microsoft page. The program on the official resource can be found under the name "Studio".
How to check and turn on the camera?
There are many sites for video chatting, for example, //vchatting.ru/, //chatroulette.com/, //davaipogovorim.ru/, //videochatru.com/, // chatroulette. ru /, //chatrandom.com/. By visiting any of these pages on the Internet, you can check and configure the video device on a laptop with Windows 7. In the case of a normally working web camera, an indicator lights up next to it, which warns the user about the functioning video device, and a picture captured by the web camera will appear in the browser.
Problems occur when it is impossible to start the device
Before you get down to business, you need to see if the device does not cover: an object, a sticker, electrical tape or paint. You need to see if the device is enabled in the BIOS. And also, there are models of laptops, on which you can launch the web camera with the Fn and Camera keys [you just need to find the button on the keyboard with its image].
In case of non-functionality of the camera, even with fresh software, it is recommended to remove the device.
To do this, you will need to do the following in Windows 7:
How to set up a webcam using Skype?
This method is one of the easiest and most reliable. You just need to turn on Skype on your laptop and click "Tools". Next, enter the "Settings", where to enter "Video Settings".
How to turn on the webcam remotely in Windows 7?
In Windows 7 there is Remote Assistance, which allows you to enable and configure the webcam remotely. And also in Windows 7 you can use the applications "TeamViewer" or "Radmin".
Hackers have a special word retting, which sounds something like rat in English, as it comes from the abbreviation RAT "Remote Administrator Tools". It is used by attackers to remotely control computers and all devices that are connected to it.
Most often malicious software It turns out in a laptop after visiting a certain site on the Internet. Using this software, a hacker can easily turn on the video equipment of a laptop and calmly shoot what is happening in front of him.
To avoid this you need the following:
- do not visit suspicious pages on the global network;
- keep an eye on windows updates 7 and software;
- do not open sites that came by e-mailin the case of an unknown sender;
- use antivirus utilities.
Disable webcam
If a simple webcam with a USB port is connected to the laptop, then you can simply unplug the power cord. In the case of built-in devices in the lid of the laptop, you need to find a video camera in "Device Manager", then by calling the context menu, click on the "Disable" line. And also sometimes there is a mechanical switch on the case of the laptop. The status of the webcam is signaled by a light indicator located in close proximity to the eye of the video device.
Related posts:
Before trying to find out how to turn on the camera on a laptop, you need to make sure that it is available. Most notebook models are built-in. But its presence is an option rather than a constructive requirement.
If there is no built-in camera, you can always connect it via the USB connector.
If there is a need for a video call, then usually no special action is required to turn on the webcam.
Just press the video call button in Skype and during the conversation you can see in the small window at the edge of the screen that the camera transmits. The same goes for online services that provide
It is just that the work of the camera is arranged - it does not show signs of life until a program that knows how to work with it is turning to it.
Ways to use the camera functionality
Many laptops come bundled with a set of programs, among which there are also programs for working with the camera.
Typically, these programs can be launched using a shortcut on the desktop, in the Start menu, or using shortcut keys a shortcut key that instantly launches a program.
A sequence of actions to enable video communication on laptop windows 8 or windows 7 is not fundamentally different.
Consider the shortcuts and programs that service the camera with some common brands of laptops.
To enable the device on the ACER laptop, you must press the FN + V key combination. The standard package of programs that accompany the new Aser, includes a concise utility Acer CrystalEye, designed to work with the camera. It can be found in the Start menu.
To enable a video device on an Asus laptop, you need to use the Fn + V command. The Asus laptop software package and drivers usually have as many as three programs related to the built-in camera: Virtual Camera Utility, Life Frame Utility, ECap Camera.
With their help, you can adjust the parameters of the transmitted image, record a video and even apply simple effects.
To enable the device on an HP laptop, hold the Fn button and look for the button with the camera icon. If it is not marked, then most likely the FN + V combination works. By default, HP Camera or HP MediaSmart must be present on the HP laptop.
To enable a video device on a Lenovo laptop, in most cases you need to press Fn + ESC, but there are exceptions. To manipulate the camera on laptops of this brand, you can use the program EasyCapture.
Whether it is among the standard set of delivery is unknown, but you can download it from the Lenovo technical support site.
If the camera still does not work
If you could not turn on the device in the manner indicated above, you need to find out the following:
- is the video camera detected by the system?
- are the necessary drivers installed?
- is the use of the camera enabled in the current system configuration?
All three questions are answered in the Device Manager utility.
Most quick way open the window of this program:
- press the Start button;
- in the Find programs and files field enter Device Manager;
- press enter.
