What you need to know
- A bug prevents the camera of some Surface Pro X devices from working.
- Microsoft has confirmed the issue and shared a mitigation for the problem.
- The workaround will be applied to affected systems automatically.
- While the workaround will restore camera functionality, it may result in lower quality images and disable some features.
Microsoft Surface Pro X devices recently started running into a bug that can prevent the built-in camera from working. The issue stopped people from using their camera for photos, videos, and signing in through Windows Hello. Microsoft confirmed the issue last week and has since released a temporary workaround.
Affected systems will see the error code “0xA00F4271<MediaCaptureFailedEvent> (0x80004005).” If you run into that error, your PC should receive the fix automatically. Microsoft explains the situation in a document:
“Microsoft is deploying a critical troubleshooter to mitigate this issue on most affected Windows devices. Troubleshooters are applied automatically and can’t be run manually. For more information about troubleshooting, see keep your device running smoothly with recommended troubleshooting.”
It’s not possible to apply the mitigation manually, except on managed devices, which is probably for the best. Manually applying the mitigation requires editing the registry, which can result in serious issues if done incorrectly.
While the workaround will allow you to use the camera of your Surface Pro X, it’s not a perfect fix. Microsoft notes that image quality may be lower, and some features may be disabled:
“This workaround might disable some features of the camera or lower the image quality but should allow the camera to function until the issue is resolved by the device manufacturer with an updated camera driver. An updated driver should restore full camera functionality and the workaround should not need to be undone.”
Microsoft is working on a permanent fix for the issue. In the meantime, you can rely on the temporary mitigation or use an external webcam. USB cameras and other external webcams are unaffected by the issue, even if the bug affects your device’s built-in webcam.
