Here’s what you need to know for when the Skype camera is not showing video and when the person you’re talking to can’t see you.

Causes of Skype Webcam Problems

The Skype webcam not working the way you want can be the result of a variety of causes ranging from the incorrect settings being chosen within the Skype app or the device’s operating system to the camera being disconnected or physically covered. The device drivers, operating system, and Skype app may also be out-of-date and need to be updated. Fortunately, most of the potential solutions to common Skype camera issues can be performed relatively quickly and with little advanced knowledge required. If you’re experiencing issues with Skype beyond just a faulty webcam, something else may be the problem.

How to Fix Skype Camera Problems

When trying to fix webcam issues in Skype, it’s important to work out what the actual causes of the problems are first. To correctly detect what’s causing the camera to malfunction in Skype on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, work through this list of solutions and tips in order until the video call feature starts working properly. To do this, open All settings > Privacy > Camera and make sure that the switch under Allow apps to access your camera is switched to On. Fortunately, you can allow access to your webcam again at any time via the Google Chrome settings. To see if certain Skype services are offline, visit the Skype Status webpage. To start a test Skype call, click … > Settings > Audio & Video > Make a free test call. The full list of minimum requirements for Skype are available to read on the official Skype website or individual app store listings. To do this, open Skype and click … > Settings > Audio & Video and then select your preferred webcam from the dropdown menu. Usually, this happens automatically during a Windows Update but you can also double-check if a new driver is needed by opening Device Manager > Cameras > and then right-clicking on your webcam’s name and selecting Update Driver > Search automatically for updated driver software.