> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.tella.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Can't record on Windows? Check camera and mic permissions.

> Fix 'Failed to start camera: Access is denied' and other recording errors in the Tella Windows app.

If the Windows app shows **"Failed to start camera: Access is denied"**, can't find your microphone, or the record button stays disabled, it's almost always a Windows privacy setting or another app holding the device.

## Allow camera and microphone access

1. Open **Settings** → **Privacy & security** → **Camera**.
2. Turn on **Camera access**.
3. Turn on **Let desktop apps access your camera**.
4. Repeat the same steps under **Privacy & security** → **Microphone**.
5. Quit and reopen Tella.

<Note>
  Tella won't appear in the per-app list — that list only shows Microsoft Store apps. Desktop apps like Tella are covered by the **"Let desktop apps access your camera/microphone"** toggle at the bottom of the page.
</Note>

Screen recording doesn't require a separate permission on Windows — only camera and microphone do.

## Record button disabled?

If your **camera is on**, Tella also requires a **microphone to be selected** before recording can start. Pick a mic in the recording controls (or turn the camera off for a screen-only recording).

## Camera shows a black screen or "in use"

* **Close other apps that use the camera** — Zoom, Teams, OBS, or a browser tab can hold the camera and block Tella.
* **Check antivirus / webcam protection software.** Some security suites (e.g. Kaspersky, Norton, Lenovo Vantage privacy mode) block camera access for new apps until you approve them.
* **Check for a physical privacy shutter** on your webcam or laptop.
* **Restart your PC** if the camera was recently used by another app and won't release.

## Still stuck?

If permissions are correct and recording still fails, reach out via the in-app support chat and include:

* The exact error message
* Your Windows version (**Settings** → **System** → **About**)
* The camera and microphone you're using

<Note>
  The Windows app is currently in **Beta** — error reports genuinely help us improve it. See [Record a video using the Windows app](/docs/help/recording/record-a-video-using-the-windows-app) for setup basics.
</Note>