MSI Camera Not Working? 9 Troubleshooting Steps

ByKern Campbell, MBA

You may need an MSI laptop camera for video chatting when gaming and collaborating in a remote-working environment. Sometimes you will have challenges turning on your laptop camera which can affect your gaming experience or work. Many MSI laptop users report camera complications. A disabled camera, driver issues, and damage could make it not work. Your MSI laptop may not detect your camera for several reasons, which you can resolve.

msi camera wont turn on 1 MSI Camera Not Working? 9 Troubleshooting Steps

Table of Contents

Why won’t my MSI camera turn on?

You can fix your MSI camera by enabling camera access, updating drivers, reinstalling the camera driver, troubleshooting hardware, and updating windows. The solutions are effective fixes when your camera is not working. They are also easy, so you don’t need high expertise.

You don’t have to try all the fixes. Establishing the probable causes of the issue will help you find a solution faster. You need to troubleshoot the exact problem so that you can fix it. The best method is to do the elimination technique. Start by enabling the camera, then allow camera access and if it doesn’t work, try updating the drivers.

If the first simple fixes don’t work, move to the more complicated techniques such as updating windows and removing recently installed programs. Here are several causes of your MSI camera not working and how to fix the issues at home.

Your MSI camera may not work because of disabling, driver issues, hardware issues, a failing keyboard, or damage. 

There are several ways to fix the issue. Confirm that your MSI camera is not disabled by default when it does not work. Allow access to the camera and turn it on using the function keys. 

If it does not work, proceed to system and driver updates and do hardware troubleshooting. If the issue is persistent, it indicates a damaged camera; seek assistance from a computer expert.

1. Enable Camera

Users have problems with the camera when disabled. To use your camera, you have to enable it manually. 

All MSI laptops have MSIs Dragon Centre as a pre-installed application. It has settings that you can use to disable or enable the camera with a button. Often users enable a hotkey on the application, which can make a button accidentally turn off the camera. 

There are several ways to enable the camera.

Enable Camera from the MSI Dragon Centre

A button in the MSI Dragon Centre could accidentally turn off the camera. To check this, open the MSI Dragon Centre and select “General settings.” Check to confirm if the WebCam is on; if it is off, turn it on.

Use Function Keys

You can use the function keys to turn on the camera without opening the MSI Dragon Centre application.

Press the Fn and F6 simultaneously to enable your camera. If this does not resolve the issue, proceed to the next solution.

2. Allow Camera Access

Your camera may fail to open if the operating system cannot access it. To resolve this, change the Windows privacy settings to allow access to the camera. 

  1. Press the Windows key on the bottom left side of your laptop. Alternatively, click on the Windows icon on your screen to open the Start Menu.
  2. Navigate the list and select “Camera.”
  3. When the camera tab opens, select “Change,” then turn on “Camera access for this device.”
  4. Turn on the button attached to “Allow apps to access camera.”
  5. Allowing camera access can resolve the issue; however, proceed to the next steps if unsuccessful.
msi camera wont turn on 1 1 MSI Camera Not Working? 9 Troubleshooting Steps

3. Update the Camera Driver

An outdated driver will cause your laptop and camera to malfunction. An outdated driver is a reason for your MSI camera not working.

Updating the driver can help your laptop run smoothly. Updating the driver may not always fix the issue; sometimes, it can make your camera not work. 

Updating Your Camera Driver Manually

Manual MSI camera manual update is straightforward. Visit MSI’s official support page and download the respective integrated webcam driver. Ensure the driver corresponds to your Windows OS version.

Double-click on the file when the download is complete and follow the guide to install and update your driver.

Updating Your Camera Driver Automatically

An automatic update is ideal if you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy. Update with the following simple steps.

  1. Press Windows on your laptop’s keyboard and type “Device Manager” in the search field. You can also use a shortcut to access Device Manager; press the Windows and the X key on your keyboard. 
  2. Select “Device Manager.”
  3. A Device Manager tab will pop up. Click on “Camera.”
  4. Click on the “Driver” tab and select “Update Driver.”

