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Why isn't my camera working at all, not even an error code is popping up?

Fellow Struggler 20 Reputation points
2025-07-12T01:02:59.1033333+00:00
  • I have a Surface Pro 7.
  • I tried previewing the surface camera front and it specifically says, "Camera preview failed to start, please reload the page and try again" (Reloading the page did nothing).
  • I tried shutting down my PC for thirty seconds and turning it back on and it still doesn't work.
  • Since my camera doesn't work, I haven't been able to use facial recognition.
  • This has happened before, but I don't remember how it got back to normal. It took a long time though, like now.
  • Last thing, I have troubleshooted multiple times and still nothing, please help!
Surface | Surface Pro | Sound and camera
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  1. Chen1018 13,730 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-07-12T03:56:16.32+00:00

    Hi there,

    Thanks for the update and I understand how frustrating this is, especially when basic features like the camera stop working.

    Please try these suggestion Instead:

    1. Force restart your Surface Hold the Power button for 20 seconds until it shuts down completely, then turn it back on.
    2. Pause Updates Temporarily Go to Settings > Windows Update > Pause updates for 7 days – this can sometimes break the loop and allow you to restart.
    3. Manual Driver Reinstall In Device Manager, right-click the camera and choose Uninstall device. Then from the Action menu at the top, choose Scan for hardware changes.

    Let me know how it goes and I'm here to guide you for further assistance.

    Warm regards,

    Cherrelyn

    1 person found this answer helpful.

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  1. Chen1018 13,730 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-07-12T02:28:10.97+00:00

    `Hi there,

    I'm Cherrelyn, I'm here to help and I completely understand how frustrating this camera issue is.

    Please try these suggestion:

    1. Check Device Manager: Press Win + X > Device Manager > Cameras. Right-click your camera and choose Uninstall device, then restart your Surface and Windows will attempt to reinstall it automatically.
    2. Run Surface Diagnostic Toolkit if you haven’t yet and it’s designed to target hardware issues on Surface devices.
    3. Check Windows Hello settings: Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and see if facial recognition says “Unavailable.” If so, re-add the facial sign-in after the camera is fixed.

    If nothing helps, there could be a firmware issue. Let me know, and I’ll walk you through more advanced steps.

    Warm regards,

    Cherrelyn

  2. Chen1018 13,730 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-07-12T05:59:55.07+00:00

    Hi again!

    I'm so glad to hear your camera is working now and that’s such a relief! Thank you for letting me know, and well done for following through with the updates and restart.

    Warmest regards,

    Cherrelyn

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