"Hardware error" Troubleshooting Steps - Win

3 min. readlast update: 05.23.2025

If you receive one of the hardware errors listed below when attempting to start your webcam, taking your self photo, or taking an ID photo, this may be caused by a number of different configurations or permission issues. Review each option below to ensure Honorlock can successfully access your camera.

Hardware Errors:

  • Not Allowed Error

  • Screenshare Permission Denied by System

  • Not Found Error

  • Requested Device Not Found

Check that your device meets the Minimum System Requirements

1) Ensure your device meets our Minimum System Requirements found on THIS page, approximately halfway down. 

Verify that Google Chrome has access to your Camera and Microphone

1) Please click the Windows button, which should be located at the bottom left corner of your screen.

2) Type "Microphone privacy settings" in the search bar and select that setting; it should appear as one of the very first results.

3) A toggle switch should be at the very top of the new settings window that has just appeared. Make sure the toggle switch is set to the "ON" position.

undefined

4) After doing this, please do the same for "camera privacy settings" / "webcam privacy settings.” 

5) After completing these steps, you will be prompted to restart Google Chrome. Please restart Chrome entirely and try to start your exam. If this does not resolve your issue or you already have rights granted to Chrome, please follow the steps in the next section. 

Verify that Google Chrome has access to your Camera and Microphone

1) Navigate to chrome://settings/content/camera

2) Under "Block", look for any Honorlock websites. Click on the trashcan icons next to the websites that contain the word "Honorlock" to remove this block.

undefined

3) Refresh your exam page and relaunch proctoring. If this did not resolve your issue or Honorlock did not appear in the Block section, please navigate to the next section. 

Let's test your Camera and Microphone

1) Go to https://webcammictest.com/ 

2) Click the blue button with the rocket that says “Start Test” 

3) After running, each section on the screen will have either a red X or a green checkmark. This may take up to 2 minutes to complete. 

4) If the Camera or Microphone section has a Red X, please note the issue and follow the instructions on the screen to resolve your Camera or Microphone issues. If the Camera and Microphone return with Green checkmarks, please move on to the next section. 

Enable your microphone

In the search bar for the computer, enter Change System Sounds.

Open the sound settings and select the Record tab.

Right-click the page and make sure “Show Disabled Devices” has a checkmark.

.

Right-click any disabled devices and click on enable.  Then click on Apply. 

Check for device updates

Look to the lower left corner of your screen and click the Windows button. Once you have done so, please start typing in the word “update” and then click on the option titled “check for updates.” Check to see if there are any pending updates. If there are, please install them and then restart your computer. This includes any feature updates to a newer version of Windows.

undefined

 

Was this article helpful?