Surface camera not working

Applies To

Surface Pro Surface Laptop Surface Go Surface Studio Surface Book

Try these solutions to fix any issues you might be having with the built-in camera(s) on your Surface. For example, it may be missing drivers or require a restart. It also may be that your privacy settings don't allow camera access for some apps, or there's a problem with the app you want to use.

Run the troubleshooter

Start by running the automated camera troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Get Help automatically runs diagnostics and takes the correct steps to fix most camera issues.

Open Get Help

Make sure apps can use the camera

Select Start icon for Windows logo icon > Settings icon for Settings app icon > Privacy & security icon for Security shield icon > Camera icon for Camera icon , and make sure that Camera access and Let apps access your camera icon for All apps icon are set to On.

Allow access to the camera on this device

Check in Surface app

Check the health of your Surface device using the Surface app.

Open the Surface app

In the Surface app, expand Help & support to check the update status.
If there are updates available, select the Check for updates button to open Windows Update and install the available updates.
Select Get help and tell us the problem you are experiencing. If Surface app detects any issues, we'll let you know.

Note

If you don't have the Surface app installed, you can download the Surface app from the Microsoft Store. When it has downloaded, select Start, search for Surface, then select the app from the list of results.

Remove and reinstall driver

Warning

Do not perform this step on Surface Pro X. If you uninstall drivers on this device, the only way to restore them is to complete a full system reset.

Select Search on the taskbar, enter Device Manager, and select it from the results.
Select the arrow next to Cameras to expand the list, and check to see if one of the following adapters is listed:
- Intel(R) TGL AVStream Camera
- Intel(R) AVStream Camera
Double-click the camera, select the Driver tab, and then select Uninstall Device.
Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device and then select Uninstall.
Restart your Surface.

Force a restart

Select Start icon for Windows logo icon > Power icon for Power button icon > Shut down and wait a moment for your Surface to shut down. Then press and hold the power button for 20 seconds. If you see the logo screen appear after a few seconds, continue to hold for the full 20 seconds until you see the logo screen again. See Force a shut down and restart your Surface for more info.

Restore or reset your Surface

If you're still having camera problems, try restoring or resetting your Surface. To find out how, see Restore or reset Surface for Windows.

Need more help?

If these solutions didn't help resolve the problem, then self-repair, service order or in-person support may be available to help you. If your Surface is a business device (owned by an organization), see Surface service options for Business and Education.

Options
	Self-repair Technically experienced and have the right tools? Microsoft has a range of replaceable components and service guides that enable you to carry out some repairs yourself.
	Send to Microsoft To send your device in for repair, you'll need to create a service order and print a shipping label. Learn more about how to check your warranty and prepare your device for shipping to Microsoft.
	Get in-person support In some countries or regions, Microsoft has partnered with Authorized Service Providers offering in-person support and repair. Options may include professional hardware inspection, troubleshooting, and system recovery.