Windows 11 doesn’t have a single “default camera” setting. Each app picks its own camera, so you change it in that app: in Teams, go to Settings > Devices > Camera; in Zoom, Settings > Video & Effects > Camera; in your browser, set the camera under site permissions. To make every app use an external webcam, you can disable the built-in camera in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras.
These steps are for Windows 11 with the current Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Chrome, and Edge. Plug in the webcam you want to use and open its privacy shutter first, and note its name (for example, “Logitech C920” or “Integrated Camera”) so you can pick the right one from each list.
Why Windows 11 Has No Default Camera Setting
Microsoft’s Camera settings page under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras lets you adjust each camera’s brightness and contrast, or turn a camera off. It doesn’t let you mark one as the default. Most apps remember the last camera you chose, so you usually only need to change it once per app.
There are two ways to get the camera you want:
- Choose it in each app. Best if you sometimes use the built-in camera and sometimes an external one.
- Disable the camera you don’t want. Best if you always use an external webcam on a laptop. Every app then falls back to the one that’s left.
How to Choose Your Camera in Microsoft Teams
- Open Teams and select Settings and more (the three dots) next to your profile picture.
- Select Settings, then Devices.
- Under the video settings, open the Camera drop-down menu and choose your webcam.
- Check the preview below the menu to confirm it’s the right camera.
During a meeting, select More > Settings > Device settings to switch cameras without leaving the call. Microsoft covers these options in its Teams device settings guide.
How to Choose Your Camera in Zoom
- Open the Zoom Workplace app and select the Settings gear icon at the top right. You can also select your profile picture and choose Settings.
- Select Video & Effects on the left.
- Open the Camera drop-down menu and choose your webcam. The preview updates right away.
To switch during a meeting, select the small arrow next to Start Video or Stop Video and choose a camera from the list under Select a Camera.
How to Choose Your Camera in Google Meet
- Go to meet.google.com in your browser.
- Select the Settings gear icon, then Video.
- Under Camera, choose your webcam. Your video appears to the right if it’s working.
- Select Done.
Google lists these steps in its Meet video and audio settings help page. Meet runs in your browser, so the browser setting below can also affect which camera it starts with.
How to Set a Default Camera in Chrome or Edge
Browsers do have a default camera setting, which websites use unless you pick another one on the site.
Google Chrome:
- Select the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
- Select Privacy and security > Site settings > Camera.
- Choose your webcam from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
Microsoft Edge:
- Select the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
- Select Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Camera. In some Edge versions, this is under Cookies and site permissions instead.
- Choose your webcam from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
Reload any open video call tabs after you change it.
How to Disable the Built-In Camera So Apps Use Your Webcam
This is the closest thing to a system-wide default. You need to be signed in with an administrator account.
- Open Settings and select Bluetooth & devices > Cameras.
- Under Connected cameras, select the built-in camera, often named Integrated Camera or after your laptop’s brand.
- Select Disable, then Yes to confirm.
Apps now see only your external webcam. To undo it, return to the same page, select the camera under Disabled cameras, and choose Enable.
Microsoft notes that on some PCs, disabling one camera also disables others, and Windows will warn you if that’s the case. Some cameras also need a restart to turn off. Infrared cameras used for Windows Hello face sign-in don’t appear on this page. On most laptops, disabling the regular camera leaves face sign-in working, but if Windows warns that other cameras will be disabled too, select No if you rely on Windows Hello.
You can do the same thing in Device Manager: right-click Start, select Device Manager, expand Cameras, right-click the built-in camera, and choose Disable device.
How to Check Which Camera Is Active
Open the Camera app from the Start menu. If you have more than one camera turned on, select the Change camera button at the top of the window to switch between them and see which feed is which. Microsoft’s Camera app guide shows where the button is. Switching in the Camera app doesn’t change the camera in Teams, Zoom, or other apps. For a full check of your webcam, see how to test a webcam in Windows 11.
If Your Webcam Isn’t in the List
- Close other apps. Most webcams work with only one app at a time. Close the Camera app, other meeting apps, and browser tabs using video, then reopen the app’s camera menu.
- Reconnect it. Unplug the webcam, wait a few seconds, and plug it into a different USB port. Avoid unpowered USB hubs.
- Check camera permissions. Open Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. Make sure Camera access is on, and turn on Let desktop apps access your camera for apps like Zoom, Teams, and browsers. Microsoft explains these switches in its camera permissions guide.
- Look in Disabled cameras. If you disabled it earlier, enable it again in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras.
- Check the driver. In Device Manager, a yellow warning icon next to the camera means a driver problem. Our guide to turning on the camera on a Windows 11 laptop covers drivers, shutters, and camera keys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to set one default camera for all apps in Windows 11?
Not directly. Windows lets each app choose its camera. Disabling the cameras you don’t want in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras is the only way to force every app onto one webcam.
Why does my laptop keep switching back to the built-in camera?
Some apps return to the first camera they find if your webcam was unplugged when they started, or if it was in use by another app. Plug in the webcam before you open the app, or disable the built-in camera.
Will disabling the built-in camera stop Windows Hello face sign-in?
Usually not. Windows Hello uses a separate infrared camera that doesn’t appear on the Cameras settings page. On some PCs the two cameras are linked, and Windows shows a warning before it disables more than one. Cancel at that warning if you use face sign-in.
Does the camera I pick in Teams change it in Zoom?
No. Each app keeps its own camera setting, so set it once in each app you use.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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