How can I take a picture with my built-in laptop camera with Windows 7?

Question

In Windows XP, My Computer showed me cameras as devices that I could use to take pictures or videos without any third-party software.

How can I do the same in Windows 7?

Answer 1

There are a number of websites that can take pictures. Usually they use Flash to access your webcam. Here's one: http://www.cameroid.com

Also try searching the web for "take webcam pictures online."

Answer 2

Usually if the computer doesn't come with a native program, I use Live Movie Maker which does have webcam feature in its latest iteration.

Answer 3

You can use Media Player Classic or VLC, both can open devices as source, and then save the video as image.

MS paint can also capture images from webcam (menu > from camera...) but unfortunately sometimes it can't recognize the webcam correctly

Answer 4

Found another answer that helped. Clicked start, searched for 'camera' then 'webcam' and found with 2nd keyword:

Acer Crystal Eye Webcam

This sounded like a real app vs scanners and printers -> that in my case listed nothing as have never installed or configured any.

Clicked this, it had an easy interface - one butto take a webcam snap shot and another to start recording. Saved pictures in my home folder\Pictures directory

Answer 5

I don't recall the exact configuration, if you can take a photo with it or not, so slap me if I'm wrong but if you open up Silverlight there is a tab that will show your camera display.

Answer 6

Open the Control Panel. Select "Programs" or "Programs and Features." It should be under your computer brand name, something like "Dell Webcam," or "'Your Laptop Brand' Webcam Central." The webcam control should give options to take photos using your webcam.

It might not work for all laptop brands.