In the opened window, find the item Image processing devices and open it by clicking the triangle at the beginning of the line.
Important! If the list under this item is empty - the camera is not detected, and you need to see if there are no lines in this window that are marked with an exclamation mark on a yellow background.
If there are exclamation marks, it means that the system has detected some device for which there is no suitable driver. Go to the "Search and install driver" section.
If the list contains a string with a set of letters, numbers and words, the camera is determined by the system and drivers are available.
If at the beginning of the line there is an icon in the form of a white circle with a black arrow pointing down, the use of the camera is disabled.
To enable the use of the camera, click on the drain right click and select Enable in the context menu. The device should work. Check again with special programs or.
Webcams, built-in and external, differ in resolution, but all are designed to transmit video and voice using special instant messengers such as Skype or ooVoo. At the same time, it does not matter, a USB camera is used on a regular PC under running windows 7 and later versions, or a built-in webcam on macbook and laptops of popular manufacturers: Samsung, Lenovo, HP, Asus, and the like.
Step-by-step instructions on how to turn on the webcam in Windows 7
The vast majority of modern webcams connect to a PC using a standard USB 2.0 interface [or 3.0]. Included with them is a CD with drivers and a special program for managing video images. However, there is not always a need for additional software. Most of the devices, thanks to technology PnP [Plug-and-Play], is able to independently determine the operating system and successfully earn a few seconds after the first connection. But in some cases you may need step-by-step instruction on turning on the webcam in a laptop or on a personal computer running Windows 7.
The easiest and fastest way is to click on the Start menu, in the appeared search bar, enter the word webcam and press Enter. After that, the user will be offered a list from which to select the most appropriate result.
If this way to find your webcam did not work out, then you need to consistently perform a few simple steps.
You can get here in other ways, for example: Start right-click on My Computer Properties. In the window that appears [on its left side], one of the items will be Device Manager.
Depending on the type of webcam [built-in laptop or external], it can be in different groups:
- "Image Processing Devices";
- "Sound, video and gaming devices."
At the same time, its name may contain the name of the manufacturer and the model, or general characteristics, for example, USB video device. A double click with the mouse will open a window containing information about whether the device is working normally. If there are problems, then you need to go to the Driver tab, insert the CD from the kit and click the Update button. After that, in the dialog that appears, specify the path to the folder with the webcam drivers on the CD.
You can also enable the built-in webcam on your laptop by installing the selected program for communication - Skype, mail.ru agent or any other. After installation and registration in the system, it will be possible to check all functions, including the built-in microphone, if any, and the choice of the preferred device in the proposed list of detected functions.
Features test the webcam in Windows 8 [8.1]
operating system Microsoft Windows 8 [8.1] as well as previous versionIt does not have utilities to check the built-in laptop or USB-connected webcam. In most cases, in order to turn on the webcam, you will need to run a program that will work with it. To do this, you can use the services of third-party developers. One of the simple, convenient and free software for working with embedded webcams in laptops and USB models for desktop computers, is called Live Webcam. You can download it on the website of the author.
How to connect a built-in webcam in a laptop
The overwhelming majority of notebook models do not have fundamental structural and software differences, they can be divided into two categories:
- running Microsoft Windows or Linux [Samsung, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Asus, Sony, and so on];
- Macbook, Apple products with iOS operating system.
The inclusion of a webcam on laptops of different brands may vary. Sometimes it becomes a rather serious embarrassment if you dont know everything. possible ways turning on webcams on laptops and netbooks.
ASUS Laptops [Asus]
Almost all laptops asus equipped with built-in webcams, which can be enabled by simultaneously pressing two buttons on the keyboard. This is Fn [bottom left] and the key with the camera icon, usually located in the topmost horizontal row.
Some Asus netbook models have a special mechanical switch that is easy to spot at the top of the screen. It has two positions [ON and OFF], with the help of which it is possible to switch on and off the broadcast of a video image.
The disk that comes with the device has the Life Frame utility, which is designed to control the webcam. In case of absence, you can download it and all the necessary drivers on the official website of the company.
HP Notebooks [Hewlett Packard]
Possible ways to include:
- Pressing the Fn + key with the camera icon.
- Automatic activation by any program, Skype or similar
- Click "Start", then search bar type "QuickPlay", then "Video"
- Via standard programcalled HP MediaSmart.
Lenovo Laptops [Lenovo]
The entire line of this brand is equipped with built-in webcams, this device is even in budget model for home and office B590, not to mention such multimedia-oriented laptops like the G500 or G580. Turning on the camera on a Lenovo laptop is very simple, there are three ways to do this. The first has already been described above, through the "Control Panel", and the second is universal for almost all similar devices - the Fn button + key with the camera [camera] icon. The third one also does not differ in originality, it is the setting of all camera parameters in Skype or a similar program.
