Microsoft has a temporary fix for Surface Pro X 2-in-1s struggling with camera issues.
As a quick refresher, several Surface Pro X owners reported issues with the cameras on their devices not working starting May 23rd. Rolling back the date to before May 23rd resolved the issue, though the workaround could cause other problems.
According to a note on Microsoft’s support site:
“Microsoft is deploying a critical troubleshooter to mitigate this issue on most affected Windows devices. 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.”
You can find the details for yourself here, though it’s worth noting that when I tried to access the page, it kept redirecting me to the search page. I’m not totally sure what’s going on there, but your mileage may vary.
The Verge reports that the problem seems to be Qualcomm’s camera driver. The faulty driver causes the camera to stop working after the system date hits May 23rd (hence why changing the date temporarily fixed the problem).
This is also why the problem only affected Surface Pro X models, which run on custom ARM chips jointly developed by Qualcomm and Microsoft.
Microsoft says a driver update should restore “full camera functionality.” Hopefully, that update arrives sooner rather than later.
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
