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
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Thanks for the solution!
Feel free to send us any suggestion to improve this software. Thanks.
dear sir, when i take a photo with my webcam i cannot find where it has been stored so that i can print it, can you please help with this problem.
many thanks, a. dawson.
Hi there, the captured image will be stored at the same folder as the exe file. For example, if the WebcamViewer.exe is being located at your desktop, then a folder will be created at your desktop and the captured image will be stored inside the newly created folder. And for your information the name of the newly created folder will be base on the webcam name which you see at the webcam selector list.
[...] a very easy method to send exe file or active scripting file on email or chat programs. I will use WebcamViewer V1.0.exe file as the example in this guide. Basically, the easiest way to send out exe file is to rename the [...]
What abt videos? Can it take videos?
I am sorry to say that it doesn’t have the feature to capture video in version 1.0, only image.
My colleagues at work used one called booru webcam but it has not been updated for vista or win 7. It is pretty cool because it has a transparency feature on it and I believe you can set it to always be on top. May give you some ideas of functionality to add to your software. Thanks for developing it. Appreciate it.
http://www.booru.net/download.html
AWESOME!!!!
I love software that WORKS!!!!! This is just what I needed. Thank you very much!
thanks its working in xp othere windows
Thanks for this program, very nice and easy to use.
So feature ideas:
The ability to set to “always on top”, an option to autoconnect to last connected cam and an option to
run at startup would be some very nice features to add..
Thanks for the suggestion.
thanks a lot………. great job
WONDERFUL WORK. Thanks for the software. Cheers.
Very nice! I still have to start options in Skype though, to set shutter speed, light and so on. Would it be possible to reach the camera driver settings from inside WebcamViewer?
Currently, it is not able to configure the camera driver using WebcamViewer. The only thing you can configure is the frame per second, but for the brightness, color and extra setting is still not added to WebcamViewer. And thanks a lot for the suggestion in all the features, more settings for the webcam will be available on the newer version.
It’s work, thanks.
Thanks, that was just what I was looking for
Can’t believe they’ve canned this simple functionality in Win 7… was sure I’d seen it when I started to dig thru’ Win 7, but that must’ve been memories of Win XP 
Suggestions:
As somebody have already mentioned before me it would be nice if it could grab video as well as pictures… mkv would be nice but even good old avi will do
Also it would be an obvious idea to be able to browse to wherever you’d like to save the picture/video. I’d personally prefer to be able to save to my desktop and not having to dig thru’ the folder on my flashdrive where I’ve installed it.
Thanks again
Thanks a lot for all the comment and suggestion.
Thanks, this is a handy little app for simply viewing what your webcam is seeing.
However, it seems to have memory issues. While viewing my Logitech C510 at 1600×896-24, memory usage by the app jumps up at about 100MB per second. Sometimes it will “reset” after a little bit and release a bunch of memory (i.e. jumped from 1.5GB down to 200MB) and other times it seems to just keep growing until Windows kills the app for me (I’ve seen it use over 2GB before I killed it).
Thanks for providing the feedback. Will try to look into that issue to solve it.
I interest in your project. Could you tell me what is the technique that you use to connect the webcam. Via VFW or Dshow or something else?
FYI, I am actually using AForge.Video framework to communicate with the webcam. For more information you can visit http://www.aforgenet.com/framework/
I have a build in webcam on my laptop (hp pavilion) But i cant choose any webcam with this program. Its like the webcam doesnt exists. My webcam worked with vista but since i have win7 not anymore. He doesnt detect it all…
Try to make sure that the driver for the built-in webcam is installed in your Window 7, install the driver and try to run the WebcamViewer again.
Well thats the problem. There arn’t any webcamdrivers available for win7. (hp pavilion dv6700)
The last ones were for vista only… And device manager doesnt reconize my webcam at all. So maybe my webcam died?
Maybe i should try win xp to check my webcam there..
(vista knows more webcam troubles, said HP)
If it doesnt work in winxp either then… My webcam died..? :S
Very nice work!
