Different apps and software can go out of service for a number of reasons like DDoS attacks, malware, bugs, and so on. While I would recommend Down Detector to check service outages on any given day, for Skype, Microsoft has created a dedicated page themselves.
Follow the link below to check if Skype is facing any issues.
Visit Skype

2. Updates

Has Microsoft released a new update for Skype? Before moving on, there are two ways to install Skype. If you have installed it from the Windows Store, then you can check the updates section to see if there is one available. If so, update it immediately.
If you have installed the Skype app directly from the official site, then you will have to either launch the app to if there is an update prompt, or you can go back and download Skype again. This is why it is better to download from the Windows Store unless it is giving you troubles.

3. Network Connection & Troubleshooting

Check your Internet and WiFi connection and make sure that it is working. Skype video calling can consume a lot of bandwidth and needs a high-speed Internet connection to work without any lags. One thing you can do is to visit Speedtest site and check your download and upload speeds. Another thing you can do is connect a smartphone or some other device to your WiFi network and check if it is working right. This way, you will know whether the issue is with WiFi or your laptop/computer where you can use Skype.

Windows 10 computer comes with a network troubleshooter that will check your network connection and test it for various errors. If you have reason to believe that there is something wrong with the network connection, search for network troubleshooter in the Windows search and run it. Follow the on-screen instructions if an error is found. You may also visit the Microsoft help page where they explain, in detail, why Skype can't detect webcam on Windows 10.
Visit Speedtest

4. Reinstall

Reinstalling any software or app can solve a lot of problems including bad and corrupted files, bugs, and so on. Having said that, reinstalling is just part of the process. You need to remove old files too. First, right-click on Skype to uninstall it.
When you uninstall an app, it leaves left-over files on your system which can be corrupted. To delete them before you reinstall a fresh copy of Skype, press Ctrl+R to open the Run prompt and type "%appdata%" without the quotes before hitting Enter.
Delete the Skype folder found here.

Now you can either visit the Microsoft Store to download Skype which is what we suggest or download directly from the site. Many users have reported that installing from the site actually solved the camera not working on Skype issue for them. Maybe it is worth a shot so do try. Note that updating apps is a lot easier if you install it via the Store. Click on the Get Skype for Windows 10 button to choose an alternative, Get Skype for Windows to download the file on your hard drive.
Also note that when you do a fresh install of Skype, the app will ask you to give it necessary permissions to use the microphone and the camera. This will help it provide audio and video.
Download Skype

5. Webcam Permissions

You did everything right and have given the app necessary permissions to use your camera but still see the 'no device found' error in Skype. It is possible that the settings have failed to register the change due to some bug. To check, press Windows key+I keys on your keyboard to launch Settings and select Privacy here.
Select Camera in the left window pane and scroll a little to find a list of all the apps that have permission to use the camera. Find Skype here and make sure that it is toggled on.
Check if camera is working on Skype in Windows 10.

6. Skype Cam Settings

Apart from Windows 10 settings, each app comes with its own settings and Skype is no different. Launch Skype and click on the menu button to open Settings.
Select Audio and Video in the left window pane here and you should see your webcam working. If it is not working, use the drop down menu above to select the correct camera device. Maybe you have more than one installed?

7. Webcam Drivers

Webcam on your Windows 10 computer is a hardware device which needs drivers in order to connect and work with Skype and other apps that uses it. Are you using the latest drivers? Are they corrupt? To search for and install an update, open the Device Manager and look for webcam device that is installed on your computer. Usually, it should be under Imaging Devices. Double-click to open it and right-click on the camera hardware to update the drivers.
Once done, reboot your Windows 10 PC to check if the camera on Skype is working again or not.

8. Run Troubleshooter

Windows 10 comes with a troubleshooter that will hunt for bugs and other problems that are plaguing your computer and will recommend necessary solutions for them. Search for Troubleshooting in Windows search open it in Settings. There are a lot of troubleshooting options but I am going with Windows Store Apps since I have installed Skype from there and as mentioned earlier, it is a known issue.
Follow the on-screen instructions in case it finds some error. You may try other related troubleshooters based on your hardware and software configuration. Check if Skype can detect the webcam now or is it still not working.

9. Webcam Compatibility

Unlike Apple's Macs, Windows computers come in a variety of configurations which involve different processors, webcam units, sound devices, RAM from companies that manufacture them. How do you know that the webcam installed in your system is compatible with Skype or not?
Fortunately, someone over at Ubuntu has compiled a list of all the known computer models with webcam units that are compatible with Skype. Please go through the list and note that even if your's is not in the list, it is possible that the list was not updated or is incomplete.

10. Reset Skype

Resetting Skype is a much better option than say, formatting or resetting Windows 10. The latter will delete all apps, software, and data stored on your computer leaving you with an empty canvas. Taking backups and reinstalling everything can be an arduous task. To reset Skype, press the Windows key+I keys on your keyboard and select Apps.
Select Apps & features and find Skype in the list. when you do, click on it once to reveal the Advanced options button.
Scroll a little to find two options. One is Repair and the other is Reset. I would suggest here to first go with the repair option and see if it resolves the camera not working on Skype issue. If it fails to work, go for the reset option which will delete all settings and data from your computer.
When you log back in, it will download fresh files and data from the web. What this will do is clear all corrupted files and create new ones.

Camera Not Working on Skype in Windows 10

The camera and microphone issue in Skype is nothing new. There are many different ways to solve these errors as I explained to you in the post above. I do not suggest formatting your computer as that can be cumbersome and the error may return again.

