How to Fix Lenovo MC60 Monitor Webcam Not Working

The short answer

When a Lenovo MC60 stops working, the cause is usually one of four things: the physical connection, the privacy shutter, the operating system's camera or microphone permissions, or the device selected inside the app you are using. Find the failing layer by testing outside your usual video-calling app first. If the webcam works in your operating system's own camera tool but not in your meeting app, the problem is in that app's settings or permissions. If the computer does not detect the webcam at all, start with the cable and USB port.

Two conditions change where you should look:

• Video and audio are separate. The MC60's camera and its microphone appear to the computer as separate devices, each with its own permissions and input selection. A working microphone does not prove the camera works, and the reverse is also true.
• The connection path matters. If the webcam plugs into the monitor's USB ports instead of directly into the computer, the monitor's USB hub must also be connected to the computer. A connected display cable alone does not make those USB ports work.

Identify your exact symptom first

Match what you see to one of these symptoms before changing anything. Each one points to a different starting check.

• The webcam does not appear anywhere, including your operating system's device list: start with the physical connection checks.
• The webcam is listed but shows a black or blank image: check the privacy shutter, then whether another app is using the camera.
• The webcam works in one app but not another: check app permissions and the camera selected in that app.
• The video works but nobody can hear you, or the wrong microphone is picking up sound: check microphone input selection and microphone permissions.
• The webcam disconnects or drops out during use: check the cable, the port and the monitor's USB hub connection.

Check 1: Physical controls and the connection

Start with the physical layer, because no software setting can fix a webcam the computer cannot see.

• Privacy shutter: make sure the shutter over the lens is fully open. A closed shutter produces a black or blocked image even when everything else works. It does not affect the microphone.
• Cable seating: unplug the webcam's USB cable and plug it back in firmly at both ends.
• Monitor USB hub: if the webcam is connected to a USB port on the monitor, confirm the monitor's USB upstream cable runs to your computer and that the monitor is powered on. Monitor USB ports usually work only while the monitor has power.
• Direct connection test: plug the webcam straight into a USB port on the computer, bypassing the monitor, docks and extension cables.

Each result points to a different next step. If the webcam works when connected directly but not through the monitor, the problem lies in the monitor's USB hub path, such as the upstream cable, the port, or the monitor's power state, rather than in the webcam itself. If it fails both ways, continue to the detection check.

Check 2: Does the computer detect the webcam?

Detection means the operating system recognizes that the device is connected. It is separate from permission to use the device and from which device an app has selected.

• Windows: open Device Manager and look under Cameras or Imaging devices for the webcam. Look under Audio inputs and outputs for its microphone. A warning icon next to an entry suggests a driver or device problem.
• macOS: open System Information and look in the USB section. If the webcam does not appear there, macOS is not detecting the hardware.

If the webcam does not appear at all, try a different USB port and, if possible, a different computer. If it is also not detected on a second computer with a direct connection, the webcam or its cable is the likely cause. In that case, move to the escalation step at the end of this guide.

Check 3: Test video outside your meeting app

Open the Camera app on Windows, or an app such as Photo Booth on macOS, and select the MC60 if more than one camera is available. This test confirms that the operating system can detect the camera and capture video from it. It tells you nothing about the microphone, and it does not prove that a specific meeting app or browser has permission to use the camera.

• If the video works here, the hardware and operating-system detection are fine. Focus on the app's permissions and camera selection (Checks 4 and 5).
• If you see a black image with the shutter open, close every other app that might be using the camera, including meeting apps running in the background, and test again. Some systems let only one app use a camera at a time.
• If you see an error saying the camera is blocked or turned off, go to the permission check.

Check 4: Camera and microphone permissions

Permissions control whether apps are allowed to use a device the system already detects. The camera and the microphone each have their own permission settings.

• Windows 11: go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Camera. Make sure camera access is on, apps are allowed to use the camera, and the specific app you need is allowed. Desktop apps have a separate switch. Repeat the same steps under Privacy and security, then Microphone.
• macOS: go to System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Camera, and turn on access for the app you are using. Repeat under Microphone. You may need to quit and reopen the app before the change takes effect.
• Browsers: if you join calls through a website, check the site's camera and microphone permissions in the browser. Usually you can do this from the icon next to the address bar. The browser also needs operating-system permission.

On a work or school computer, an administrator policy may block camera or microphone access. If these settings are greyed out or keep resetting, ask your IT support team, because you may not be able to change them yourself.

Check 5: Input selection inside the app

Even with detection and permissions working, an app may default to a different camera or microphone, such as a laptop's built-in webcam or a headset microphone. Open the app's video and audio settings and select the MC60 as the camera. Then select the MC60's microphone if you want to use it.

To check the microphone outside any app on Windows, go to Settings, then System, then Sound. Choose the webcam's microphone under Input and speak while watching the input level meter. On macOS, go to System Settings, then Sound, then Input, and watch the input level. A moving meter shows the system is receiving audio from that microphone. It does not show that a particular app has selected it or has permission to use it.

Fixes to try, in order

Apply only the fix that matches what your checks found, and retest the original symptom after each change. The list starts with the easiest changes to undo.

• Shutter was closed: open it and check the preview in the Camera app or your meeting app.
• No detection through the monitor but detection when connected directly: reconnect the monitor's USB upstream cable to the computer, or keep the webcam connected directly. Retest by checking that the webcam appears in the device list.
• No detection on any port: restart the computer with the webcam connected, then try another port. Retest detection.
• Black image while another app is open: quit the other app completely and reopen the app you want to use.
• Works in the Camera app but not in your meeting app: turn on that app's permission, select the MC60 in its settings, then restart the app. Retest using the app's own video preview.
• Microphone not heard: select the MC60 microphone as the input in the app and in system sound settings, and confirm microphone permission. Retest with the input level meter, then with a test call or recording.

Drivers, firmware and resets

Many USB webcams use the camera driver built into the operating system, but this guide could not confirm what Lenovo officially recommends for the MC60. Before installing drivers or firmware, check Lenovo's official support page for the MC60 and follow its instructions exactly. A firmware update that is interrupted, for example by unplugging the webcam, can leave the device unusable.

On Windows, a common reversible step is to uninstall the webcam's entry in Device Manager and then unplug and replug the webcam so Windows reinstalls it. A side effect is that some apps may forget the MC60 as their selected camera, so check each app's camera setting afterward.

When to stop and escalate

Contact Lenovo support, or check your warranty, if any of these apply after you have worked through the steps above:

• The webcam is not detected on two different computers when connected directly.
• The webcam is detected but shows no image in any app, even with the shutter open and no other app using it.
• The webcam repeatedly disconnects even when connected directly to the computer.

Note which tests passed and failed, along with your operating system version. This record helps support rule out the connection, permission and app layers you have already checked.