May262010

Why does my built-in webcam not work with Skype?

Larry asks:

My Sony built-in webcam will not operate with Skype.


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23 Answers -

0 votes

Steve Campbell

May 26, 2010

Does it work normally when you aren’t using Skype? If it is, then I’m not sure. It has to be some kind of setting within Skype. Make sure everything is set up properly and also check the Skype website to see if there are any compatibility issues with certain webcams/computers. You can also try contacting them for support.

0 votes

Jessica Cam W.

May 27, 2010

Can you go to http://www.youtube.com/my_webcam and see if Youtube can pick up your webcam? If not, then your webcam might be disabled.

On the other hand, if Youtube does find your webcam, then that means you might have to change some of the settings in Skype since the latter can’t pick up your webcam. In Skype, head to the menu and click on Tools > Options > General (tab) > Video Settings (tab). Adjust the settings there. If Skype can’t find your webcam, then your webcam might be disabled.

If your webcam is disabled, please indicate so and I can provide more instructions for going into your BIOS (which you must do with lots of precautions so I won’t go into detail here). I have been able to re-enable the webcams in my EEE PC netbook and another HP laptop adjusting the BIOS.

greg smith

Jessica
THank you in advance for your kind offer to help me with re-enable my webcam. I have a Sony Vaio and youtube does not recognize or pickup my built in webcam ( motion eye). I am trying to get the webcam to work with Skype. It worked in the same room with my girlfriends’ mac but now nothing.
THanks
Greg Smith
gmilamsmith@gmail.com

July 8, 2010
Jessica Cam W.

I feel like DrZ explains it better than I can so I’ll paste his words from the forum page: “Sometimes and I don’t know why, the BIOS forgets the webcam. Start by shutting down your machine. After it is completely down, push the power button and immediately start TAPPING the F2 button (or whatever button it says on the screen go to into Setup or BIOS; the key to press can be ESC or F3, F8, F10, or F12 depending on your computer model). This will put you into the BIOS (which should be a bluish screen with black text). Right arrow to the advanced tab and then down arrow to onboard components (or HARDWARE or PERIPHERALS.) I believe you will have to hit enter to see the components. Look at the list of components (there might be ones that say card reader, USB ports, Bluetooth if you have it, and most importantly, webcam). All should say enabled. If any say disabled, arrow down to that and hit enter. That will bring up enable or disable. Arrow to enable and hit enter. Hit F10 to save changes and start the reboot. Your webcam should now be recognized.”This is how I was able to get my webcam working again. Did it work for you?

July 9, 2010
Tim

Hi all. I realise this is a long time after OP.

I had issues with a Sony Viao C series, and came here looking for answers.

My problem was the webcam was not recognized at all by the laptop. I’d tried all the methods which suggested using the device manager to reinstall drivers, but couldn’t even find the device in the device manager.

What Jessica said worked, but I couldn’t find the said Hardware/Peripherals on the Advanced tab. What I did, is go to the final tab and reset the bios setup to the original settings, then saved and exited, restarted.

It all worked fine after this. Hope this might help someone one day if they have the same issue.

February 2, 2012
Tina

Thanks for your feedback, Tim!

February 2, 2012
Ellie

Hi Tim, 
Could you possibly explain exactly what you did (might be me being a bit stupid!) as i am having the exact same problem whereby the laptop says there is a problem with an unknown device (ie. the webcam).
Did you restore original settings when you did it? In other words, did you lose things you had changed?
very confused =(

March 16, 2012
mari

my webcam is disabled.. what do i do?

February 20, 2011
Tina

Mari,

I recommend that submit your own question by clicking the Ask a Question button (green button in the top right). Please describe what kind of webcam you have, where it is listed as disabled and what you have tried to enable it.

February 20, 2011
Mosey40

That was great advise ^ Jessica…I just followed your instructions above (link to youtube) and the camera wouldn’t work, HOWEVER a small “adobe” box popped up in the middle of the screen asking me if I wanted to allow access to the webcam.  I checked the tiny “allow” box and the camera started right up….thanks so much!  Moe

November 17, 2011
Fengie10

the same exact thing Mosey40 did worked for me. Thanks Jessica that was awesome. 

March 1, 2012
Alison

Jessica, My web cam isn’t working either. Would you be able to help me. It is a vaio model pcg 3J1L. my email is allykat8605@yahoo.com

December 3, 2011
Stevekron1

My HP built-in cam isn’t showing up in Skype OR Youtube.  PLEASE HELP!

January 2, 2012
Harsh1998

um hi…my webcam is disabled, how do i fix that…

January 13, 2012
Fouziadjef

Hi Jessica you are a star… my cam stoped working I’m not soo good as you are with computers.. I think I disabled my cam by mistake.. will you please help me out how to reinstall it. Thank you soo much Fouzia

February 1, 2012
Niyaz

Hello Jessica, guess my web cam is disabled, can you tell me how to adjust the BIOS, my email id is 

April 7, 2012
0 votes

Tina

July 2, 2010

Larry,

did you fix the issues with your webcam and Skype? If you did, please let us know what did the trick. Thank you!

