Troubleshooting camera issues with Teams

This article will provide some simple ways to troubleshoot common issues with cameras in Teams. This learning means any unexpected camera issues can be resolved in a few seconds, without getting in the way of the bulk of the Teams meeting.

Enabling cameras in Teams

Ensure correct camera selected

Enable laptop camera

Allow Windows apps access to camera/webcam

Enabling cameras in Teams

The most common issue causing issues with cameras in teams is the camera being turned off. The camera can be turned on from within the Teams app.

1. Join the Teams meeting to access audio and video settings.

2. Ensure camera is turned on. If the camera is turned off the button will be white, as demonstrated below. The camera can be turned on by clicking the button. An example of the camera turned off and on can be seen below.

Camera turned off.

Camera turned on.

Ensure the correct camera is selected

The laptops provided by Dietitians Australia will almost always have a camera built in. When connected to a dock, there will also generally be a webcam connected via a dock. If the wrong camera is selected, or if a camera is disabled, the video in teams may appear black or blurry. The correct camera can be selected from within Teams.

1. If the camera is enabled, but the preview frame is blank or black, check the camera settings to see if the correct camera is being used by Teams. The camera settings panel can be viewed by selecting either of the buttons circled in the image below (shown when joining a meeting).

2. Clicking these icons will open the panel pictured below on the right-hand side of the Teams window.

3. Under 'Camera' is a drop down box to select the active video device for Teams. Most laptops will have an inbuilt camera at the top of the laptop screen that can be used when not plugged into a dock, and usually a separate wired webcam that can only be used when the laptop is connected to it or via a dock. If the camera selected is not showing a picture, try using the other camera to see if this resolves the issue.

Camera options available.

Enabling a laptop camera

If the inbuilt laptop camera is being used and the steps above have been followed, but the camera is still not working, the problem may be with the laptop camera.

1. Check the privacy slider. Some laptops will have a privacy slider that can be used to physically block the camera. If the laptop has a slider, check the slider is open. See example image below of privacy slider.

2. Check that the camera is enabled with the webcam toggle hotkey. If there's no privacy slider, laptops will generally have a hotkey that can be used to toggle access to the camera. The hotkey will be a camera icon with a line through it, but may vary depending on the laptop model. Check that the camera is enabled by pressing the hotkey.

When the key is pressed an icon should appear on the screen to indicate if the camera is turned on or off. An example of the icon that appears is demonstrated below.

Camera is enabled

Camera is disabled

Allow windows access to camera/webcam

1. If the camera is enabled and the correct camera is selected, but there is still no vision, check the Windows access settings to ensure Teams is allowed to access the camera. Open the Settings menu from the Start button, or from the Settings icon in the taskbar.

2. From the Settings window, navigate to Privacy & Security.

3. Scroll down and select Camera.

4. Find the setting for Teams (and Zoom!) and enable access by turning On.

If you have completed the above steps and you are still having difficulty with your camera in Teams, restart your computer. If you have completed all these steps and are still having difficulty, engage IT support by creating a Helpdesk ticket.