Cheers,
Marcio AKA Starboy

Sent from a galaxy far, far away.

--
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Let's begin.

Skype Microphone Not Working

1. Reinstall

Why? When you install Skype for the first time, you are asked to give some necessary permissions that help Skype function correctly. One of those permissions is access to the microphone.

I know what you are thinking. There is no need to reinstall Skype to give necessary microphone permissions. True. But reinstalling an app can also remove bad and corrupted files from the system. A fresh install can solve quite a few software problems. This is why it is the first step.
Don't worry about your contacts and other data as they will all appear once you log back in using your Microsoft account.

2. Install Directly

Microsoft got a lot of things right with the Windows 10 and Windows Store is one of them. All Microsoft owned and developed software are now available in a single place which is reliable and pre-installed on all licensed Windows PC. The thing is that many users have reported that installing software directly from the developer's site solves the microphone issue. To do so, visit the Skype site using the link below and select Skype for Windows and not Skype for Windows 10 from the drop-down menu.
Install it and see if the microphone on Skype is working or not.

3. Microphone Permissions

It is also possible that even after you gave the necessary permissions to Skype to use and communicate via the microphone, due to a bug or change in setting, it was toggled off in the Windows Settings itself. To check, press the Ctrl+I keys on the keyboard and select Privacy.
Select Microphone from the left window pane and scroll a little to find a list of all the apps that need to use the microphone. Find Skype in the list and make sure it is toggled on.
Check if Skype microphone is working on your laptop.

4. Skype Audio Settings

Just like Windows 10 settings, there are audio settings inside Skype that you need to check to make sure that volume, speakers, and the correct microphone are selected. To do that, open Skype on Windows 10 and click on the menu icon to go to Settings.
Select Audio and Video in the left-pane and you will see different options. Make sure that the correct Microphone device is selected. Sometimes, there are more than one. For example, in my laptop, there is Realtek High Definition Audio and Default communications device. Do not select the default one as it won't work in most cases.

To be on the safer side, select Automatically adjust microphone settings option. This will tell Skype to manage settings to the optimum level. Alternatively, if it was already selected and the microphone was not working, you may try and deselect that option. Maybe Skype was not managing it the right way?

5. Sound Drivers

Drivers are a necessary component of every software that you install on a Windows computer. The job of a driver is to allow the software to connect and communicate with the hardware device, in our case, it is the sound card. If the drivers are out of date or the files are corrupted, it may lead to irregularities in the functioning of the microphone on Skype. Open Device Manager by searching for it in the Windows Start button menu. Find and double-click on Sound, video, and game controllers option.
Your sound card should be listed here. Scroll down a little to find and select the same sound card that you had selected in the Skype settings above and right-click on it to select Update drivers option.
This will take some time and I recommend you to close Skype and reboot your computer once before testing if Skype microphone is working properly or not.

6. Restart Windows Audio Service

For every software or app installed on Windows, there is a respective service that runs in the background and does the heavy lifting. For the microphone and other audio services, it is the Windows Audio service. Make sure it is running and if not, start it. To do so, press the Windows key+R on your keyboard to open the Run command prompt. Type services.msc and hit Enter.
Search for Windows Audio in the list and right-click on it to Start it. If it is already running, the option would be grayed out. In that case, you should click on the Restart option. This should jump start things.

If the service was not running when you checked, it is possible that by default, it is set to not run when the computer reboots. We don't want that because that would mean you going through all the steps all over again. So, click on Properties on the same menu. Under the General tab, Select Automatic in the Startup type drop-down menu.
Click on Apply and OK when done. Check if Skype microphone is working on your Windows 10 computer.

7. Exclusive Control

Skype is not the only software on your computer that needs to use the microphone. There can be a number of services other than Skype. Sometimes, some apps will go a step further and take exclusive control over the microphone, disallowing any other app to use it. Sad. In our world, it's called a monopoly which is always bad for the end users.
To check, open Control Panel and navigate to the following settings screen.
Control Panel > Sound > Recording tab. There, double-click on the Microphone option to reveal a popup. Select the Advanced tab here and make sure that both the options under the Exclusive mode are unselected.

• Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device
• Give exclusive mode applications priority

8. Configure Bluetooth Devices

Are you using a Bluetooth device to communicate using Skype? This can also be a solution if the default microphone on your laptop is not working due to any other reason. In that case, try a headphone or an earphone with a Bluetooth. If that is not working either, search for Manage Audio Devices in the Windows Search. Under the Playback tab, you will see that your connected Bluetooth device is listed twice.
The first option is the hands-free option which should be disabled if you want to use the connected headphone's microphone. If it is not disabled, to do so, right-click on the hands-free Bluetooth headphone option and select Disable to disable it. Note that the second listing should stay enabled.
There is also an option to make the connected Bluetooth device as your default device. That way, you won't have to go through all the troubleshooting steps the next time you open Skype to chat with your friends and relatives. To do so, in the same menu, you will find Set as default device option. If it is available, click on it then enable it.

Skype Microphone Not Working Issue

Skype is a great software however not without its flaws. The microphone issue is not something new however some of the solutions mentioned in this guide are. So make sure to go through all the steps mentioned in the guide to resolve the issue.

Cheers,
Marcio AKA Starboy

Sent from a galaxy far, far away.

--
Are you a Thunderbird user? Then join the Thunderbird mailing list to help and be helped with all Thunderbird things - questions, features, add-ons and much more!