Webcam not working in Windows

Symptom

Apps report that the webcam is not found or is busy: the Camera app shows a black screen or an error, in calls the other participants do not see video, websites do not get a picture. The problem appears in all programs at once, not in just one.

Typical causes

• Most often the FrameServer service, through which apps receive video from the camera, is disabled, or camera access is closed in the Windows privacy settings — both variants are typical after “optimization” of the system.
• Less often the cause is the camera driver after a Windows update, a system reinstall, or the hardware — a physical shutter, a camera switch, a malfunction.

Fix in BoosterX

Open BoosterX, in the left menu select the “Fixes” section, in the search enter “Webcam”, open the “Webcam” card and click “Fix”. Then restart Windows. The fix returns the FrameServer service to its default startup if it was disabled; camera access in the privacy settings should be checked separately. BoosterX can be downloaded from the official website boosterx.org.

How to verify

Open the Camera app or start a video call: the video should appear immediately. To be sure, check the camera in a second app — for example, in a browser on a site where you have already used the camera.

Manual alternative without BoosterX

Press Win + R, enter services.msc and press Enter. Add the “Service name” column: right-click on the column headers → “Add/remove columns”, find the FrameServer service. Right-click → “Properties” → “Startup type” → “Automatic” → “Apply”, then restart Windows. Also check “Settings” → “Privacy” (in Windows 11 — “Privacy & security”) → “Camera”: access must be enabled and allowed for the necessary apps.

If that did not help

The cause may be the camera driver or the device itself — check the physical shutter and the camera switch. Errors that coincide in time with the problem can be viewed in EventX. If the camera still does not work, write to support.

Last check: 2026-09-20. Full catalog of fixes.