Fix your webcam without uninstalling the Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Recently, we had reported how Microsoft’s big Anniversary Update for Windows 10 released on August 2 has rendered a number of different webcams inoperable in applications such as Microsoft’s Skype video chat and Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), along with all manner of custom CCTV programs for those Windows 10 users who have installed it.
According to Microsoft team member Mike M. on the Windows developer forums said that a fix is in development, and should hopefully arrive in September. But what about those users who do not wish to wait till September to use their webcam?
There is couple of options available for such people. The first one, which is probably the simplest, is to uninstall the Windows 10 Anniversary Update by rolling back to the previous version of Windows 10. By doing this, you would not be able to access any of the Anniversary Update’s cool new features, but you will be able to use your webcam.
The second option is a fix proposed by Twitter user and software engineer Rafael Rivera, which is a registry hack. However, this fix comes with a lot of warnings: This fix involves editing the Windows registry, which can be very unsafe if you are not aware what you are doing. Unless you are comfortable with the registry, it is recommended not to try this hack. Consider yourself warned, as editing the registry incorrectly can create critical issues and even block your device. Also, this fix may not work for all users affected by the webcam-breaking bug.
Check below how you can do it:
1. Right-click the Start button and click Run.
2. Type regedit in the Run dialogue box and hit Enter (or click OK) to open the Registry Editor. You may see a User Account Window pop up asking if you want to proceed; click Yes.
3. In the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows Media Foundation > Platform.
4. Right-click Platform and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this DWORDEnableFrameServerMode.
5. Right-click the DWORD you just created and click Modify.
6. Ensure that the Value data field is set to 0.
7. If you’re using a 32-bit version of Windows 10, you’re done — exit the Registry Editor and see if your webcam is fixed. If you’re using a 64-bit version of Windows 10, you have one more step: Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > WOW6432Node > Microsoft > Windows Media Foundation > Platform and repeat steps 4 through 6.
8. Exit the Registry Editor and see if your webcam is fixed.
Also Read- Best Registry Cleaner For Windows 10 PC
In my case, a reboot was necessary after creating the registry entry.