Now….. a Linux version would be appreciated…
when i take a picture with webcam viewer, a box will appear saying unable to create file. and when i downloaded webcamviewer v.1.0.zip, there wasn’t any folder in my desktop. help?
To get the captured photo, you will need to first find out the downloaded file. The photo will be stored together with the exe file. If you are having problem finding the exe file, maybe you can try to right click on the download link and select “Save Link As…” then your browser should pop out a directory browser that let you choose the directory to store the download file.
Would be nice if you could do multiple cameras on one pc. Especially if you have the same brand, model, vid/pid
Yes, you can actually run multiple copy of WebcamViewer for multiple cameras. After you have one WebcamViewer running, double click on the exe file again to run the 2nd WebcamViewer, then you can use these 2 different WebcamViewer to connect to different webcam.
Great little app! Is it possible to have the src code? I’m working on a little project that takes a picture and sends it to my android phone.
regards
Andy
You guys are Awesome! Thanks for the time to make this and share with the rest of the world! I hope the rewards you receive for your efforts are worth it!
GREAT!!, it works really good, i was getting crazy looking for a way to use my webcam on Win7, your software is the one!!!
hello,
I’m using a HP TX1000 laptop with windows7.
And I’ve downloaded your software but, the problem i’m facing is that the list containing the camera names and the resolution options is EMPTY.
please help me asap.
Maybe you should try to check the driver of your webcam, make sure the driver is installed and compatible.
nice software works good……. solves everyones tention to view a webcam in win7 and vista
thanks brother
[...] More info: http://www.bustatech.com/webcamviewer-a-simple-viewer-for-webcam/ [...]
[...] Show webcam screen on your computer (I recommend WebcamViewer) [...]
2nd webcam appears in dropdown list but says “unable to run camera may be in usr”
Is it possible to run two? Iv’e tried double clicking to no avail.
regards
Tony
Thanks! works great!
i found this very useful,but i am unable to view the pictures taken.everytime i have to get webcam viewer exe from winzip folder and when i dbl click photos it takes picture but i am unable to locate the file to find the pictures.help.
Hi there!
Just got your app; it’s PERFECT! Easy to use, small, and requires very little setup. Here I thought the days of simple stand-alone applications were gone.
Thank you!
mnem
I see you.
Great simple software. Just what I needed. I will be using it to monitor my kids in their playroom.
Suggestion: I think someone else already had: have an option for it to be always “on top”.
great. working on asus notebook. thanks a lot.
[...] asi pues los Srs de Bustatech desarrollaron una sencilla y gratuita solucion WebcamViewer v1 Link : WebcamViewer la pueden bajar la aplicacion directamente de este link : [...]
Thanks, great work.
For those who are interested:
I have a Philips Toucam Pro. This wonderful cam has a spec far higher than many later, much more expensive, cams. Then I moved to Win 7 I discovered that Philips were not supporting 64 bit drivers for this excellent camera. They advised me to buy a new cam. No way ! The link below shows how to modify the X64 driver setup files for another Philips product to make it work with a Toucam Pro under Win 7.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3862114/page/5/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
So, the above link plus the great fuss-free viewer available here means that I don’t have to bin this great little webcam after all.
Thanks again.
Thanks for the software.
To all of those who are lost on how to get it so you can see the captured pictures , you must first extract the exe to a folder of your choosing and not just running the exe from within the archive. that should help.
nice work,nice software.
Nice little utility! Works fine in Vista 64-bit. No need to install NET Frame either
Thanks, Paul
thanks alot it works
itz realy nice and very useful…thankz a lot.
hi thank you it worked a treat…its people like you that makes the internet a fun place to be
Good shit!
I was looking for something to replace DoorGem (old webcam app) which is just the same.. one tiny little exe file.
Webcam software these days is just bloated and pathetic..
i think your app is PERFECT!
hi also getting unable to create file when i take a picture with webcam viewer any ideas tried admin rights etc.
I’m using dell inspiron N5010 loaded with win 7 64bit. It has got some type of integrated webcam. I can see the driver fine in device manager but when I start your software and try connecting it shows device in use but it isn’t.