Fixing the Windows 10 Camera App – How to Record Full-Length, High-Quality Videos with Audio

Fixing the Windows 10 Camera App to Record Full-Length, High-Quality Videos

Many Windows 10 users have reported an issue with the built-in Camera app only recording videos for 1 second, without audio. This can be incredibly frustrating if you are trying to capture important moments. Luckily, there are several fixes you can try to resolve this problem and record full-length, high-quality videos using the Windows 10 Camera app.

Troubleshooting Steps for the Windows 10 Camera App

If you are experiencing the issue where the Camera app only records 1-second silent videos, try the following troubleshooting steps:

Reset the Camera App

The first step is to reset the Camera app’s settings which often resolves common problems. To do this, open the Start menu and type "Apps & Features". Open the Apps & Features settings. Scroll down and select the Camera app, then choose Advanced Options > Reset. This will reset the app to its default settings.

How do I fix a camera not working on Windows 10?

Locate and click on Webcam privacy settings in the search results. Locate the Let apps use my camera option and make sure that it is enabled, meaning that apps on your computer are allowed to access and use the camera. When done, try launching the Camera app and check to see whether or not the problem has been fixed.

How do I Reset my Camera on Windows 10?

Step 1: On Windows 10, navigate to Settings >Apps > Apps & features. On Windows 11, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps page. Step 2: On Windows 10, look for the Camera app entry and click on the same to select it. You should now see the Advanced options link. Click the Advanced options link to open the Storage usage and app reset page.

Uninstall and Reinstall the Camera App

If resetting the app does not work, the next step is to completely uninstall the Camera app using PowerShell, and then reinstall it fresh from the Microsoft Store.

Here are the PowerShell commands:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Remove-AppxPackage Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

This fully removes the Camera app from your system and then reinstalls it clean.

Re-register All Windows Store Apps

Sometimes system corruption can cause issues with Windows Store apps like the Camera. Re-registering all the Store apps can fix this:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

After running this PowerShell command, restart your PC.

Update Windows and Drivers

Make sure Windows 10 and all your device drivers are fully up-to-date. Outdated drivers can cause problems with app functionality. Use Windows Update to install the latest Windows updates. For drivers, visit your device manufacturer’s website to get the latest versions.

How do I allow apps to access my camera on Windows 10?

To allow apps to access the camera on Windows 10, use these steps: Open Settings. Click on Privacy. Click on Camera. Under the “Allow access to the camera on this device” section, click the Change button. Turn on the Camera access for this device toggle switch. Turn on the Allow apps to access your camera toggle switch.

How do I enable camera access in Windows 10?

Click Camera to go to bring up the app access settings for the webcam. Turn on Camera access if that setting isn’t enabled. Then toggle on the Windows Camera app access setting. The Settings app’s layout is a little different in Windows 10, but you can still configure camera access much the same.

Does Windows 10 support webcams?

As Microsoft puts it, Windows 7 webcams may not work in Store apps on Windows 10. But desktop apps still support older types of webcams. If your webcam doesn’t appear in some apps but does in other apps, the app may not support the webcam. Skype is particularly weird.

Check Camera Settings

The Camera app lets you adjust settings like video resolution and frame rates. Try adjusting these settings to see if it impacts the recording length. Higher resolutions and frame rates require more system resources and bandwidth.

Also make sure the camera is not physically obstructed or disabled. Some laptops have a camera on/off switch.

Alternative Ways to Record Video on Windows 10

If you still cannot get the built-in Camera app to work properly, here are some good alternatives for recording videos in Windows 10:

Use Xbox Game Bar

The Xbox Game Bar included with Windows 10 provides screen and camera recording capabilities. Open it by pressing Windows key + G. Under the Capture section, you can start recording your webcam. You can configure the video and audio quality in the settings.

Download a Third-Party Webcam App

There are many good third-party webcam apps on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere that can be used instead of the Camera app. Apps like CyberLink YouCam and IP Camera Viewer Pro offer advanced controls.

Use a Dedicated Video Recording Software

For advanced users, consider using dedicated video recording software like Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) Studio. This will provide you with full control over recording formats, resolutions, frame rates, encoding, and more.

How to turn off camera on Windows 10?

Step 1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera. Step 2. Toggle off all apps that are allowed to use the camera. When you open an app that needs to use the camera, it will ask for your permission. In this way, you can start the camera without another app is using the camera. Solution 2. Check Task Manager Step 1.

How to reinstall camera on Windows 10?

To reinstall, refer to the instructions in Method 2 given below. Step 1: On Windows 10, navigate to Settings >Apps > Apps & features. On Windows 11, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps page. Step 2: On Windows 10, look for the Camera app entry and click on the same to select it. You should now see the Advanced options link.

How do I troubleshoot a Windows 10 camera?

Click the Run button for Camera to bring up that troubleshooter, which is a little different from the Windows Store App one. Assuming your camera is indeed connected with a PC, click Yes in that troubleshooter to start automated troubleshooting. In Windows 10’s Settings app, you’ll need to select Update & Security to reach the troubleshooters.

Why can’t I access my camera after updating Windows 10?

After updating Windows 10, some apps may don’t have access to your camera, thus the apps can’t find or start the camera. Step 1. On your computer, click the Start button and then select Settings > Privacy > Camera. Step 2. Toggle on the button for Allow apps to access your camera and select the apps that can access the camera.

How to Reduce Video File Sizes

Videos recorded on Windows 10 can often end up being very large files, especially at high resolutions. Here are some tips for reducing video file sizes:

• Use the built-in Photos app’s Video Editor to compress and export the video in a smaller format.

• Use video compression software like Handbrake to encode the video at a lower bitrate to shrink the file size.

• Convert the video to a more efficient format like H.265 which can achieve similar quality at nearly half the file size.

• Use online compression tools like Clideo that can shrink videos without losing too much quality.

By following these troubleshooting steps and using alternative recording methods, you should be able to successfully record full-length, high-quality videos with audio using your Windows 10 PC. Let us know if the steps above resolved your Camera app issues!

How to uninstall camera app Windows 11?

On Windows 11, click on the three dots next to the Camera entry and then click Advanced options. Step 4: Finally, click the Reset button. When you see the confirmation flyout, click the Reset button to reset the Camera app. Unlike some other default apps, the Camera app cannot be uninstalled via the Settings app.

How to use camera on Windows 10/11?

If you want to capture videos and photos on your Windows 10/11 computer, you can use the built-in Camera app. To open Camera app in Windows 10/11, you can click Start menu, type camera, and click Camera app. If the Camera app doesn’t work, you can try to reset or reinstall the Camera app on your Windows 10/11 computer.

References

1. https://arstechnica.com/civis/threads/windows-10-camera-app-videos-are-massive.1466664/
2. https://www.diyvideostudio.com/how-to-use-a-webcam/