If you ever use Window XP + Webcam, you probably know that you can view the webcam under My Computer, without any application or webcam software.
Unfortunately, under Window Vista and Window 7, this feature has been removed, and if you want to have a view on your webcam, you will need a webcam software. Therefore I decide to develop a very simple webcam software called WebcamViewer that enable you to have a view on your webcam. You can download the software from the link at the bottom of this post.
WebcamViewer is a very simple click-and-run application, where you don’t have to install the application. Simply download the exe file and run the exe file to use the software. You can store it inside your harddisk or you can carry it in your pendrive, and run it on any PC you want.
The Interface is simple, the first thing you have to do is to choose your Webcam. At the top left of the interface, choose the appropriate webcam. Please take note that some user might experience having “Google Camera Adapter” under the list, which is not the real webcam, choose the correct one.
After choosing the webcam, you will need to choose the desire resolution and refresh rate for the webcam. Click on the list at the right side of the webcam selector to view the available resolution and refresh rate for the selected webcam. For example “640×480 30” means that the width of the image is 640 pixel, the height of the image is 480 pixel and the refresh rate of the image is 30 frame per second. Please take note that the available resolution and refresh rate will be different for different model of webcam.
Now, click Connect, and you should have the live video from your webcam.
To disconnect, simply click Disconnect button or you can click the X at the top right of the window to close the application. To capture an image from your webcam, you can simply double click on the image, and the captured image will be store at the same directory as the exe file. A folder with the name of the webcam (Integrated Webcam in my PC) will be created at the directory of the exe file.
All the captured image will be stored in the “Integrated Webcam” folder, and the filename will be the date and time of the capture.
You can also use WebcamViewer to view more than one webcam at the same time. Simply run 2 copy of WebcamViewer (after having WebcamViewer running, simply double-click on the WebcamViewer.exe file AGAIN to have the 2nd copy of the application), and connect to different webcam on each copy of WebcamViewer.
Have a try!
Application Error
If you ever come across with this problem, “The Application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.”, you will need to install Microsoft .NET Framework to continue using this software. You can download Microsoft .NET Framework at the download link provided at the end of this article.
System Requirement
Supported Operating System: Window XP, Window Vista and Window 7
Required Software: Microsoft .NET Framework
Download
.
Hi there,
Amazing piece of software, any chance we could get the source for this package to make adaptations ?
Thanks in advance.
JJ
Thanks a lot for developing this. Is really useful.
Hi there! just want to say thank you for this! not only there is no hassle in using it , but it is also FREE. thank you for this.. it will help me a lot regarding security purposes here in my home.
P.S if it is okay with you.. can you please send me the source code for this software? I want to be able to adapt your work and implement it with other softwares I want to develop.. thank you!
here is my email :
kelseys92@yahoo.com
Very nice software. Very usefull. Thanks.
By the way any possibility that the application be always on top? Awaiting for your answer. Thanks.
Eric, so sorry to say that, the “always on top” feature is not implemented on the software. Anyway, thank you for the suggestion and that feature will be considered in the newer version of WebcamViewer. Thanks.
Pingback: Simple Webcam Viewer Software for Windows 7 « Frustrated IT Engineer
Thank’s a lot. really love these small and powerful .exe programs that work without any instalation!!!
I would very much like to be able to save a captured image in different formats, e.g. the simple .bmp. Could such an option be added??
This is a simple but useful application.
I have to ask this:
Can you please put this app as an Open-Source application?
You would be like a hero.
Thank you very much for this pioece of software and the explanation.
F
Pingback: Merrill Aldrich : Speaker Prep Tip: Use the AV Studio Built into that Laptop
This is very cool application , i used it with windows 7 for long time , but since a week it show error message that webcame viewer stop working , i try debug or other method but didnt helpful . i have netframe work 4.5 version so no problem about it .
Nice program!
Could you maybe add an option to rotate the picture by say 90, 180 and 270 degrees?
Thanks in advance
excellent work! does work and is very simple to use. i needed something like this to pair with join.me webcasting, but unfortunately, the developers did not include video conferencing, unlike cisco webex.
the fact that only a few participants can join in webex limits my audience, that is why i switched to join.me that could handle way much more participants, albeit the lack of video. but with this, it makes up for it.
thanks a lot! really appreciate your help! more power to you!
i love you man…. (K)
Awesome and simple. I can’t believe i had to spend about 2 hours searching for a “usb webcam app” and only found bloaded expensive apps. You’ve proved again that simple is better and newer is NOT better. This is AWESOME. Gracias.
