Windows 11 to Support Multi-Stream Camera Functionality, Allowing Multiple Applications to Use the Camera Simultaneously

Currently, the Windows 11 system allows only one application to access the camera at a time. For instance, if you are on a Microsoft Teams video call and attempt to start another video call using Zoom, the Teams call will be interrupted.

This design hasn't posed much of an issue since, in most scenarios, users are unlikely to stream from their cameras to multiple applications simultaneously. Therefore, neither Windows 10 nor Windows 11 has made changes to this feature.

However, in the Windows 11 Insider Preview, Microsoft has optimized the camera functionality. In fact, this enhancement is specifically aimed at users with hearing impairments, allowing multiple applications to access and stream from the camera simultaneously.

Ordinary users can also manually activate this feature to stream between multiple applications simultaneously, although the practical use cases have yet to be fully imagined. Most users likely do not need this capability, and even live streamers can achieve multi-platform streaming through other software solutions rather than installing and running each application concurrently.

To enable this feature, your system must be running at least Windows 11 Build 26120.1542 or later. After updating, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Camera, and then click on the camera's advanced options to find the toggle for multi-application access.

Once this feature is enabled, adjustments to camera settings such as brightness can only be made through the Settings page and not through the streaming software's interface. Therefore, it is recommended not to enable this feature unless it is necessary.