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If you rely on your webcam for work or reuniting with family and friends, you know how upsetting it can be when your device acts up. However, many users don’t realize that even the best webcams must be updated to work reliably. To ensure you stay abreast of any webcam updates, below, we’ll explain how to update a webcam driver.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
If you find this article helpful, you can continue by heading into some of our other webcam-oriented materials. We have a useful guide on how to turn your webcam on. And for general troubleshooting advice, we have another explaining why your webcam isn’t working properly.
Insider Tip
You can set up your computer or download an app that automatically installs the latest drivers.
One of the best things you can do to keep your webcam functioning at 100% efficiency is to check for driver updates. Driver software is a program that acts as a messenger between a hardware device, like a built-in webcam, and the computer’s operating system. Your computer constantly provides driver updates that remove any bugs from the code or general improvements to boost performance. That’s why failing to update your driver can lead to the webcam freezing, glitching, or shutting off as you try to use it.
Performing these necessary but optional updates to your computer’s webcam device is simple once you know where to look. Whether you use a built-in webcam, an external USB webcam, or have read our guide on how to use a camcorder as a webcam, an updated driver is ideal for any situation.
You may face a settings issue if you update your drivers and still experience problems. For this, you can check out our guide on how to make your webcam look better.
Open your computer’s start menu. In the search bar, type in “Device Manager.”
Click on the device manager icon to open a separate window.
Find the “Imaging Devices” option and double-click it to open the drop-down menu.
If you only use a built-in webcam, there should be only one device that appears. If you use an external webcam, there will be multiple options. Double-click on whichever device you want to update to open its settings in a separate window.
At the top of the window, click on the tab that says “Drivers.”
Press the option to “Update Driver,” and on the next screen, press “Search Automatically for Drivers.” This will begin the update process for your webcam device.
After complete updates, restart your computer and test your webcam to ensure it works properly.
Warning
Increased webcam usage heightens the risk of being hacked or spied on.
STAT: There are two main types of computer drivers: device drivers and software drivers. Device drivers communicate between the computer’s operating system and the hardware, such as the webcam. The software drivers bridge communication between applications and the operating system. (source)
