The Knowhow
The first step is to check if you can turn your webcam on/off. To do this:
- On your keyboard, hold down the Fn + F11 keys at the same time
- A light should appear when the camera is on
If this hasn't worked, open Skype or Windows Live Messenger (MSN) and try and start a video chat.
Check the device is detected
Windows 7 and Windows Vista:
- Click Start and then Control Panel
- Click on System Maintenance and then select Device Manager
- Expand the folders and locate your webcam (usually located under Universal Serial Bus controllers)
- When you find the webcam right-click on it and click Uninstall
- Once it has finished the uninstall, go to Action on the menu and click Scan for hardware changes
- Close all the dialog boxes, restart your computer and try to start your webcam again by pressing Fn + F11
Windows XP:
- Click Start, Settings and then Control Panel
-
Click System
- If in Category View, click on Performance and Maintenance and then System
- A pop-up box will appear - go to the Hardware tab and click on Device Manager
- Expand the folders and locate your webcam (usually located under Universal Serial Bus controllers)
- When you find the webcam right-click on it and click Uninstall
- Once it has finished the uninstall, go to Action on the menu and click Scan for hardware changes
- Close all the dialog boxes, restart your computer and try to start your webcam again by pressing Fn + F11
If your webcam doesn't turn on or it's not listed in Device Manager, you'll need to download the latest drivers. For information on how to do this read our article, Installing the drivers for your webcam.
