Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

Discus and support Laptop webcam works for few seconds and then freezes in Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware to solve the problem; My laptop: Acer Predator Helios 300 The Problem: The camera works, for a few seconds then the image freezes. In every camera\video app I've tried,... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware' started by Liran a, Mar 30, 2020.

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  1. in Cortana

    Chrome lags/freezes for a few seconds: So in the last week my computers always freezes every few seconds while im on chrome for like 4 or 6 seconds how can i fix? https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/chrome-lagsfreezes-for-a-few-seconds/0023c9e6-239f-4db9-9809-9d2aedb7ad48

  2. in Windows 10 Ask Insider

    My Laptop freezes after a few seconds: So my Acer Predator Helios 300 freezes after a few seconds when i turn it on. i cant access anything as i cant login. I have tried deinstalling the latest updates through a USB Boot, wich didnt work. and after nothing else worked i did a complete reset of the Laptop. I did...

  3. in Windows 10 Ask Insider

    PC Applications Freeze for a Few Seconds: Hello guys. I’ve been experiencing a problem with my pc for a week and a half now. Whenever I play a game or have any app open it will freeze for a couple of seconds every so often. For example, I will be playing COD and be on discord and be talking to my friends and then...

  4. in Windows 10 BSOD Crashes and Debugging

    Webcam Freezing After 8 Seconds: So, I just finished building my PC and I go to try to stream with my webcam but after 8 seconds it freezes. At first I thought it was a stream labs thing but then I saw it do it with the camera app as well. I've tried just about everything from editing the registry to looking...

  5. in Windows 10 Performance & Maintenance

    Random freezing for few seconds: I have many things opened like browser, TV card playing some TV show.. and some other apps etc.. I notice that I would randomly get these temporary freezes for a few seconds.. which causes audio to also get that laggy sound, like a broken record etc or scratch cd etc.....

  6. in Windows 10 Support

    Random freezing for few seconds: I have many things opened like browser, TV card playing some TV show.. and some other apps etc.. I notice that I would randomly get these temporary freezes for a few seconds.. which causes audio to also get that laggy sound, like a broken record etc or scratch cd etc.. Not...

  7. in Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware

    Camera working for few seconds and then freeze: My laptop: Acer Predator Helios 300 The Problem: The camera works, for a few seconds then the image freezes. In every camera\video app I've tried, the problem repeats: Win Camera, Zoom & Skype. What I've tried: Installing the latest windows updates. Uninstalling and...

  8. in Windows 10 BSOD Crashes and Debugging

    New laptop keeps freezing a few seconds after startup...: New laptop bought in May, used it about a total of 10 times in the past months, everything was fine until today I powered it off by holding the power button because it froze. I turned it back on and now it freezes at the login screen. And if i manage to get to the desktop...

  9. in Windows 10 Support

    Laptop Freezes Every few seconds for 2-3 seconds.: Hello. I need Help Regarding my Laptop Freezing Problem. My Laptop Hardware. Intel Core i7 4510U 2.0 GHZ 1TB HDD 8GB RAM Intel Build in graphics card Windows 10 Home x64bit My Issue is that my computer is keep Freezing for two or 3 seconds or some time more....

Laptop camera freezes every few seconds
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

The Windows webcam is a handy tool that you can always rely on. You can use it to take those simple selfies, record videos, and connect with people through apps like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and more.

But then what do you do when your webcam randomly freezes or suddenly won’t respond? Let’s explore some easy ways to fix a problematic Windows webcam.

1. Allow Camera Access on Your Device

This problem might often be caused by the way you’ve configured some of your privacy settings. As such, here's how to check if you enabled camera access in your system settings:

  1. Navigate to the Windows Start Menu > PC Settings > Privacy > Camera.
  2. Click the Change button under the Allow access to the camera on this device option.
  3. Next, turn on the Camera for this device button in the pop-up window.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

When you finish, scroll down and turn on the button under the Allow apps to access your camera option.

Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

Next, scroll down and locate the Choose which apps can access your camera setting. From there, turn on the buttons for all the apps that require webcam access.

When you finish, close the settings window and restart your PC.

2. Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus

Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

This issue might sometimes be caused by security programs like antivirus software. To resolve the problem, you can try temporarily disabling your antivirus program and testing your webcam while it's off.