Samsung Laptops [Samsung]
The main problem faced by users of laptops and netbooks Samsung - blurry picture, which gives the built-in webcam. This happens if the device is installed windows drivers 7 or 8 [8.1], not native, from Samsung. In this case, you must go to the official site in the "Support" section and download the software for your model.
Toshiba laptops [Toshiba]
In order to enable the built-in camera on any Toshiba laptop model, it is imperative that you need native drivers and a special program. Usually, all this goes on a CD in the kit, but if not, you can always download them on the official website of the company.
MSI Laptops [MSI]
MSI products in this respect are almost the same as those of Toshiba - to enable, you will need a driver package and a small program. All this can be or take on the company disk from the kit.
Dell laptops [Dell]
A specific feature of Dell laptops is the lack of separate software for each of the integrated devices. Need to download from the site or run from disk single package for a specific model, then select the driver installation for the integrated webcam in it.
Sony laptops [Sony]
With this brand's notebooks, the tips of the level go to control panel or turn on the camera in the device manager do not make sense. If you purchased the device with preinstalled Windows 7 or 8, then everything will work initially. Otherwise, you will have to visit the Sony technical support site and download everything you need there, focusing on your model.
Acer Laptops [Acer]
As a rule, there are no problems with setting up and turning on the webcam in Acer laptops. Almost all models are equipped with a LED next to the eye, which allows you to control its activity and turn off the camera if it is not needed. Control is done by pressing Fn + V.
Required software.
DNS laptops [DNS]
According to the data published on the website of this manufacturer, you do not need to download special drivers. It will be enough standard that the operating system installs itself. Enable and disable the webcam will be using a combination of Fn + F11.
Mac laptops
Macbooks, like all other Apple products, are different. high level reliability. A webcam on a Macbook is rarely broken, but occasionally problems may occur that prevent it from working normally. This is usually manifested in the following:
- users do not see your image;
- while loading the application pops up a window with an error;
- the program freezes when you try to close it;
- on the image there are stripes or multi-colored play;
- a system message appears indicating that the device is disabled.
If we exclude the possibility of mechanical damage to the MacBook, then all other problems with the webcam are quite easily solved. The first thing to do is to open the Task Manager window and check if two processes are running at the same time, the name of which contains the word "Camera". If so, closing one of them will eliminate the conflict in the system.
The second possible reason - an erroneous name in the registry [for example, CameraApps instead of Camera], all such processes must be renamed. If this does not help, then you need to turn off the device and remove the battery from it. Turning on after 10-15 minutes should fix all errors and make the computer work normally.
Check webcam using Skype
The easiest way to check the correctness of the webcam on a desktop computer or laptop is to run Skype. In the upper part of the program window, select the item Tools and go to the Settings. Clicking on Video Settings will allow you to see your image on the right side of the window. Under it there is a button Webcam settings, which will allow you to set various parameters [brightness, contrast, saturation, and others] to your liking.
Attention, one of the two points of automatic reception and demonstration of the video - anyone or only people from my contact must be included
Online services for verification
There are quite a lot of resources on the Internet [for example,] that allow you to quickly check the quality of your webcam and microphone. Before you start, you will need to allow the transfer of multimedia in a pop-up window of a standard flash player. Then you get the opportunity to test the image and sound. This page also shows detailed instructionshow to use it correctly.
How to turn on and turn off the USB camera on the computer
Stationary computers use USB cameras that need to be purchased separately, but installing and configuring them is made even easier than on laptops. In most cases, it is enough to connect the device to the connector and wait a few seconds until the operating system detects it and installs the necessary drivers. Then you can start using the gadget. If this method did not work, then you will need to go to the control panel, as described above, and manual installation Software from a CD from the kit.
Now the market has a huge number of manufacturers who offer devices with different resolutions, including high-quality HD-mode. The most popular webcams of such famous brands as Logitech and Microsoft, due to the high quality and lack of problems with the definition of their system. Quite well proved and budget options: Gembird, Sven and Genius. There is no single algorithm that allows you to quickly turn on the camera and start using it, but the search for drivers on the manufacturers official website almost always helps.
Remote activation of the webcam
Quite often, users need to turn on their computer webcam remotely. This problem can be solved as with inline windows tools 7 and 8 [Remote Assistance], and using third-party software: Radmin, TeamViewer and similar programs. The only limitation that exists for the remote activation of the webcam is that there is no need for it. physical connection to USB or use mechanical switches. Visually, this process is exactly the same as the immediate presence near the computer.
