My webcam is not working

My webcam is not working

Generally this is a issue with the permissions in your browser. The instructions below should help troubleshoot. Contact us is you need assistance by creating a help ticket.

Step 1 - Check that your webcam is functioning

  1. Click the Start button
  2. Navigate to your control panel, or type "Control Panel" in Windows 10
  3. Select Hardware and Sound
  4. Open Device Manager and find Imaging Devices. Click to expand. Your webcam should be listed among the imaging devices
  5. Double click to see if the device is functioning properly. If not, try unplugging the devices USB cable and plugging it back in. If the camera has a power button, ensure the power is turned on
  6. If you do not see your webcam listed, you may need to install the software that came with your device. If you do not have a CD, try searching online for the make and model. Usually, the manufacturer will provide downloadable drivers from their website
Another way to activate a laptop web camera is to start using it through an instant messenger service like Skype, Yahoo and Google Hangouts. These applications support video chat and should open up the webcam automatically once you start using them

Step 2 - Try activating your webcam

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Log into the SOVA website via https, not http, and navigate to a page that has integrated webcam features, like lost and found, add visitor, or add equipment user.
  3. In one of the SOVA web pages above, Click the button on your screen labeled "WebCam". The webcam should activate. if you see a popup asking you for permissions, choose Allow, and check the box "Remember this decision".

Screenshot below from Firefox



Screenshot below from Chrome



Step 3 - Check browser settings (Firefox)

  1. From the context menu at the top right, click to open and choose Options
  2. Click Privacy & Security from the menu
  3. Scroll down, and in the Permissions section, Click the "Settings" button next to "Camera"
  4. In the resulting popup screen, ensure the SOVA website is displayed there, and that Status is set to "Allow". If the website does not appear, or if the SOVA website has been blocked from accessing your webcam, make the required changes. See the screenshot below




Step 4 - Check browser settings (Chrome)

  1. From the context menu in Chrome, click to open and choose Settings
  2. Scroll to the bottom and click "Advanced". Some additional options appear below
  3. In the "Privacy" section, click on "Site Settings"
  4. Click "Camera" to view websites where access to the webcam has been previously requested. The SOVA web URL should appear in the "Allow" section. If you see the SOVA web URL listed in the blocked section, click the trash can icon to remove it. See the screenshot below

SOVA does not support versions of Internet Explorer. Please use one of the browsers listed above for the best experience.

If you require additional assistance after trying the steps above, please try clearing your browser history, cache, and data. Then try again. You can also create a help ticket and we will connect you with a live person who can assist.

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