STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Teams: Fix Camera and Microphone Access on Windows

What to do first

Sort by hardware, OS permissions, Teams settings, and Windows app comparison.

This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.

Affected products and symptoms

Product
Microsoft Teams for work or school
Versions and conditions
Teams desktop version / Teams on the web (Windows)

Symptoms

  • No image appears
  • I can't hear the other person

Causes and conditions

Candidates include occupancy, physical mute/shutter, Windows/browser privileges, and incorrect device selection.

Before you start

  • Prepare alternative means of participation, such as telephone audio
  • Check the device names of the camera and microphone

Precautions

  • Allow only necessary apps permissions
  • Do not discuss confidential information on test recordings

Tools and official pages used in this guide

Microsoft Teams for work or school troubleshooting sequence: View occupancy and physical status; Allow Windows permissions; Select with Teams; Compare with OS apps; Verify with Teams
Procedure overview created by FaultNote. Read the precautions and full instructions before changing settings. Read the full steps

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 01

    View occupancy and physical status

    #

    Close Zoom, etc., and release the shutter, privacy key, and physical mute on the headset.

    Check that the standard Windows camera displays images and that the headset is turned on. If you have both internal and external devices, Teams will match which one you are trying to use with the following settings.

    Open [Settings etc.] → [Settings] → [Device] in the top right corner of Teams, and note down the actual device name displayed on the speaker, microphone, and camera. If only [Default] is selected, explicitly select the actual device from the candidate list.

  2. 02

    Allow Windows permissions

    #

    Allow Teams or the desktop app for [Camera] and [Microphone] in [Settings] → [Privacy and Security].

    In Windows 10, open [Settings] → [Privacy] and then [Camera] or [Microphone]. If the switch is disabled by your organization, do not change it in the registry, etc., and check with your administrator for permissions.

  3. 03

    Select with Teams

    #

    Select the actual camera and microphone in [Settings etc.] → [Settings] → [Device].

    Check the device name and then select it. There are similar candidates such as the monitor's microphone, laptop's built-in microphone, and USB headset, so check to see if the same name is selected on the Windows side before trying the preview.

  4. 04

    Compare with OS apps

    #

    Check if it works outside of Teams using the Windows camera app and the [Sound] input meter.

    If you cannot use the built-in Windows apps, check the permissions and recognition on the Windows side before resetting Teams. If you can use the built-in app but only Teams fails, give priority to the device settings in Teams or site permissions in the browser.

  5. 05

    Verify with Teams

    #

    Try the pre-meeting preview and the available Test Call. The web version also allows site permissions in the address bar.

    Test calls may not be displayed depending on your usage environment. In that case, you can also check the video preview before the meeting. In the web version, review the permissions from the site information in your browser and reload the page if necessary.

Check the result

  • Video and input meters move
  • You can check the audio on a test call or on the other end.

If the problem continues

  • If the OS also fails, check Windows Update and manufacturer instructions.
  • If the settings are gray, ask the administrator.

Scope of this guide

Troubleshooting guide — General diagnostic and recovery procedures based on official support. It does not describe a specific current incident.

Frequently asked questions

OS apps also fail.

Prioritize permissions, drivers, and equipment rather than Teams-specific.

No test calls.

Availability varies by client. Use the pre-meeting level meter or a short test call instead.

Official sources and dates

Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.

Related troubleshooting guides

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