How to Select an External Webcam in the Windows Camera App

The short answer

Plug in the external webcam and open the Camera app. Then select the Change camera button, which shows a camera with circular arrows; some versions label it Switch camera. Each press moves to the next connected camera, so press it until the preview shows your external webcam's view. The button only appears when Windows detects more than one camera. If you don't see it, Windows isn't recognizing the external webcam yet, or the webcam is the only camera available.

This choice applies only to the Camera app. Video-calling apps and browsers have their own camera settings, so you may need to choose the external webcam again in each one.

Before you start

• Connect the webcam directly to a USB port on the computer if possible. Some hubs and docks don't supply enough power or bandwidth.
• Close any other app that might be using a camera, such as a video-call app or a browser tab with a call open. Usually only one app can use a webcam at a time.
• If the webcam came with its own software, you don't need it to use the Camera app. However, that software can sometimes hold onto the camera while it runs.

Steps to switch to the external webcam

• 1. Open the Start menu, type Camera, and open the Camera app.
• 2. Wait for the live preview to appear. It usually starts with the built-in camera on a laptop.
• 3. Select the Change camera (or Switch camera) button near the top of the window.
• 4. Check the preview. If it shows the view from your external webcam, you're done. If not, select the button again to move to the next camera.
• 5. Close and reopen the Camera app. It normally reopens with the last camera you used. If it does, your choice was remembered.

Success check: the quickest proof is physical. Cover the external webcam's lens with your hand. If the preview goes dark, the app is using that camera. Many webcams also have an activity light that turns on while they're in use, but not all do, so don't rely on the light alone.

Selecting the camera with a keyboard or screen reader

You can switch cameras without a mouse. Press Tab to move focus between the app's controls until you reach the Change camera button, then press Enter or Space. Screen readers such as Narrator announce the button by name when it has focus. Because the camera's name may not be announced after switching, confirm the change with the lens-cover check. For example, the preview goes dark, or a screen reader user can ask someone to confirm, or take a test photo and check it.

If the external webcam doesn't appear

Work through these checks in order, and reopen the Camera app after each one.

• Check whether Windows sees the device. In Windows 11, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras, which lists connected cameras. In either Windows 10 or 11, you can open Device Manager and look under Cameras or Imaging devices. If the webcam isn't listed, try a different USB port or cable, and restart the computer.
• Check camera permissions. In Windows 11, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. In Windows 10, go to Settings > Privacy > Camera. Make sure camera access is on, apps are allowed to access the camera, and the Camera app is allowed.
• Check for a disabled device. In recent Windows 11 versions, the Cameras page in Settings lets you disable or enable individual cameras. Make sure the external webcam is enabled.
• Check for a physical privacy shutter or switch on the webcam itself. A closed shutter produces a black or blank preview even though the camera is working.

If you always want the external webcam, you can disable the built-in camera on the Cameras page in recent Windows 11 versions. The external webcam then becomes the only camera apps can choose. This affects every app, not just the Camera app, and you can turn the built-in camera back on from the same page.

What this test confirms and what it doesn't

A live preview from the external webcam in the Camera app confirms three things: Windows recognizes the webcam, the Camera app has permission to use it, and the webcam can deliver video. It does not confirm that a video-calling app or browser will choose that camera, because each has its own camera selector and its own permission prompt. It also says nothing about call quality, which depends on your internet connection and the calling service as much as on the camera.

The Camera app test also doesn't cover your microphone. A webcam's built-in microphone is a separate device in Windows, with its own input selection and permission. Check it separately in your sound settings or in your calling app's audio settings. No specific input-level targets or quality thresholds were available for this guide, so it doesn't recommend any.