Hazards. How hackers can see you through a webcam
In the field of cyber crimes, a new term, retting, has become increasingly used. In sound, it resembles the English version of the word "rat", but the meaning is somewhat different, because it is derived from the abbreviation RAT [Remote Administrator Tools]. Such tools designed for remote administration are often used by hackers who take control of not only someone elses computer, but also the gadgets connected to it: webcams, printers and other equipment.
Usually, the hacker software gets on the victim's computer after switching to a malicious website or at the invitation of a spam mailing list. After that, the hacker gains complete control over all the equipment of his victim: he can download confidential data, turn the webcam on and off, take his own pictures and even record video with it.
There is no guaranteed way to protect against such an invasion, but you can take a number of effective measures and follow a few simple rules:
- use latest versions operating systems and related software: browsers, flash player and others;
- timely install outgoing updates;
- use a reliable antivirus and install a good firewall;
- do not follow the links found in their inbox if the sender is unknown to you;
- do not access the Internet on sites that seem suspicious or violate the law.
How to turn off [disable] webcam
Turning off a regular webcam is very simple - just unplug it from the USB port, for embedded models this process will be a bit more difficult, but it will not require any special skills either. To do this, find it in the list of the device manager, click on it with the right mouse button and click on Disable in the pop-up menu. This is the easiest, fastest and reliable wayif there is no mechanical switch on the case. To reverse the process, repeat this procedure by selecting the menu item "Enable". The current status of the camera can be identified by the indicator [LED], which is located next to it.
Service maintenance
Repair and setup of webcams on personal computers, laptops and netbooks can be made in our service center. It is very easy to get to it using this location map:
Now the webcam is one of the essential attributes modern laptop. Indeed, video calls via Skype or web applications are a very popular form of communication today. By default, it is always turned on as a computer device, it is powered. But here it is in an inactive state. Therefore, a lot of users do not even suspect this, tritely not knowing how to use it and surf the Internet with the question "How to enable a webcam on a laptop." In fact, in 90% of cases, in order to activate it, you just need to launch an application that can work with a webcam. Unfortunately, in operating systems Windows 7 and Windows 8 do not have built-in utilities for working with webcam. Therefore, third-party software comes to the rescue.
As part of the software that comes pre-installed on the computer may be such a program. If not, then you can download from the Internet.
The simplest and most convenient, in my opinion, is the utility. Live webcam, which you can download here - link.
The child will also deal with the interface of the program:
Another program that you most likely have already installed and which is perfectly able to work with the camera is Skype.
To check the operation of the webcam of the laptop, you need to go to the program settings and find the subsection Video Settings
There you can take a picture and look at the result.
Instead of Skype, you can also use Google talk or ICQ.
You can also try to start the video call in social network Classmates.
The second reason - for which the webcam may not work, is uninstalled drivers.
Often, friends, acquaintances or the so-called computer wizards from the ads are called to reinstall Windows, and as a result, the user gets a half working system just because some of the drivers are simply not installed. To see this, we launch the device manager. To do this, press the key combination Win + R on the keyboard and in the Run dialog box that opens, type the following command in the Open box:
This will open the Device Manager of your Windows 7 or Windows 8. Now let's see if there are any devices with a yellow exclamation point in the list:
In my example, as you may have noticed, there is just an element Intergrated Webcam - an integrated webcam, and just marked with the icon. This means that her laptop sees, but it will not work until you install the driver. What to do in this case? To begin, click on it with the right mouse button in the context menu and select the item Update drivers:
We search for the driver on the computer.
If the system does not find anything, then you will have to go to the website of the manufacturer of your laptop and find the Support section there. In it, you will need to select your device model and go to the Download Drivers and Software section. We are looking for a webcam driver, download the installer and run. After rebooting the laptop, the webcam will be turned on, of course, provided that everything is done correctly.
The third reason is that the camera is disabled programmatically in the device manager.
To eliminate it, you will need to go to the Device Manager again and find the section Image Processing Devices there:
There we find the webcam of the laptop and see if the icon with the down arrow is on it, which means that the webcam is turned off. In this case, click on it with the right mouse button to call context menu and select the item "Activate":
After that we try again to launch the program in which we use the laptops webcam and check its work.
As correctly, the above methods solve the problem in 99% of cases. The remaining 1% is usually damage to the device at the hardware level. This is especially common on older laptops and this problem can only be resolved through a hike to a service center.
Modern laptops have built-in webcams. Now it is impossible to find a model on sale that would not have a camera. But, like any other module, this may also be faulty. Or, users often just dont know how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7. We will try to solve this problem once and for all.