The methods for disabling an antivirus differ from program to program, so you'll need to poke around your software to find the setting to disable it. And always remember to re-enable it once you're done. If you think you'll forget, some antivirus programs have an option to temporarily disable it for a short period of time.

Related: How to Turn Off Windows Defender

3. Test Your External Webcam on Another PC

If you’re using an external webcam, try testing it on another device. This can be another PC or laptop in your home or a friend's PC.

If the webcam works on the other computer, then your PC is likely the cause of the issues and needs troubleshooting. However, if the webcam doesn’t work on the other device, then you might need to fix or replace the webcam.

4. Restart or Reinstall the Camera Driver

This issue could sometimes be caused by a corrupted camera driver. Usually, this might occur just after you’ve updated your Windows device. So, to resolve this issue, you can restart or reinstall the corrupted camera driver.

To restart your camera's driver:

  1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager in the pop-up menu.
  2. Double-click the Cameras option to expand it.
  3. Right-click the Integrated Camera driver and select Disable device.
  4. Finally, right-click the Integrated Camera driver, select Enable device, and restart your PC.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

If this doesn’t resolve your issue, try reinstalling the Camera driver. Here’s how you can do this:

  1. Open the Device Manager and the Camera option as per the previous steps.
  2. Right-click the Integrated Camera driver and select Uninstall device.
  3. Next, navigate to the Action tab and select Scan for hardware changes.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

When you finish, restart your PC to automatically reinstall the Camera driver.

5. Use Windows’ Troubleshooters

Windows has a couple of troubleshooting tools that can help you resolve various system issues. In this case, we’ll show you how you can use the Windows Store Apps and the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter to get your webcam fixed.

  1. Type Troubleshoot in the Windows search bar and select the Best match. If you disabled the search bar, you can also click on the Start button and start typing your search term there.
  2. Select the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter and press the Run the troubleshooter button.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

When you finish, run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter by following these steps:

  1. Scroll down on the settings window and click the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter.
  2. Press the Run the troubleshooter button.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

Wait for the process to complete and restart your PC.

6. Run an SFC Scan

The System File Checker (SFC) tool is a built-in troubleshooter that helps resolve system-related issues. As such, the tool could help fix your problematic webcam.

Here’s how you can get started with using SFC:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
  3. Type the following command and press Enter:
sfc /scannow

7. Update the Camera App From the Windows Store

You could also resolve this issue by simply heading to the Windows Store and updating the camera app. This will install the latest updates and get rid of any bugs that might be causing issues to your webcam.

Here’s how you can update the camera app from the Windows store:

  1. Type Microsoft Store in the Windows search bar and select the Best match.
  2. Next, type Windows Camera in the Microsoft Store search bar and then click the camera app when it appears.
  3. Click the Get button if you don’t have the app already installed. Otherwise, click the Update button below the Windows Camera icon.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

8. Configure the Registry Editor

As a last resort, you could consider configuring some settings in the Registry Editor. However, you might first want to back up your Registry just in case anything goes wrong.

Otherwise, to fix your webcam issue using the Registry Editor, here are some simple steps you could follow:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type Regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows Media Foundation > Platform.
  4. Right-click a blank space on the right-hand side pane, click New, and then select DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

Name this new value as EnableFrameServerMode. When you finish, double click this value and set its Value data to 0. Click OK when you finish.

Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

If you're running a 32-bit version of Windows, then you can now close the Registry Editor and restart your PC to apply these changes.

Related: What's the Difference Between 32-Bit and 64-Bit Windows?

However, if your PC runs on the 64-bit Windows version, then here are the final steps you should follow:

  1. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > WOW6432Node > Microsoft > Windows Media Foundation > Platform.
  2. Add the EnableFrameServerMode value and set its Value data to 0 as per the previous steps.
Laptop camera freezes every few seconds

When you finish, press OK and then restart your PC.

Your Webcam Is Up and Running Again

It’s so irritating when your webcam freezes while you’re in an important online meeting or taking pictures. However, resolving this issue isn’t complicated—just simply follow the methods in this article. And once you've fixed your webcam, you can start exploring various things with it—such as pairing it with the right webcam software program.

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