Dell Computers: Are Webcams Built-In Or External?

Dell computers and laptops are often equipped with an integrated webcam located above the display. These built-in cameras cannot be physically unplugged but can be disabled through the Windows Device Manager. External webcams can also be added to Dell devices via a USB port.

How to check if your Dell computer has a camera

Many Dell laptops and flat-panel monitors include an integrated webcam above the LCD screen. However, if you are unsure whether your Dell computer has a camera, there are a few ways to check.

Firstly, you can check physically on your laptop screen to see if there is a camera. If you have an internal webcam, it will be located just above the display. Some internal webcams also have a physical switch to cover the webcam when it is not in use, so make sure that this is open.

Secondly, you can check your device manager in Windows. To do this, right-click the Windows "Start" button and select "Device Manager" from the pop-up menu. Then, double-click "Imaging Devices" to view your built-in webcam. If you are using Windows 7, you can also click the Start button and then click Control Panel. From there, click System and Security, and then click Device Manager. Next, click the arrow next to Imaging Devices to expand the selection and view your webcam.

If you are still unsure whether your Dell computer has a camera, you can visit the Dell support website and search for the specifications of your laptop by entering your service tag or using the detect product function. Once you know your model number, you can google the specifications for that model to see if it includes a camera.

How to activate a Dell webcam

Dell computers, including laptops, flat-panel monitors, and all-in-ones, often come with an integrated webcam. Some Dell Inspirons feature a built-in camera along with the Dell Webcam Central program, which allows users to capture photos and videos or adjust settings. External webcams, on the other hand, are connected to computers via a USB cable.

If you're wondering how to activate your Dell webcam, follow these steps:

Check Your Camera Settings:

• Open the Start menu and launch the Settings app.
• Navigate to Privacy & Security (in Windows 11) or Privacy (in Windows 10).
• Under App Permissions, click on Camera.
• Ensure that "Let apps access your camera" is enabled.
• In Windows 10, turn on "Camera access for this device" under "Allow access to the camera on this device."
• Choose the specific apps you want to grant camera access to.

Enable the Webcam in BIOS or UEFI:

• Restart or turn on your computer.
• At the Dell logo screen, repeatedly press F2 to enter the BIOS or System Setup. Alternatively, you can press F12 to access the One Time Boot Menu, then select BIOS Setup or System Setup.
• Locate the option to enable or disable the webcam in the BIOS or UEFI and make sure it is enabled. The BIOS interface may vary, so refer to your Dell computer's user guide for specific information.

Use Dell Webcam Central (for Dell Inspiron):

• Click "Start," then select "All Programs" followed by "Dell Webcam" and finally "Webcam Central." Alternatively, click Start, type "webcam" in the search box, and select "Webcam Central."
• To take photos, click "Snap Photos" to activate the webcam.
• To record videos, click "Record Videos" to enable the camera.

Adjust Settings with Dell Webcam Manager:

• Click the Start button and search for "webcam."
• Select "Dell Webcam Manager" from the search results or right-click the camera icon in the system tray.
• Click "Webcam Console" or "Launch Webcam Console."
• Adjust settings like brightness, contrast, colour, pan/zoom, and face tracking on the "Camera" tab.
• On the "Effects" tab, you can enable or disable video and audio filters.

Set Up an External Dell UltraSharp Webcam:

• Connect the USB-C end of the cable to the USB-C port on the webcam.
• Align and insert the webcam mount head into the webcam slot.
• Attach the webcam to your monitor, adjust its position, and remove the lens cap.
• Connect the USB-A side of the cable to a USB 3.0 port on your computer.
• Follow the on-screen instructions in the Dell Peripheral Manager application for further setup.

How to hide a Dell built-in camera

Many Dell laptops and flat-panel monitors include a built-in webcam above the LCD screen. Unlike external webcams that can be unplugged from your computer, you cannot physically disconnect a built-in camera. This means that you might worry about accidentally starting a video call and unintentionally letting people see you. Hiding your Dell camera can give you some peace of mind.

How to Hide Your Dell Built-In Camera

There are a few different ways to hide your Dell built-in camera:

Use the Privacy Shutter

Some Dell devices include a privacy shutter that you can slide to the right to cover the camera lens.

Disable the Camera in Device Manager

You can also disable the camera temporarily through the Windows Device Manager. Here's how:

• Click the Start button to open the Start menu.
• Type "Device Manager" into the search box and click "Device Manager" in the search results.
• Double-click "Imaging Devices" in the Device Manager to reveal a list of your installed imaging devices.
• Right-click the entry for your Dell camera to open a pop-up menu.
• Click "Disable" to hide the camera.
• Use the Camera Disable Key

If you have a Latitude 9420 or 9520 device, you can use the SafeShutter feature, which includes a camera disable (F9) key to turn off the camera.

Check Your Camera Privacy Settings

Make sure that your camera privacy settings are configured correctly:

• Press and hold the Windows key, and then press the q key.
• In the Search box, type "camera privacy settings".
• Click or touch "Camera privacy settings (System settings)" in the list of programs.
• Ensure the setting to the right of "Camera Access" is On.
• Close the Settings window.

How to fix a Dell laptop camera that's not working

If your Dell laptop camera is not working, there are several fixes you can try.

Firstly, check the cover of your webcam. Webcam covers are used to protect you from unwanted recordings and protect your webcam from physical damage. Make sure that you uncover your webcam.

Secondly, allow apps to access your camera. Microsoft gives users the mandate to choose which applications can access your camera. The app you are using may have lost permission to access your webcam. So, you need to offer permission for the app in your privacy settings. Here is how you can do it:

• On your Windows search bar, type "setting" to open the Settings app.
• Go to "Privacy" and click on it.
• Under "App permissions", click on "Camera".
• Toggle the button to turn camera access on.
• Ensure that the specific app you want to use is granted access to the camera.

Thirdly, check your camera privacy settings. Here is how you can do it:

• Press and hold the Windows key, then press "q".
• In the search box, type "camera privacy settings".
• Click on "Camera privacy settings" in the list of programs.
• Ensure the setting to the right of "Camera Access" is on.

If the above solutions do not work, you can try the following:

• Check the camera is enabled in the BIOS of your Dell laptop.
• Reset the camera application.
• Run the video playback troubleshooter.
• Reinstall the webcam drivers.
• Run the Dell personal computer hardware diagnostics on your internal webcam.
• Optimize your device using SupportAssist.
• Check your antivirus software.
• Update your webcam driver.
• Restart your computer.

Third-party applications that can make use of your Dell webcam

Many Dell laptops and monitors include a built-in webcam, which is integrated above the LCD screen. Dell also offers external webcams that can be connected to desktops and laptops via a USB cable.

Cheese

Cheese is a program often used to test webcam functionality. It can capture video and stills from the webcam and apply special effects. Cheese supports up to 480p resolution.

Ekiga

Ekiga is a long-time default application for VoIP/Video Chat. It is an open-source movie player with functions that allow you to choose a "capture device" to record or stream the feed.

MPlayer

MPlayer is an audio/video recording, conversion, and streaming application that is cross-platform. It can display a webcam video stream.

MEncoder

MEncoder is a companion application to MPlayer that can record from a webcam to video files.

Skype

Skype is a dedicated VoIP/Video Chat program by Microsoft. It has an open-source version that is regularly updated.

Fswebcam

Fswebcam is a package that provides a picture-taking facility using the Terminal command-line interface.

Additionally, Dell offers its own webcam software application, the Dell WebCam Software Application, supported on Latitude and Precision models running Windows XP and Vista.

Frequently asked questions