If there is a need to find the answer to the question “how to set up a webcam on a laptop” - then, most likely, there is a certain problem that needs to be solved. There can be several such problems:
- The camera does not work at all, it needs to be configured;
- The camera works, but not quite as it should (upside down image, etc.);
- The camera works, but the picture quality does not suit;
- The camera works, but I want to expand its functionality (shooting photos, video, image processing, voice recording from a microphone, and the like).
Perhaps this is not a complete list of problems, but here the main sore questions from the series “How to set up the built-in webcam on a laptop” are reflected.
A laptop is not just a piece of plastic with a beautiful screen and a bunch of different buttons. The creators of this miracle have spent a lot of time and effort to maximally "stuff" it with all kinds of electronic devices. Any technique, no matter how cool it may be and no matter how much it costs, from time to time can be capricious and cause the owner a mixed gamut of feelings. Therefore, do not be upset if your pet does not behave as he should. It's not scary, it's all being treated.
In order to choose the right “medicine” - you need, first of all, to correctly diagnose. This is what we are going to do now.
1. How to configure a webcam on a laptop if the camera does not work at all.
You have never used a webcam on your laptop, and now you need it. Let's make sure that the webcam is on the list of equipment installed on the laptop. For this we need:
- We find the “My Computer” icon, right-click, select “Management” from the list;
- In the left column we find "Device Manager", in the right column, click the cross next to the inscription "Image Processing Devices";
- There, in theory, should be your camera.
Whether she is there or she is not there - we look and carry out the actions described in the paragraph "Universal therapeutic procedures".
Universal treatment procedures: installing / reinstalling webcam drivers. To do this, you need to remove the old ones (if any) and then install new ones.
- Removing old drivers: Repeat the procedure described above (p. 1 - p. 3), double-clicking on the name of the camera will open a window in which you need to select the “Driver” tab. Click "Delete" and confirm the removal.
- Installing new drivers: insert the driver disk (included with the laptop) into the drive, start, find the Webcam folder there and install the drivers from there. If there is no disk, download them from the site of the manufacturer of the laptop.
If your actions did not give the expected result, contact the service center. Most likely, these are equipment problems.
2. How to configure a webcam on a laptop, if the camera works, but not quite as it should (upside down image, etc.)
In the presence of "glitches" in the operation of the webcam, it is recommended to use the "Universal treatment procedures" described above. If they didn’t help, go to the manufacturer’s website, download the latest drivers for the "webcam" and repeat the "treatment" procedure with the installation of "fresh" drivers.
If your actions did not give the expected result, contact the service center. Most likely, these are equipment problems.
3. How to set up a webcam on a laptop, if the camera works, but the picture quality does not suit.
In this case, as the saying goes, "medicine is powerless." This situation can only be fixed by installing an external webcam, which you need to purchase and install. Fortunately, the choice is now more than wide. It is advisable to make sure that you get exactly what you need when buying in a store: in the new webcam, you are satisfied with the picture and sound quality. The ideal option is to bring a laptop with you and test your future purchase right there.
4. How to configure a webcam on a laptop, if the camera works, but I want to expand its functionality.
In this case, the installation of additional software will help. Webcams that the manufacturer installed in the laptop, as a rule, are not configurable. But third-party software can significantly expand the functionality of the built-in "webcam".
If you have ASUS, I recommend paying attention to the nice LifeFrame utility or its analogues. Taking photos, videos, processing and special effects available, recording sound from a microphone - all this will certainly come in handy for you at work or for entertainment.