How to turn on the webcam on "Windows 7" in a laptop?
Let's start with the fact that the default webcam on the laptop works with pre-installed drivers. That is, when you buy a laptop in the store, then there already is Windows 7 [or another version] with drivers for the webcam. If you reinstall the OS or there was some kind of camera malfunction, then you need to install the driver again. But we'll talk about that later.
The easiest way to turn on your webcam on Windows 7 is to use skype software. Everyone has this program, and if not, then it is easy to download. In the settings of "Skype" there is a section "Camera Settings". Already there, in the settings, you can turn on the camera and see your image. However, if you want to know how to enable the webcam on Windows 7 without Skype, then there are other ways.
Alternatively, you can do this on a dedicated website for testing webcams. Just go to webcammictest.com and click the "Check webcam" button. If everything is all right with it, then it will start, and you will be able to see yourself in the image. In the event of a malfunction or any problem, the message "The webcam is not connected or faulty" will be displayed.
Check the camera in social networks
The same can be done in the social network "Vkontakte" or "Facebook", for example. There you can create a profile picture using a webcam by clicking on the "Take a Snapshot" button. After that, a small window pops up "Parameters Adobe Flash Player "and ask for permission to use the camera. You need to click" Allow "and" Close. "After that, the camera is activated and you can take a picture. It is worth noting that the camera can work on Internet sites only adobe plugin Flash player. If the camera is not all right, for example, drivers are not installed, then you will see the inscription "Webcam not detected."
You can also use special programsthat enable and enable camera configuration: Active WebCam, RGS-AvaCam, Webcamoid, etc.
Condition check
If the described methods of how to enable the webcam on Windows 7 do not help, then you need to check its status. To do this, go to the device manager and check if the module is present in the system at all. The easiest way to do this is to write in command line: devmgmt.msc. So immediately the "Device Manager" window will open, and there we need to look for the camera in the list. It will be in the drop-down list under the line "Image processing devices". Expand this list, and if there is a webcam there, it means that everything is fine with it. But there may be other situations:
- The webcam is not in the list of equipment at all. This is the worst of the options, which means that either the device is physically broken or hardware disabled.
- There is some unidentified device. It may be a camera [or something else] that the computer simply cannot recognize. In 90% of cases, this means that there is no software, that is, a driver.
- The camera is there, but it is marked with a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark. This means that the device is recognized and in general works, but there may be problems in the work. It is treated by removing the old driver and installing a new one.
Therefore, before turning on the webcam on Windows 7, first check its status. If it suddenly turns out that the computer simply does not see it, then it will not turn on at all.
How to enable the webcam on "Windows 7" on a laptop HP or Asus?
On laptops, a special functionality is provided for quick launch camera using the Fn buttons. In laptops, these buttons allow a bit more functionality. For example, you can make the sound quieter or louder, the brightness is higher or lower. You can also turn off the display and make the computer "sleep." How to turn on the webcam on "Windows 7" on a laptop "Asus" or HP in this way? Just press the Fn button and, without releasing it, click on the camera icon. Depending on the model, this icon can be located anywhere: at the top or bottom of the keyboard. It may not be at all. When pressed, the built-in camera application with different settings is launched. In some laptops, the combination of these keys allows you to enable or disable the camera module itself. It all depends on the model.
But even if in this case, nothing happened, then the case you have is difficult. At a minimum, you need to try to install the driver.
Installing the driver for the camera
If you have tried all the methods described how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7, but still nothing happened, it means that you need to install the driver.
On the information sticker of your laptop model is listed. Find this sticker and identify the model. This is important, because depending on the model number, one or another camera can be installed in your laptop.
Find out the model? Now go to the website of the laptop manufacturer and click on the "Support" section. All manufacturers on their site allow users to download drivers. In the "Support" section, you need to select "Download Software" and indicate the model of your laptop there. This will be displayed full list with drivers for all devices that are used specifically in your model. You are interested in a driver for a camera, which may be referred to as a Camera driver or something else. After downloading the driver [or camera application], install it, restart the computer and check again with one of the suggested methods.
If the problem really was the absence or incorrect operation of the driver, then reinstalling it should solve the problem. But if this did not help, then there remains the last option with the malfunction of the module itself. In this case, you will have to carry the computer to the workshop, because the hardware problem cannot be solved with a software method.
Conclusion
Now you know how to turn on the webcam on Windows 7 in your computer, and what you need to do if this fails. Unfortunately, in laptops, cameras often break down hardware, not programmatically. However, their replacement does not imply any difficulty.