0xA00F42A0 Scene Switch Failed Camera error in Windows 11

In this post, we will see how to fix error code 0xA00F42A0 <SceneSwitchFailed> in the Windows 11 Camera app. If your laptop camera is not working, you are not alone. Many users encounter an issue where the Camera app fails to work and displays error codes.

In some cases, the error occurs when trying to use specific modes with an external camera (such as barcode scanning), while in others, the camera stops working entirely across all applications. The complete error message reads:

Something went wrong
If you need it, here’s the error code:
0xA00F42A0 <SceneSwitchFailed> (0x80070020)

In the above error, the first code (0xA00F42A0) remains the same, indicating a scene switch failure, while the second code varies, providing specific details about the underlying cause of the issue.

According to the users, the issue surfaced after recent Windows updates, rendering the camera completely unusable across Windows applications.

Camera App Error 0xA00F42A0<SceneSwitchFailed>

If you see error code 0xA00F42A0 <SceneSwitchFailed> while using the Camera app on your Windows 11 PC, check for a physical switch or button on your laptop, such as a side switch or a built-in shutter slider, and ensure it is turned on. If you’re using an external camera, make sure it is securely connected and test it on another device to rule out hardware issues. If the issue persists, use these solutions:

Run the camera troubleshooter
Check privacy settings for camera
Roll back or reinstall camera driver
Reinstall the Camera app
Disable antivirus temporarily

Let us see this in detail.

1] Run the camera troubleshooter

Start by running the Windows Camera troubleshooter. It is a built-in troubleshooter that can help detect and fix camera bugs automatically.

Click the Start button icon and select Settings. Go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and click the Run button next to Camera.

This will open the new Get Help Camera troubleshooter. Select Troubleshoot Camera in Windows 11. The troubleshooter will then recommend solutions and guide you through step-by-step instructions to identify and resolve the issue.

2] Check privacy settings for camera

Camera privacy settings control which apps and services can access your camera. If camera access is disabled in privacy settings, the Camera app and other applications will be unable to use the camera, leading to errors.

To check and enable camera privacy settings in Windows 11, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and ensure the Camera access toggle is turned on. If it is greyed out, you’ll need a device administrator to enable it.

Next, turn On the toggle for ‘Let apps access your camera‘ and ensure the toggle is On for the apps that need camera access.

For apps not installed from the Microsoft Store (e.g., browsers like Edge or video conferencing apps like Teams), ensure that the ‘Let desktop apps access your camera‘ setting is turned on, as access cannot be controlled individually for these apps.

3] Roll back or reinstall camera driver

If the camera issue began after a recent Windows update, the update might have caused compatibility problems with the camera driver. Rolling back the driver reverts it to the previous version, which may have worked properly before the update. However, if rolling back isn’t an option, reinstall the driver.

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. In Device Manager, right-click your camera, and select Properties. Under the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver (if the option is available), then follow the prompts. After the roll back is complete, restart your device, and then try opening the Camera app again.

To reinstall the camera driver, select Uninstall Device (under the Driver tab). Then select the check box for ‘Attempt to remove the driver for this device’ and click OK. Once the process completes, click the Action menu in Device Manager and select Scan for hardware changes. Wait for it to scan and reinstall updated drivers, restart your PC, and then try opening the Camera app again.

4] Reinstall the Camera app

Over time, the Camera app’s files may become corrupted due to improper updates, crashes, or interruptions during usage. These corrupted files can prevent the app from switching modes (e.g., barcode scanning) and result in errors like 0xA00F42A0.

Click on the Start button, search for Windows PowerShell, and select Run as administrator.

In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press the Enter key:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Remove-AppxPackage

The above command will uninstall the Camera app from your system. Now execute the following command to reinstall the app:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsCamera | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

Now try using the Camera app and see if the error is resolved.

5] Disable antivirus temporarily

Antivirus programs often include privacy protection features that block access to the camera to prevent unauthorized usage. This can interfere with the Windows Camera app or specific modes, resulting in the scene switch failure.

To disable your antivirus, right-click the antivirus icon in the system tray and select ‘Disable’, ‘Pause protection’, or a similar option. If there’s no such option, open the antivirus program and look for the Settings or Protection section to disable it.

Make sure to re-enable it after testing the camera.

I hope this helps.

Read: Fix Surface Camera not working in Windows.

How do I fix my camera error on Windows 11?

To fix camera error in Windows 11, start by checking camera privacy settings to ensure apps have permission to access the camera. Roll back or reinstall the camera driver if the issue started after a recent update. You can also try running the Camera Troubleshooter through Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.

How to fix camera error code 0xa00f4244 in Windows?

Error 0xA00F4244 NoCamerasAreAttached indicates that the camera is not detected by your system. It could occur due to incorrect privacy settings or a loose or disconnected camera. To fix the error, enable Camera in Device Manager and check privacy settings to make sure apps have permission to access the camera.