0 votes

Katie Blake

August 13, 2010

I have a sony vaio as well, and i read somewhere that the motion eye built in webcam just isnt compatible with skype. so i gave up lol. it also wont work with facebook or faceinhole etc… im not completely sure why. i have used it with aim before though and it worked just fine.

Aibek

I have a Sony Vaio laptop too, it works with Skype. Although I have
uninstalled all of the programs that came with the laptop.

August 13, 2010
0 votes

Meli

November 16, 2010

i have a Sony Vaio laptop too, i installed skype and it worked fine for about two weeks, just last sunday i tried using MSN messenger video call and it didn’t recognize my webcam either.

0 votes

Office@inteligent.co.uk

April 7, 2011

There is an issue with Skype at the moment that they are not resolving. Thousands of people can’t use their webcams because Skype can’t interrogate a webcam’s installation properly. Changing the config.xml makes no difference. Skype is at fault here.

0 votes

Manahanj

June 15, 2011

I have 3 Macs with internal web cams.  Never had a problem…. Ever!
My 65 year old mother just bought a brand new Sony Vaio with built in web cam for the sole purpose of skyping with me, my wife, and her 9 month old grandson who lives on the other side of the country.
Guess what doesn’t work??????

She has know clue what to do, and we are on the other side of the country and are trying our best to walk her through it.  It’s not skype!  It’s windows and anything having to do with it.

My advice.  Buy a Mac.  They Just Work!  

0 votes

Macintyredebbie

October 22, 2011

I just noticed today that my webcam is not working.  It has worked for the past 3 years without a problem.  I could see my daughter today on Skype but she could not see me.   How do I fix this?

Tina

Debbie,

the above question is several months old. If the solutions provided above do not work for you, I recommend asking a new question. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to receive a fresh answer within this comment thread.

October 30, 2011
0 votes

Abxfactor

October 25, 2011

hey. . . . . i need help on my webcam i cant connect it with skye and gtalk . .but its going gud in yahoo . . in skye and gtalk my webcam is not detected . . please help me finding whats the problem and solution

Tina

Abx,

I also recommend you to ask a new question.

October 30, 2011
0 votes

BednaR

November 5, 2011

Another bit of info for this thread. Apparently there is a problem with Sony camera drivers in machines where Windows was upgraded from Vista to 7. I’m trying to figure a way around it myself as my camera stopped working just after said system upgrade.

0 votes

MMA

November 28, 2011

I’m trying to get my mac computer camera to work when I’m on skype.  I can see and hear the other party but they can only hear me not see me. What do I do.

Tina

MMA,

the above question is over a year old. I recommend that you submit a new question via MakeUseOf Answers. You will receive an answer within several hours.

December 2, 2011
0 votes

Brainless

January 1, 2012

um I don’t know if any of u can help i have read what you said and tried it but it wont work it and its a brand new laptop

0 votes

Brainless

January 1, 2012

um I don’t know if any of u can help i have read what you said and tried it but it wont work it and its a brand new laptop

0 votes

Monica

January 11, 2012

my webcam doesnt work when the skype is on the other person who is chatting cant see me

0 votes

Lalley6

January 25, 2012

when on face book making a viedo the people on the other laptop canot hear me but i can hear them what does that have to do why we can hear them but they cant hear us.

0 votes

KyleToshibaSatellite

February 22, 2012

Hi i have a Toshiba Satellite C655-S5212 and i have been using my webcam for skype but suddenly it has stopped working and i cant find out how to fix it…Any ideas?

Tina

Kyle,

did you follow the advice in this thread? Some of it appears to have worked for people. If it doesn’t work for you, you may have a different problem. I recommend to ask a new question to get a quick answer.

March 2, 2012
0 votes

Hariz13may

March 10, 2012

I’m using an Acer Aspire One with Windows XP. I’m having the same problem but when I press F2 (and the blue screen appears), there is no advanced tab. Help?

0 votes

Aenna Leynes

March 17, 2012

Hi. I’m having a problem too with my webcam. Everytime I use  the videocall for Skype, this appears.. Please help  me.. :(

0 votes

Zarkomilanovic3

March 19, 2012

my built-in webcam doesn’t work at all

0 votes

Delci Francis

March 25, 2012

please help me use the inbuilt webcamera

ha14

whats the problem?

March 26, 2012
0 votes

JUDITH24063002

April 8, 2012

why wont my web cam work

0 votes

Eoghan

May 2, 2012

hey guys
my webcam used to work but it seams to have completely gone now !
i’ve tried all the hints and ideas on the forum like youtube and the bios in the setup menu and it says my webcam is enabled . . . . . yet youtube, skype, and anything else i’d need it for cant seam to find it :/
my laptop is a Toshiba satellite C-660
any more ideas ??

ha14

Why can’t I see any video from my webcam?
https://support.skype.com/en-us/faq/FA1267/Why-can-t-I-see-any-video-from-my-webcam

try to reinstall webcam driver
see if your antivirus, firewall not blocking webcam, skype

May 3, 2012
0 votes

myrna

May 8, 2012

Why is it that my Sony vaio built – in web cam is not working. What I will do to fix it? they can’t see me but I can see them when we use the skype.

Tina

Myrna,

Does it also not work after rebooting the computer?

May 8, 2012