How to resolve camera error 0xA0F4244 (0xC00DABE0) on Windows 10?

In today’s fast-paced world, delegating work and getting instant feedback is the key to boosting productivity. When Microsoft introduced Windows Camera, it was a game changer and it opened a great platform for people to communicate with ease via Skype. And that was not all. The Windows Camera application could also be used to capture images and videos either for personal or business use, and it still does.

With that said, sometimes users may encounter problems when trying to use the in-built camera in Windows 10. Users have reported getting an error message that reads:

“We can’t find your camera.

Check to make sure that it’s connected and installed properly, that it isn’t being blocked by anti-virus software, and that your camera drivers are up to date. If you need it, here’s the error code: 0xA00F4244(0xc00DABE0)”.

This error is quite common, and if you’re looking for solutions on how to remove the ‘We can’t find your camera 0xA00f4244 (0xc00DABE0)’ error message on Windows 10, then we’ve got you covered. We will also describe what the error is and the possible causes.

What is the error code 0xA00f4244 (0xc00DABE0)?

The error code 0xA00f4244 (0xc00DABE0) is associated with the Windows Camera app. It shows up when users attempt to launch the in-built camera on a Windows 10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 device. The error is common on laptops since they come with an inbuilt front camera. According to some users, the error started manifesting itself after the installation of Windows updates, which can be true considering that updates can trigger software conflicts and driver incompatibilities.

There were also reports that antivirus programs were blocking the Camera app from launching. However, disabling them did not resolve the issue. This left a huge number of Windows users frustrated, not knowing where to turn to. Fortunately, there are a few workarounds that you could try to restore your camera functionalities. Keen to find out? Keep reading the full post below.

Fixing ‘We can’t find your camera’ in Windows 10

The error message recommends that you check if the Camera app is installed properly, if the camera’s drivers are up to date, and if your antivirus has blocked the camera. These are the basic steps that you must try out first to check if you can fix the ‘We can’t find your camera’ problem. Below, you’ll find a full explanation of how to go about the troubleshooting steps, plus other effective solutions.

Solution 1: Update your camera drivers

Drivers play an important role in the smooth functioning of the software and hardware installed on your computer. Since new technology is always being developed, you must keep your device drivers updated. The Windows OS provides a platform, known as Device Manager, that makes it easy to update the device drivers.

To use Device Manager:

1. Right-click “Start” and click on “Device Manager” to open it.
2. Depending on your computer, you will find your webcam by expanding one of the following categories:

• Imaging devices
• Cameras
• Sound, video and game controllers

3. Right-click on your webcam application and select “Update driver”.
4. Choose the “Browse my computer for software driver” option, and click on the “Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer” link.
5. Confirm that the “Show compatible hardware” checkbox is checked.
6. Select “USB Video Device”.
7. Click “Next”.
8. Windows should automatically update your camera drivers.
9. Restart your PC to activate the changes.

Now, once your system loads up, try launching the Camera app again to see if it functions correctly. If it doesn’t, don’t give up just yet. You just need a more effective tool to update your device drivers. Auslogics Driver Updater ensures that all of the available drivers on your PC are up to date. First, the software scans your system to detect driver issues, such as outdated drivers, missing or broken drivers.

Once this phase is complete, you’ll get a report and the recommended steps to take to fix the issues. Lastly, all you have to do is click the “Update drivers” button and allow Auslogics Driver Updater to implement the fixes.

It’s important to point out here that updating your device drivers doesn’t always give you the best experience and you might want to roll them back. This tool makes it easy for you with the “Back up” feature.

The scary thing about updating device drivers is incompatibility issues. But with Auslogics Driver Updater, you don’t have to worry since only the latest official drivers are installed. Once the driver updater program completes updating your camera drivers and all of the other drivers, you should notice an improvement in your computer’s performance.

If this fix doesn’t restore your Camera app, then the problem could be something else other than drivers. Keep trying the solutions below till you find the one that works for you.

Solution 2: Reset the Camera app

1. Launch the “Settings” app by pressing the Win+I shortcut.
2. Select Apps > Apps & features.
3. Navigate to “Camera” and click on it to highlight it.
4. Click on the “Advanced options” link.
5. Find the “Reset” option and click on “Reset”.
6. Click the “Reset” button again to trigger the operation. This operation clears all your camera’s data, including your sign-in details, and you’ll have to set them up again.
7. Reboot your computer and try to use the Camera app again to see if it’s now functioning the way it’s supposed to.

Solution 3: Check the privacy settings

If you get the error 0xA0F4244(0xC00DABE0) only when using Skype or another app that requires the Camera app, you or someone else might have accidentally changed the privacy settings. To check and reset the privacy settings, follow the steps below:

1. Open “Settings” via the “Start” menu.
2. Go to Privacy > Camera.
3. First, you need to confirm that camera access to your device is on. If it isn’t, select the “Change” button under the “Allow access to the camera on this device” section and click on the radio button to turn the option on.
4. Next, ensure that the “Allow apps to access your camera” option is turned on.

Solution 4: Roll back your webcam drivers

If the ‘We can’t find your camera 0xA0F4244(0xC00DABE0)’ error message appeared just after updating the webcam drivers, we recommend that you roll them back to the older version to check if it helps to restore your camera functionalities.

Here’s the process:

1. Press the Win+R shortcut and type “devmgmt.msc” (without quotes) in the “Run” box.
2. Press “Enter” or click “OK” to launch “Device Manager”.
3. Depending on your computer, you will find your webcam under one of the following categories:
4. Imaging devices
5. Cameras
6. Sound, video and game controllers
7. Once you locate your webcam, right-click it and select “Properties”.
8. Switch to the “Driver” tab and click on the “Roll Back Driver” button. If the “Roll Back Driver” button is grayed out, it means there are no old driver versions to restore.

That’s it! We hope that you find these steps on fixing ‘We can’t find your camera’ in Windows 10 helpful. Let us know if you need further assistance by commenting below.