camera is not found in list on device manager

Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

When a manufacturer doesn't provide a specific driver, the camera relies on a generic Windows driver. However, for that driver to load, the system must recognize the hardware first. In your case, the camera isn't being detected, which points to either a hardware issue or a conflict with another device driver.

Please check if the camera is hidden in Device Manager. If it is and you can find it, see if it's showing error code 45 under Device status in its properties.

1. Press "Windows + X" and select "Device Manager";
2. Click on the "View" menu and select "Show hidden devices";
3. Expand "Cameras";

(If this category is not displayed, let me know.)

4. If the camera is listed, right-click and select "Properties". Check if there is an error in "Device Status".

If you prefer, share a screenshot. Use the shortcut "Windows + Shift + S" to use the screenshot tool.

While still in Device Manager, also check to see if there are any devices labeled "Unknown Device" or with a warning sign in the other categories.

Share a screenshot of what you find.

Also, share a screenshot of your system information.

(The HP Spectre x360 has multiple variants. I need to know which exact variant your laptop is.)

• Press "Windows + R", type msinfo32 and press Enter.

Maximize the window and use the screenshot tool.

Looking forward to your reply.

On this device, if the built‑in camera is not listed anywhere in Device Manager, Windows cannot see the hardware at all. That can be due to driver issues, but also to a hardware failure or a disabled device.

Try these steps in order:

1. Check for a hidden or undetected device
   1. Open Device Manager (press Start, type device manager, select it).
   2. Look under Cameras, Imaging devices, and Sound, video and game controllers.
   3. If the camera is not listed, on the Action menu select Scan for hardware changes.
   4. Wait for the scan to complete, then restart the device and test the Camera app.
2. Check for an incompatible or very old camera
   1. If the camera appears after the scan, right‑click it, choose Properties, then go to the Driver tab.
   2. Select Driver Details and look for a file name that includes stream.sys.
   3. If stream.sys is present, the camera was designed before Windows 7 and is not supported; replacement hardware is required.
3. Roll back or reinstall the driver (if the camera appears)
   1. In Device Manager, right‑click the camera → Properties → Driver tab.
   2. If available, select Roll Back Driver, confirm, restart, and test the Camera app.
   3. If rollback is not available or does not help, on the Driver tab select Uninstall Device, check Attempt to remove the driver for this device, select OK.
   4. In Device Manager, open the Action menu → Scan for hardware changes to let Windows reinstall the driver, then restart and test.
4. Switch to the in‑box UVC driver (if the camera is detected but not working)
   1. In Device Manager, locate the camera under Cameras or Imaging devices.
   2. Right‑click it and select Update driver.
   3. Select Browse my computer for drivers.
   4. Select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
   5. Choose USB Video Device, select Next, then Close and test.

If, after scanning for hardware changes, the camera still never appears in Device Manager under any category, and HP does not provide a driver, this strongly suggests a hardware issue (for example, a disconnected or failed camera module) rather than a missing download. In that case, hardware service from HP or a repair shop is required.

References:

• Camera doesn't work in Windows
• my camera is not listed under device manager camera is not listed and it's not under imaging devices - Microsoft Q&A
• my camera does not function in windows - Microsoft Q&A