Windows 11 Settings App Crashes when selecting Location, Camera, or Microphone

Lavik said:

Yes. What have you got to lose? If that doesn't work either, then simply delete the created registry key.

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OK. I navigated to the appropriate section of the registry and found this:



I'm confused about where or if to add a new key. Thanks for any help.

Regarding the camera not working, make sure you didn't accidentally switched it off from the external switch or key combination. Some laptops have a switch near the camera or at the side of the laptop. Others have a special key (see the F1, F2 etc range) which works alone or in combination with the FN key.

spapakons said:

Regarding the camera don't working, make sure you didn't accidentally switched it off from the external switch or key combination.

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Thanks. But it's truly dead. There is no external key or switch to shut it off. If I navigate to Settings>Bluetooth&Devices>Camera, I get the message "No cameras found"

Jim Rockford said:

I'm confused about where or if to add a new key.

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Double-click Value and change its data to Deny (instead of Allow).

Jim Rockford said:

Thanks. But it's truly dead. There is no external key or switch to shut it off. If I navigate to Settings>Bluetooth&Devices>Camera, I get the message "No cameras found"

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If it is switched off, (USB disconnected), obviously Windows cannot detect it. Also see in BIOS if it is disabled there. Windows Update might have updated the BIOS and the camera was lost because the default setting in BIOS is to be disabled for "privacy".

Lavik said:

Spoiler: Webcam

View attachment 176038

Double-click Value and change its data to Deny (instead of Allow).

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I just did this and rebooted. No joy, but thanks for the support.

spapakons said:

If it is switched off, (USB disconnected), obviously Windows cannot detect it. Also see in BIOS if it is disabled there. Windows Update might have updated the BIOS and the camera was lost because the default setting in BIOS is to be disabled for "privacy".

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions, but the camera quit a long time ago and I've learned to just do without it. Believe me, the camera is dead. Evidently Dell used some junk camera hardware back in the day and many were left with no-op cameras. Installing a new one is tedious and expensive if you're not comfortable tearing the laptop completely down (I'm not). And, in the long run, not worth it. I have disabled the camera in the BIOS now in order to address @Lavik 's suggestions

Just FYI to all, I've decided to stop work on this problem for now and wait to see if Microsoft or someone else finds a fix. ChatGPT has basically thrown in the towel for now. It's suggesting that rebuilding the CAM database involves some risk that is probably not worth taking. I think it's either unaware of or against, using PowerRun, and is not keen to alter permissions on the files and folders associated with CAM. That's good enough for me. I can work around any problems I might encounter without need of the Settings>Privacy&Security>Location, Camera, or Microphone settings.

I'm certainly open to any further suggestions, but I'm going to be circumspect about applying potentially risky fixes, since the laptop is actually performing fairly well right now.

Thanks again to all who've contributed.