Webcam Flickering or Showing Horizontal Lines in Windows 11
Webcam flicker is commonly caused by a mismatch between the camera's exposure timing and powered lighting, especially LED or fluorescent lights. It can also come from one conferencing app, a congested USB connection, or a camera driver that changed after a Windows update.
The quickest repair path is to determine which of those categories matches the evidence.
First, test the camera outside the affected app
Close Teams, Zoom, Discord, browser meeting tabs, and any virtual-camera software. Open the built-in Camera app from Start and watch the preview for 20 to 30 seconds.
- If the Camera app also flickers, investigate lighting, USB, and the driver.
- If the Camera app is stable, the problem is probably inside the affected meeting app or browser.
- If the Camera app is black or cannot start, use Microsoft's camera troubleshooting guide instead of treating it as a flicker problem.
Testing in a second app is important. It prevents a full driver reinstall for a fault that only exists in one application's camera effects.
Match the anti-flicker setting to the room lighting
If your camera software exposes Anti-flicker, Power-line frequency, or Flicker reduction, test the available 50 Hz and 60 Hz settings. Use the setting that makes the preview stable; do not assume the correct value solely from your location because some lamps and camera utilities behave differently.
Also try these quick lighting checks:
- Face a window or switch off the nearest LED lamp briefly.
- Increase the room light so the camera does not need a long exposure.
- Avoid placing a bright monitor or dimmable lamp directly behind you.
If changing the light immediately removes the bands, the camera and driver are probably healthy.
Rule out an app-specific setting
When only one meeting app flickers:
- Turn off background blur, virtual backgrounds, low-light correction, and automatic framing.
- Select the physical webcam explicitly instead of a virtual camera.
- In a browser, verify the selected camera and test the same meeting page in another supported browser.
- Close camera utilities from the webcam vendor; two applications trying to control exposure can conflict.
Windows camera permission settings are under Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. Microsoft documents the device, Store-app, and desktop-app controls in its camera privacy guide.
Check the USB path
For an external webcam, connect it directly to the PC for testing. Try another port, preferably on the opposite side of a laptop or directly on the motherboard of a desktop. Disconnect an external drive or capture device sharing the same hub.
A bandwidth or power problem is more likely when the image freezes, corrupts, or flickers only at higher resolutions. Lowering the camera resolution for one test can help confirm that hypothesis.
Update or roll back the camera driver carefully
Open Device Manager > Cameras, open the camera's properties, and note the driver provider and date before changing anything.
- If the problem started after an update and Roll Back Driver is available, that is a reversible test.
- Otherwise, check Windows Update's optional driver updates and the PC or webcam manufacturer's support page.
- Restart Windows after a driver change; sleep and wake is not equivalent to a full restart.
Avoid downloading generic driver packages from third-party driver sites.
Related camera checks
If the camera is stable but too dim, see Webcam too dark in Windows 11. If it works in one app but not another, use Webcam works in one app but not another.
What Againly should verify
Againly can compare camera availability, permissions, device status, and application context before suggesting a change. A successful result should be based on a fresh stable preview or device readback, not only on a Settings click completing.
FAQ
Are horizontal lines always a broken webcam? No. Lines that change when a lamp is switched off or the anti-flicker setting changes usually indicate exposure timing, not failed hardware.
Why does the webcam flicker only in Teams or Zoom? The app may be using a different camera, applying video effects, or competing with another camera utility. A stable Windows Camera preview points toward the app layer.
Should I uninstall the camera immediately? No. First test another app, lighting, and a direct USB port. Driver rollback or reinstall is appropriate when the problem began with a driver change or appears in every camera app.