Are you struggling with your computer’s webcam because it’s not working correctly? Well, it’s annoying when you’ve got an important meeting or job interview, and suddenly the webcam flops.
You can solve this problem by updating the webcam driver in Device Manager. Well, you may already know how to update the driver, but the webcam is not showing when you go to the Device Manager.
Thus, you’re here to find a solution for your Dell webcam not showing in device manager.
This article will provide you with some simple and quick techniques to fix this issue without having specific tech skills.
Where is The Location of Webcam in Device Manager?
After connecting a webcam to your Dell computer, you may see that your PC webcam is not working correctly. There can be many reasons why your webcam is not working, and missing webcam drivers are one of those reasons.
Now, if you want to check whether you’re missing any driver, you can look in Device Manager.
However, the webcam driver can be included in other device groups in the Manager. So, if you can’t find an individual file for the webcam driver, you can look in the following device group:
- Cameras.
- Imaging Devices.
- USB devices.
What if you have checked these device groups but haven’t found your Camera yet? In that case, you can try the following techniques to solve this issue.
How To Fix Dell Webcam Not Showing In Device Manager?
Here are some basic reasons and their quick solution for Dell webcam not showing solution:
| Reasons for Dell Webcam Not Showing in Device Manager | Possible Fixes to Try |
| Webcam doesn’t have permission to access Dell software | Allow the webcam permission in settings |
| Webcam drivers are not showing due to device issues | Open Hardware and Device and troubleshoot the problem. |
| Divers are out-of-date | Update the drivers |
| Webcam drivers are corrupted in the system file | Check and scan the system file |
| Your device doesn’t have any webcam drivers | Add webcam drivers manually in the Device Manager. |
| Webcam is disconnected internally | Repair the hardware |
The above reasons are the primary reasons for the webcam not showing in the Device Manager. And we’ve also included the possible solution to fix these issues. Read down below to know the detailed process of the solutions.
1. Allow The Webcam Permission In Settings
Just like your smartphone, your PC app requires your permission to access the other app. Here are the steps of allowing the webcam permission in settings:
- Go to the start or click on the Windows icon. You will see the setting option on the left side at the bottom above the power button; click on it.
- Now go to the settings and look for the Privacy setting. Then you will see some settings groups on the left side, search for camera settings and open it.
- When you go to the camera tab, scroll down and see if the option “Allow desktop apps to access cam” is on or off. If it is off, toggle it on. Also, turn on “Allow apps to access cam” and select the apps you want to have cam persimmon.
- Lastly, restart your Dell desktop, then go to the Device Manager. Now you should see the webcam drivers in the Manager.
2. Open Hardware And Device Troubleshoot
To fix your webcam problems, you need to run a troubleshoot check for Hardware and Software. You can search for the troubleshoot settings in the search box, but you may find the option of Hardware and Software.
However, if you don’t find it in the settings, you can run the troubleshooter from the run box. Here are the steps:
- Use keyboard shortcut Windows + R to go to the run box directly.
- Now copy this msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and paste it in the run box.
- When you tap enter, an interface of Hard and Software troubleshoot will pop up.
- Now run the troubleshoot to find out problems with your PC hardware.
- Accept the changes it recommends, then restart your computer. Your webcam now should be available in the Device Manager.
3. Update The Drivers
Your Dell webcam may not work because your Windows drivers are outdated. To check for the available updates, you can follow the below steps:
- Go to the Start button, then look for the Update & Security settings.
- Click on the Windows Updates from the settings option, then click on “Check for updates.”
If your PC doesn’t have any driver for the webcam, you can visit the official webpage of Dell computers. There the manufacturer has made some recommendations for webcam drivers.
Please choose the one you think is the correct driver for your webcam, then install it manually.
4. Scan For Hardware Changes
Sometimes Windows 10 fails to detect the webcam after you complete updating the drivers. And that’s when you can scan for hardware changes and enable the drivers in Device Manager.
Here are the steps of scanning hardware changes:
- Go to Cortana’s search box and type Device Manager.
- Then go to Imaging devices or where you think your webcam can be available. Click on Action, then Scan for hardware changes.
- If you find the webcam drivers in the scanning result, it means you already have those drivers in your Windows.
- Now restart your Dell computer and go to Device Manager again. You should see the webcam drivers available in the Device Manager.
But what if you haven’t found the webcam on the scanning result? Then you have to examine the other techniques to fix this webcam not showing in the Manager problem.
5. Check The System File
Sometimes your Dell webcam not showing in the device manager because of corruption in the System file of the Camera. You can run the system file check in the following process:
- Go to the Windows search bar and type cmd.
- Go to the Command Prompt app and click on the “Run as administrator” from the options.
- Then you will receive a message on the screen asking for confirmation to check the System file. Click on Yes.
- Now copy this SFC /scannow and paste it.
- Press Enter and let the scanning process complete.
- After completing the scan, if you find any corrupted data, fix them and restart your computer to improve the webcam issue.
Note: If you find any corrupted data, you will get some instructions on the screen to fix the files. Follow them correctly to repair corrupted system files of the Camera.
6. Add Webcam Driver Manually
Yes, you can add a webcam driver in your Service Manager manually. Here is how you can do it by yourself:
- Open the Device Manager.
- Go to Action; you will see an option named “Add legacy hardware.”
- Click on add legacy hardware, then click Next.
- Then you will get two options on your desktop screen, select “Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)”, then click on the Next button to continue the process.
- You’ll observe some hardware names, look for the Camera and select it.
- Now select the device where you see the webcam driver is listed and click Next to continue.
- If you find no webcam driver in the selected device, you should go back to the previous window. Now select Imaging Device, and click Next.
- Again, you’ll see some lists of devices, select a device and click Next.
- Once you’re done adding a device, it is time to restart your computer.
7. Check Hardware
If you’ve repaired your Dell PC not long ago, or your PC may have dropped somewhere harshly, there is a possibility of the webcam getting disconnected internally.
In this case, we would suggest you repair this problem by yourself only if you’ve tech skills. Otherwise, it would be wise to take your PC to a repair shop and fix the webcam for professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I change the camera settings on my Dell laptop?
To change any settings for the camera of your Dell laptop, click on the start button and go to the settings. There you’ll see the Privacy option, click on it, and open the Camera. Now make the necessary changes you want to make and close the windows.
How do I enable my webcam on Windows 10?
To enable your webcam on Windows 10, go to Settings > Privacy > Camera. Now turn on the camera permission and allow those apps to use the Camera you want.
Should you cover your webcam?
Yes, you should cover your webcam when you’re not using them. It helps to keep your camera lens good for a long time by keeping it away from dust. Also, it works as safety because there is a possibility of your webcam getting hacked. So even if the Camera ever gets hacked, your face will remain unexposed.
Conclusion
Now you know why your Dell webcam is not showing in device manager and how you can fix this issue. The webcam may not work because of some minor errors or bugs that you can fix by yourself.
You don’t need to have any special Tech skills to solve webcam problems by using these techniques. We hope this article was helpful, and now you can see the webcam drivers in the Device Manager.
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