This article can help troubleshoot issues with USB connectivity and Elgato Facecam.

Troubleshooting steps

• Double-check the port
• USB Cable
• Re-plug The Device
• USB Controller Driver
• Try All USB Ports
• Bandwidth

Double-check the port

Ensure that the port the device is plugged into is a USB 3.0 port. These ports can be identified by their blue interior color.

Teal-colored USB 3.1 can be used. 

Some USB ports may be red or yellow-colored and indicate they support USB 3.0 or USB 3.1 along with power delivery. These ports can be used. 

USB cable

Ensure that the cable being used is the one that came with Elgato Facecam.

If a different cable is used, it may not be a USB 3.0 cable and it will cause the USB communication issue. For instance, some cables (especially USB-C to USB-C) that come with phones can be USB 2.0 only as they are used simply for phone charging. 

Re-plug the device

Unplug the device from the USB port and plug it back in. This may help if the connection was not solid before or the cable was not fully inserted into the USB port. 

USB Controller Drivers

Make sure to install the latest drivers provided by your motherboard or notebook manufacturer for the USB 3.x controller. 

Other controllers usually also work fine with Microsoft's drivers.

Some USB controllers, such as Intel, do not have separate drivers. Instead, these ports use basic Microsoft drivers which cannot be re-installed.

Try all USB 3.0 ports

Many motherboards have USB 3.0 controllers from different manufacturers, therefore it's worth trying to connect Facecam to a different USB port, which is internally connected to a different USB controller.

Other USB ports, such as USB 3.1 and USB 3.2 are backward compatible and support USB 3.0 devices. Try connecting the Game Capture device to those USB ports as well.

Bandwidth

There could be bandwidth issues if too many devices are connected to the same internal USB hub or controller. Please make sure the USB hub is USB 3.0 compatible.

Disconnecting other devices or connecting them to different ports can help.

USB ports are controlled by what is called a USB controller. These controllers are used for pairs of USB ports. If both USB ports are occupied by high bandwidth devices such as USB capture devices, external hard drives, webcams, etc the available bandwidth may be used up.