To begin with, just like most computers, Lenovo usually comes with a built-in camera or webcam. However, different operating systems have their distinct methods of operation. Hence, many Lenovo users would like to know how to use the camera on a Lenovo laptop with Windows 7 operating system.
Even with the introduction of Windows 10, many of us are still using Windows 7 operating system because of its user-friendly interface and easy settings. In this article, we will show you how to switch on a webcam, install the recommended set of drivers, record videos and take pictures with a Lenovo computer windows 7.
Table of Contents
How to Install Lenovo Computer Camera Drivers?
i. Turn on your computer by pressing the start button and then go to Control Panel.
ii. Look for “System and Security” when the control panel interface displays and click on it.
iii. Click on “Device Manager” and go to the “USB Imaging Devices” tab.
iv. Under the “USB Imaging Devices” tab, select “Lenovo Visual Communication Camera.”
v. Then go to the menu tab and click “Action”.
vi. On the Action window, click “Uninstall.”
vii. Then go back to the menu tab and click “Action” again.
viii. Now, click on the “Scan for Hardware Changes” icon.
ix. Close the window and restart the computer
Before you even think of learning how to use the webcam on a Lenovo computer, ensure that the drivers are properly installed. Unlike digital cameras, computers require drivers to communicate with their operating systems.
Also, all the drivers your device needs to operate efficiently is supposed to be installed together with the operating system. But that is not always the case. Sometimes you may need to reinstall or update the set of drivers, so your webcam operates smoothly.
How to Record a Video with Lenovo Windows 7 Operating System
To record a video using the webcam of a Lenovo running a Windows 7 operating system, do the following:
i. Switch on the Lenovo computer and then go to the Windows icon located at the bottom left of the screen.
ii. Select “All Programs” option and then click on “Capture from Video Device” from the drop-down list.
iii. Increase the microphone volume and then press “Next”
iv. Save the file of your video in a designated destination folder
v. Choose the “Best Quality” field and click “Next”
vi. Click on the “Start Capture” tab to begin recording and when recording done, click “Stop Capture”
vii. Click “Finish” to end the entire process
Lenovo Camera Not Working In Windows 7 — How to fix It (Method 1)
To fix a Lenovo camera or webcam that isn’t working on a Windows 7 OS (operating system), do the following…
Step 1 — Open the device manager
To open the device manager, go to Computer, right click and select Properties. Open the device manager and locate “Imaging devices”.
Step 2 — Uninstall integrated webcam
Expand it and select Integrated Webcam. Right click on Integrated Webcam and select Uninstall.
Step 3 — Scan for hardware changes
After uninstalling, go to the second tab named Action in the same window.
In the drop down menu that comes up, select “Scan for hardware changes”. Locate Imaging devices and you’ll discover that the driver has been reinstalled.
This should fix the problem but if not, try this other method…
Lenovo Camera Not Working In Windows 7 — How to fix It (Method 2)
Step 1: Change startup type to disabled
Go to the start button and in the search bar, type “services” (without the quotes). From the results that show up, right click on “Services” and run as administrator.
Once you open the Services window, look for Windows Update folder in the name column. Open it (Windows Update).
Under “General” tab, change the startup type to “Disabled”. Once you’ve selected Disabled, click the stop button. Next, click Apply and then click OK. Now, close the window.
Step 2: Delete DataStore and Download folders
Now open your computer and locate your C Drive. Open the Windows folder. In that folder, find the folder named SoftwareDistribution. Open it and look for two folders…
DataStore and Download. Select both of them and delete them. Now you can close this window.
Step 3: Restart Windows 7 update
Go to the start button again and, in the search bar, type “services” (without the quotes). From the results that show up, right click on “Services” and run as administrator.
Once you open the Services window, look for Windows Update in the name column. Open it (Windows Update).
Under “General” tab, change the startup type to “Automatic”. Once you’ve selected Automatic, click Apply and then click Start and then click OK. Now, close the window.
Now restart your computer and the problem should be fixed.
Video: How to Fix Lenovo Laptop Camera Issues?
To fix camera problems that usually come with Lenovo laptops, check out this video…
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Our Take
Overall, Windows 7 operating system has a user-friendly interface that allows you to easily maneuver your way through tons of exciting features on your computer.
