On May 23, 2023, Surface Pro X users from all over the world reported that their cameras had stopped working, including in Microsoft’s own forum, Feedback Hub, and Reddit. This issue starts with the near-infrared camera used for signing in through Windows Hello, which displays an error message that reads, “The camera could not be activated. Sign in with your PIN.”
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the cameras would work again if the system date was set to a day before May 23, 2023. This indicates an expired certificate, possibly from a device driver, but it is unknown whether the problem lies with Microsoft or a supplier.
Qualcomm supplies the system-on-chip (SoC) for the Surface Pro X, including the associated driver. The SoC contains an integrated image processor that controls the cameras. As of now, Microsoft is investigating the issue, and a future Windows update will fix it.
Other Surface devices are not affected, including the Intel-based Surface Pro tablets. The cameras remain non-functional even after logging in via app, such as Windows’ own camera program, as the image simply remains black. In contrast, The Verge saw the cryptic error message ‘0xA00F4271
It is noteworthy that setting the system date back to a day before May 23 will allow users to use the cameras. Nonetheless, it is not a practical solution as this may cause further complications. As a result, users will have to wait for the next Windows update to fix this issue.
