The Windows 10 Anniversary Update has broken millions of webcams. Here’s how to fix the video problem if your PC is affected.
The issue is apparently down to the way the latest version of Windows 10 handles encoding and decoding, with the Anniversary Update adding the ability for multiple applications to use video as it’s being shot.
In order to introduce this feature, though, Microsoft had to end support for two common encoding systems – a move that the current problems are being blamed on.
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Users are reporting that they’re either unable to stream webcam footage, or that their cam is freezing after a short time, with the issue understood to be affecting both USB-connected webcams and network integrated ones.
The company has promised a fix in its next patch, likely to land in September, but in the meantime, here’s what you can do if you don’t mind a bit of registry tweaking.
Thurrott contributor Rafael Rivera shares the following workaround on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/statuses/766698660608348161
The only other solution is to avoid making the switch to the Anniversary Update, if you still can. Given how aggressively Microsoft has pushed its Windows 10 upgrades though, you may no longer have that option.
If that’s the case, this is the only working fix we’re aware of the moment.
Related: 12 common Windows 10 problems – and how to fix them
Watch: What’s new in Windows 10?
What’s the most infuriating Windows 10 problem you’ve encountered? Let us know in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