4. Uninstall the Driver

A camera driver update can cause issues. Uninstalling the current driver can undo an update that didn’t go well. When you uninstall the driver, the system automatically installs the previous driver. Here are the steps. 

  1. Click on the Windows icon on your laptop’s screen and type “Device Manager” in the search box. You can also use a shortcut to access Device Manager; press the Windows and the X key on your keyboard. 
  2. Select “Device Manager.”
  3. A Device Manager tab will pop up. Click on “Camera.”
  4. Click on the “Driver” tab and select “Roll Back Driver.”

5. Hardware Troubleshoot

If enabling the camera, updating your camera driver, and allowing camera access does not solve the problem, your MSI laptop could have internal hardware issues. To confirm this, troubleshoot hardware to identify and address the issue. Here are the steps.

  1. Click the Windows and R key on your laptop.
  2. Run will open.
  3. In the search box, type “sdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic” and click Enter.
  4. This will open the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter.
  5. Follow the on-screen guide to troubleshoot.
  6. You will get feedback on the hardware causing the problem once the troubleshooting completes. 
  7. Follow the recommended troubleshooting process to fix the issue.

6. Uninstall a Recently Installed Program or Application

Sometimes newly installed applications can make your MSI camera not work. If your camera was functional before installing an application but stopped working, try to uninstall the application. This could address the issue. To uninstall a program:

  1. Press Windows on your keyboard.
  2. In the search box, type “Control Panel.”
  3. Click on “Control Panel” to open.
  4. Under adjust your computer settings, click on “Programs” to open.
  5. Open “Programs and Features.”
  6. Right click on the recently installed program and select “Uninstall”.
  7. Once the uninstallation process completes, restart your laptop.
  8. Confirm if the camera works.

7. Update Windows

If your MSI laptop is old, chances are you have outdated Windows and your Webcam lacks important updates to make it work properly. 

Doing a system update is essential as it may help you fix the camera and other underlying issues. Here are the steps to update Windows on your MSI laptop.

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Settings” in the search box.
  2. Open “Settings” and click “Update & Security” to open.
  3. At the top of the window, click on the “Check for updates” button.
  4. If there are updates listed, download and install.
  5. Once the updates are complete, restart your laptop.

8. Check for Faulty Keyboard

A faulty keyboard could make your camera not work. If pressing the Fn and F6 keys to turn on your camera does not work, the issue could be the keys. Inspect the keyboard to confirm it’s working correctly.

You can test with an external keyboard to confirm changes. Signs of failing include keys that don’t work, repeat themselves, jam, or produce the wrong output. To fix the keys, reset the embedded controller firmware with the following steps.

  1. Shut down your laptop.
  2. Disconnect the power cord.
  3. Press your laptop’s power button and hold for about 15 seconds to reset the firmware.
  4. Connect the AC power cord.
  5. Put on your laptop.

Press the Fn and F6 keys simultaneously and confirm if it fixes the issue. You could damage your keyboard by dropping or spilling fluids on it. In this case, take your computer to an expert for keyboard repair or replacement.

In case of suspected damage, take your computer to an expert for keyboard repair or replacement.

9. Update Chipset Drivers

Chipset drivers are small computer files that help the operating system communicate and work with the motherboard. They are vital for the communication of critical components of your laptop, including the camera.

Updating the chipset drivers can fix your camera. While you can update manually by downloading the drivers on the MSI support page, the process could take time. 

An automatic download is easier and faster. Here are the steps. 

  1. Press the Windows key and type “Device Manager” in the search box
  2. Open the Device Manager. 
  3. Expand “System devices” from the listed categories.
  4. Right-click on the driver you intend to update.
  5. From the menu provided, choose “Update driver.”
  6. Select the option to find the updated driver automatically. 
  7. Follow prompts to install the driver and complete the update.

What Happens if the Solutions Don’t Work?

If you have tried all the fixes and your camera still does not work, you may want to assess the condition of your camera. Camera damage is not common, but it is a possibility. 

The camera is not detachable and, therefore, impossible to check at home. Consult a computer engineer to diagnose your camera and recommend a way out.

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