Fix a USB UVC Webcam That Is Not Working on an ASUS Laptop

The short answer

"USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam" and "USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam" are the generic names many laptop camera modules report to the operating system, including the built-in cameras on many ASUS laptops. HD and FHD refer to the module's resolution class. UVC stands for USB Video Class, a standard that lets the camera run on the driver already built into Windows, so a missing ASUS-specific driver is rarely the first thing to suspect.

When this camera stops working, the cause usually sits in one of three places: something physically blocks or switches off the camera, Windows does not detect it, or Windows detects it but an app is not allowed to use it. Find which of these applies before you change any drivers. The most important dividing line is whether the camera appears in Device Manager. If it does, the problem is almost always software or permissions. If it does not, even with hidden devices shown, look at hardware controls, firmware settings or a hardware fault.

This guide assumes Windows 10 or Windows 11. Menu names differ slightly between the two versions, and the steps do not apply to macOS or Linux. If you use an external USB webcam that reports the same name, the steps still apply, with one extra check for the cable and port.

Camera and microphone are separate devices

Windows treats video and audio as separate devices with separate permissions. On most laptops the built-in microphone is not part of the UVC camera at all; it is a separate audio input. If your video works but nobody can hear you, or the reverse, the fixes below for one device will not repair the other. Microphone problems are checked under Sound settings and the separate microphone privacy setting, and are not covered in detail here.

Step 1: Rule out physical blocks and the camera key

Look closely at the lens. Many ASUS laptops have a small sliding privacy shutter over the camera. When it is closed, the camera is detected and runs normally, but the picture is black or shows a crossed-out symbol, so it is easy to mistake for a driver fault.

Then check the keyboard for a key with a camera icon, often in the function key row. On models that have one, this key can disable the camera electronically. Depending on the model, it may need to be pressed together with the Fn key. Press it once, wait a few seconds, and test again. Which key it is, and whether it hides the camera from Windows entirely or only blacks out the image, varies by model; your laptop's user manual is the reliable reference.

For an external webcam, plug it directly into a different USB port on the computer rather than a hub, and try another cable if the cable is detachable. If it starts working on another port, the original port, hub or cable is the likely cause.

Step 2: Test with the Windows Camera app

Close every app that might be using the camera, such as video meeting apps, browsers with a call open, or streaming software. Then open the built-in Camera app from the Start menu.

• Live picture appears: Windows can detect the camera and capture video. The fault is in the app you were originally using, its camera selection or its permission. Go to Step 4.
• Black image or a privacy symbol: the camera is probably detected but physically covered or disabled by the camera key. Recheck Step 1.
• Error saying no camera can be found (sometimes shown with code 0xA00F4244): Windows does not see a usable camera. Go to Step 3.
• Error saying the camera is in use or cannot start: another app may be holding the camera, or the driver may not be loading correctly. Restart the computer, then go to Step 3.

Keep the scope of this test in mind. A working Camera app shows that detection, the driver and basic capture are working at the Windows level. It does not show that a particular desktop app or browser has permission. It also tells you nothing about the microphone, because the Camera app can show video while audio input is still broken.

Step 3: Check whether Windows detects the camera

Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager. Expand the Cameras category. On some systems the camera appears under Imaging devices instead. Look for USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam or USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam.

• Listed normally: the camera is detected and enabled. Continue to Step 4 for permissions.
• Listed with a down-arrow icon: the device is disabled. Right-click it and choose Enable device.
• Listed with a yellow warning triangle: the device is detected but its driver has a problem. Open the device's Properties and note the status message and any error code on the General tab, then use the driver steps in Step 5.
• Not listed: open the View menu and choose Show hidden devices. If the camera now appears faded, Windows has seen it before but cannot see it now. If it does not appear at all, go to Step 6.

In Windows 11, you can also open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Cameras. Cameras listed there can be turned on or off, and a camera disabled on that page will not work in any app.

Step 4: Check camera permissions and app selection

Windows can detect a camera and still block apps from using it. In Windows 11, go to Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera. In Windows 10, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Camera. Make sure these are turned on:

• Camera access for the device as a whole.
• Let apps access your camera.
• The toggle for the specific Microsoft Store app you are using, if it appears in the list.
• Let desktop apps access your camera, which covers most meeting apps and traditional browsers installed outside the Microsoft Store.

Next, check the app itself. Open its audio and video or device settings and confirm it has selected the UVC webcam rather than a virtual camera or another device. For browser calls, check the browser's site permissions as well; a site that was once denied camera access will stay blocked until you change that setting. Some security suites also include a webcam protection feature that blocks camera access independently of Windows, so check that if you run third-party security software.

Retest in the original app after each change. If the camera now works there, you are done, and the driver steps below are not needed.

Step 5: Reinstall or roll back the driver

Use this step only if Device Manager shows the camera with a warning, or the Camera app reports that the camera cannot start even after a restart. Start with the least disruptive option.

• Restart rather than shut down. With Windows Fast Startup enabled, Shut down does not fully reinitialise devices, but Restart does.
• If the problem began after a Windows or driver update, open the camera's Properties in Device Manager, go to the Driver tab and choose Roll Back Driver, if the button is available. This restores the previously installed driver.
• If there is no previous driver to roll back to, right-click the camera and choose Uninstall device. Leave the option to delete or remove the driver software unchecked, so the driver package stays on the system. Then restart, or use Action, then Scan for hardware changes. Windows should detect the camera and reinstall the standard UVC driver.

After each action, test in the Camera app first, then in your original app. If the generic driver still fails, check the support page for your exact ASUS model, which you can identify from the label underneath the laptop or from System Information in Windows. Use any camera driver ASUS lists there for your model and Windows version. This guide could not verify which ASUS models ship a dedicated camera driver rather than relying on the built-in Windows driver, so treat your model's support page as the authority on this.

Step 6: When the camera is missing from Device Manager entirely

If the camera does not appear even with hidden devices shown, and the camera key does not bring it back, Windows is not receiving the device at all. Driver reinstalls cannot help here, because there is no device to install a driver for.

On some laptops, the camera can be disabled in the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings. If your model's firmware setup has a camera option, make sure it is enabled. Note any settings before you change them, and do not change settings you do not recognise. Installing a BIOS update or loading default firmware settings can change other system behaviour, so follow ASUS's instructions for your model and keep the laptop on mains power if you update.

If the camera is still missing after these checks, the likely causes are a disconnected internal cable or a failed camera module, especially after a drop, a screen hinge repair or other work inside the laptop. This is the point to stop troubleshooting and contact ASUS support or an authorised repair service. A USB webcam is a practical workaround in the meantime, and it uses the same permission settings described above.

How to know it is fixed

The fix is confirmed when the camera shows a live picture in the app where it originally failed, not just in the Windows Camera app. Because the camera and microphone are separate, also confirm that the meeting or recording app has the right microphone selected and shows input on its level meter. Restart once more and test again: if the camera fails after every reboot, the problem is recurring, and the device's status message and event history in Device Manager are worth noting before you contact support.