You are brilliant!!! and thanks for your generosity too, it solved my problem in no time! Keep up the good work…
These past few years, on and off, I’ve been searching for simple webcam software that I can use to get quick snapshots off of my laptop’s integrated webcam. Every time I’d found one, there was SOMETHING I didn’t like or didn’t work. This is excellent. Thank you so much.
Having said that-is this still in development?
I hope you don’t mind me recommending a few features I think would make this perfect
-Option to disable shutter sound (I’ve simply muted it from the Windows volume mixer)
-Re-sizing of image preview
-Choice for saving directory/snapshot filenames
-Device settings
-Video recording
Thank you for using WebcamViewer, all the suggestion will be consider in the newer version of the software.
Just wanted to say thank you for a very usefull “no bullshit” program.
Bim /Sweden
Olá,boa noite,gostaria de agradecer pelo programa..me ajudou muitoo..adoro tirar fotos e visualiza-las depois.Parabéns amigo!!
Ahh só qria saber uma coisa..esse programa tbm serve para gravação de vídeo ?? Se serve,como faço para fazer um vídeo..Desde já agradeço >.< ^^ bjsss
Hi, I am sorry to say that the current version of this software do not support video recording. Video recording will be considered in the newer version of the software. Thank you.
thanks a lot brother……..!! its a real nice software. And it worked very well.
Works on Windows 8 (desktop mode) with the little bit of testing I have done thought the built in Camera app works pretty well too.
Hello. It would be good to add sound from microphone.
Thank you!
Amazingly simple and effective piece of software. I am using Techsmith Snagit and wanted to add a small thumbnail with live video from my webcam during my presentations and on your website I found exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much !!!
Thanks for this. Simple, to the point, quick, and replaced a DESPERATELY needed app on Windows 7. My thanks, neighbor.
Stan
Hello,
the WebcamViewer is a nice software, but by full hd (1920×1080 30fps) crashes the software with an error: not enough memory under Windows 7 32bit.
Regards
Superior
Simple option needed – autoconnect on startup – then one could see through camera just by opening/closing the app without additional connect button press
This is a very great idea for the newer version of the software. Thank you.
thanks guys.
thanks a lot guys.
Finally ! A simple and efficient software which works (I think it doesn’t need more options ) ! I found it \o/ (after 3 years :p) Thanks a lot.
do you happen to have a windowsXP version of this?
I believe this version also works under Windows XP.
Very cool… Maybe a $5 version with no frame and an option for always on top… This way the view would be on top of a Powerpoint presentation and look clean… That would be VERY cool. Thanks… Please email me if/when you do this…
Hello
Thank you for this simple but special software.
I had a project for my university in which i will use a similar functions, but with two cameras. The problem is that when i choose the desired camera, conflicts occurs and the capture window is destroyed.
Can u please help me with the main functions to use or if u can give me the VB source code so i can compare between the two codes.
I can pay for this code but please i need some help.
Regards
Thanks for such a great, simple program. Any way you could add an option to hide the window controls and margins? Essentially making it just a resizable video window on the screen?
Thanks again!
Just to echo what has been said, the program is a really good easy to use solution. The ability to hide the margins however would be really useful for my particular need. We are trying to capture 2 webcams at the same time and screen capture the result. Having the ability to switch off the margins would make the join really seamless and look more professional. Would this be a possibility in a future update?
Thank you for the suggestion. The feature will be considered in the future version of the application.
Great way to use the webcam, but it did not create an intergrated webcam folder. Whatshould i do?
good software
thankz
Where does WebcamViewer look for installed webcams?
WebcamViewer adds a blank location in the drop-down menu for my webcam.
[ ] Blank area
[ Chicony USB 2.0 Camera ]
On other Windows XP computers, WebcamViewer finds the webcam by default, but on my system I have to manually search for it.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Fantastic, just what I needed… and great that it works in Windows XP too. My device manager fails to see my webcam properly and I get a ‘preview failed’ error, but WebcamViewer worked a treat! Many thanks for making this free software.
Hi
what a Great app!
Quick Q: I would like to make the window even smaller. is it possible to make it smaller than 176×144 30? can i choose another combination, or ?
thanks
It often freezes (I use WIn 7 64). Any idea how to solve this?
Many many thanks for this program. Been looking for a simple webcam viewer and your program is perfect. Looking forward to a new version. Dave.