Furthermore, you can use the webcam of a Lenovo laptop to take pictures, record videos and chat via the internet with friends and family. But first, a user has to ensure the webcam drivers and application are properly installed.
How to Use Camera on Lenovo Laptop Windows 7 – Related FAQs
How Do I Test My Webcam on Windows 7?
To test a web camera on Windows 7, do the following:
i. Set up a proper webcam connection.
ii. Open any internet browser app and fill in “webcammictest.com” in the address bar.
iii. Now, press the “Check My Webcam” button displayed on the landing page.
iv. When the permission box pops up, press the “Allow” button.
v. The web camera’s feed will appear showing that the webcam is working. However, if the camera is connected via a USB cord and no image pops up after the test has been completed, try detaching and reconnecting the USB cord.
How Do I Download a Camera on My Laptop Windows 7?
To download camera on a laptop with Windows 7, follow the steps below:
i. Tap the wondiss button on the computer and press the “Control Panel” button
ii. On the drop-down menu that appears, click on “System and Security”, and then click on “Device Manager”
iii. Press the “Action” button displayed on the drop-down menu, and then click on “Update Driver Software”
iv. Click on the “Browse My Computer” option and click the “Browse” option
v. Scroll over to “C:\Windows\system32\drivers” and click “Ok”
vi. Tap the “Close” icon and restart the laptop
How Do I Know if I Have a Camera on My Computer?
To check whether a computer has a camera, try accessing the camera by clicking on the “start” button and typing “camera”. The camera icon should appear on the screen. However, if the icon doesn’t appear, go to “device manager” from the windows start button. Check for “imaging devices” and double-click on it. Details about the webcam should appear on the screen.
The built-in microphone can also be checked by clicking on “audio inputs and outputs” on the drop-down menu from the device manager.
How Do I Disable the Camera on My Laptop?
To disable the camera on a laptop, follow the steps below:
i. Tap the Windows button and click on “Device Manager” from the drop-down menu.
ii. Tap > besides “Imaging Devices” and click on “Integrated Camera”
iii. Next, hit the “Disable” button and click on “Yes”
iv. Since the “integrated camera” option may differ because different computers make use of different hardware, click on the drop-down option that appears on the screen after hitting the “Imaging Devices” button
Why Can’t My Laptop Find My Camera?
A laptop won’t recognize a camera when the camera drivers are outdated, there is an alteration in camera app settings or the computer needs a specific USB port for recognition. The good news is, it is a solvable problem.
If the issue is with the camera driver, try to unplug the camera, install the updated driver version or reinstall the specific driver so that the computer can recognize the camera.
If the problem is associated with the USB port, plug a USB cable to the computer and plug in the other end to the computer.
Can Someone See You through Your Laptop Camera?
People can see through a laptop camera, but this is only possible if the web camera has been hacked. To ensure a web camera’s privacy, it is important to install anti-malware software on the PC. However, if the webcam is hacked, there are some tell-tale signs to watch out for.
Every webcam has a tiny indicator light next to it, if the light comes on at odd times, someone may be watching. Also, there will be unfamiliar video files on the PC. This only means that the files are getting saved to the computer while the hacker is trying to collect it.
Should You Cover Your Laptop Camera?
A laptop camera should be covered. Many people use a dedicated camera cover or masking tape to cover the face of the camera. Covering the face of the camera will prevent hackers from seeing whatever the camera can see. It can also, muffle the sounds well enough to frustrate them from listening in on conversations.
While this is an innovative idea, it is not an entirely secure way to prevent a computer from being hacked. Install anti-malware software to protect the camera’s privacy and if it is an external camera, always unplug it after use.
How Do I Change My Camera Settings on My Laptop?
To change the camera settings on a laptop, do the following:
i. Tap the Windows button on the screen and left-click on “Webcam”.
ii. Click on the “search” button and type in “camera” in the search bar.
iii. Now, click on the camera icon displayed on the screen and adjust the settings to desire.
iv. The webcam’s settings include, “spot adjust”, “self-timer,” “exposure,” and “change webcam”. These settings may, however, differ from settings on other laptops or based on what the camera can do.