Webcam Troubleshooting Guide
If you are experiencing issues regarding your webcam, there are two different settings pages that will be referenced throughout this guide and this is how you navigate to them:
Microsoft Teams Settings-
1. In the top right area of Teams, click on the "settings and more" icon(three dots) next to your profile picture.
2. Click on "Settings"
3. On the Settings page, click on "Devices" and scroll down until you get to the "Video" section
Windows Settings-
1. Click on either the search bar at the bottom of your screen, or the Windows icon next to it.
2. On either of those menus click on the "Settings" icon in the shape of a gear.
3. In the window that comes up, click on "Bluetooth & Devices", and then "Cameras"
4. On the following screen there is a section labeled "Connected Cameras" and you should see a device listed below it that you'll need to click on.
Following these instructions should take you to the best screens in order to troubleshoot issues related to your webcam since they both provide preview windows of video from the camera.
Microsoft Teams Settings Video Preview Screen
Windows Settings Video Preview Screen
This next section will go over common issues and how to troubleshoot/resolve them:
Hardware Issues-
1. Ensure the system is registering that the webcam is connected. Going into either the Teams or Windows settings screen by following the above instructions will show whether the webcam is being registered by the system. If you see your webcam as an option, proceed to step 2. Otherwise, I would suggest shutting down the system and unplugging the webcam and plugging it into another available USB port. The system might not recognize it if it is changed while the system is turned on.
2. If you see your device in the devices screen but are seeing either a black or grey image in BOTH settings screens, that may mean that the lens cover is on and covering the screen. If you are using a Dell WB3023 series webcam, as seen in the image below, the lens cover has a switch below the webcam that needs to be moved to the other available position.
3. If the lens cover is now in the open position and you are not seeing any video in ONE of the video preview screens but you do see video in the other, please continue to the "Software Issues" section.
Software Issues-
While instructions that came with the webcam may mention installing software on your system, no additional software is necessary in order for the webcam to work. This section mostly has to do with either your Teams or Windows software.
If you are having trouble with your webcam not displaying video while in a Teams meeting and you've verified that the camera is registering on the system as well as the lens cover being in the open position, this could indicate an issue from a software level.
1. Follow the instructions at the top of the page and open your Windows settings to the point where you are able to see the video preview section to confirm webcam is showing video and continue to step 2. If you are not seeing video in the preview window, skip to step 4.
2. Now open up your Teams device settings by following that portion of the instructions at the top of this guide. If you are not seeing video on this screen, continue to step 3. If you are seeing video on this screen but not while in a meeting, verify that you have your camera turned on by clicking the "camera" button in the top right corner of the meeting. This is also were you can adjust backgrounds and filters.
3. If video is showing in the Windows preview but not the Teams preview, try restarting Teams by going to the mini task bar in the bottom right of your screen and click the up arrow. Then find the teams icon and right-click it and select "quit Teams" like the image below. Once closed you can re-open it and check the settings screen to see if the video shows in the preview.
4. If you are still not seeing any video displaying in the Teams preview window after restarting the program, you will need to completely sign out of Windows and get a new session.
If you are still experiencing issues after completing these steps, or are having trouble getting to some of the pages mentioned in this guide, please contact Helpdesk at (913) 825-1211 for additional troubleshooting.