How to Change Webcam Exposure in Windows 11 (Step-by-Step)

Getting the lighting right can completely change your webcam video. A dim image can hide your face in heavy shadows. Strong lighting can wash out facial details and ruin the picture. Windows 11 offers several ways to fix this. You can adjust exposure through the Camera app, webcam software, or conferencing apps. This guide explains each option using the Hollyland Lyra. It also covers greyed-out exposure controls and possible solutions.

What Webcam Exposure Controls Are and Why It Matters

Exposure determines how much light the camera sensor captures during each frame, governed by a combination of shutter speed and gain. When exposure runs too high, a bright window behind you washes out the image; when it runs too low, you appear underlit even with a desk lamp nearby. Webcams default to auto-exposure, which continuously re-adjusts as scene brightness changes, producing visible fluctuations mid-call. Switching to manual exposure locks a fixed value and keeps your image stable from the first frame to the last.

Method 1: Use HollyStudio Software for Precise Exposure Management (Hollyland Lyra): Recommended

HollyStudio is the Lyra’s dedicated companion app for Windows and provides finer-grained exposure and white balance controls than the Windows Camera app. Unlike in-app adjustments made inside Zoom or Teams, settings configured here write to the Lyra’s onboard configuration and persist across every app you use, including OBS, until you change them again.

1. Download and install HollyStudio. Visit the Hollyland official website, navigate to the Lyra product page, and download HollyStudio for Windows.

Connect the Lyra via USB-C before launching the app.

2. Confirm the Lyra is recognized. Once the app opens, check the Lyra’s LED indicator. A solid blue LED confirms that the USB power and data link are established. If the LED is off or blinking unexpectedly, try a different USB-C or USB 3.0 port directly on the PC chassis before continuing.

3. Verify the live preview. HollyStudio app displays a live camera preview in the center of the interface and a settings panel on the side. Confirm the preview is showing the Lyra’s feed before making any adjustments.

4. Navigate to the Image or Camera Control panel. In the settings panel, locate and click the Image Control section. This is where the core exposure and white balance controls are housed.
5. Set exposure. Find the advanced section and locate the Exposure (EV) slider. Drag the EV slider across its range and watch the live preview brighten or darken in real time. Set the slider to a position where skin tones render accurately, and highlights are not blown out.

6. Adjust white balance if needed. In the same panel, a White Balance toggle and a color temperature slider (Auto / Manual with a Kelvin value) appear alongside the exposure controls. Locking white balance alongside exposure produces the most consistent image, especially under artificial lighting.

And that’s all! 

Method 2: Change Webcam Exposure in the Windows Camera App Using Brightness and Contrast Settings

Newer Windows 11 builds manage these controls through system settings instead. Windows Settings is now the main place for webcam adjustments. Go to Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Cameras. Select your webcam to open its available image controls. From there, you can adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness.

Note: Older Windows 11 Camera versions may include a Pro Mode toggle. Those controls let you change exposure directly within Camera.

1. Connect the Hollyland Lyra via USB-C. Plug the Lyra directly into a USB-C or USB 3.0 port on your PC, and not through an unpowered hub. Windows 11 detects it as a plug-and-play UVC device, and no driver installation prompt will appear.
2. Open the Windows Camera app. Press Start, type Camera, and select the app from the results.

3. Select the Hollyland Lyra as your camera source. Click the Change camera icon at the top-right corner of the app window. A dropdown lists all connected cameras, so select Hollyland Lyra. The live preview updates immediately to show the Lyra’s feed.
4. Next, click Start and select Settings.

5. Select Bluetooth & devices and click Cameras.

6. Under the Connected Cameras section, select Hollyland Lyra. Then go to the Basic settings and tweak the Brightness and Contrast parameters.

Method 3: Adjust Exposure Inside Zoom or Microsoft Teams

Zoom and Microsoft Teams rely on Windows for video device access. Their video systems communicate through Windows drivers and media frameworks. Both apps also include their own video adjustment settings. These controls are useful during an active call or meeting. You can adjust settings without opening another application. In both cases, you must confirm that Hollyland Lyra is selected as the active camera source before the exposure controls will populate correctly.

In Zoom

1. Open Zoom Settings. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner of the Zoom window and select Settings.
2. Go to Video & effects. In the left-side menu, click Video & effects.
3. Select Hollyland Lyra as the camera source. Open the camera dropdown and select Hollyland Lyra. The preview thumbnail updates to show the Lyra’s feed.
4. Access camera controls. Scroll down in the video and effects settings, click the Camera tab, and look for the Adjust for low light option. The setting starts on Auto in Zoom’s video controls. Open its dropdown and choose Manual instead. This reveals the brightness slider for further adjustment. 

Note: Zoom does not provide a manual exposure panel here. Advanced hardware exposure requires your webcam manufacturer’s software instead.

5. Adjust the slider. Move the brightness slider until the preview shows a balanced image. 

In Microsoft Teams

1. Open Teams Settings. Click Settings and more (the three-dot menu) next to your profile picture and select Settings.
2. Go to Devices. In the Settings sidebar, click Devices.
3. Confirm Hollyland Lyra is selected. Under the Camera section, open the dropdown and select Hollyland Lyra. A small preview thumbnail appears below.
4. Access adjustment controls. Click Make a test call or use the preview area to access in-call camera adjustments where available.
5. Adjust where controls are present. Teams exposes more limited manual camera controls than Zoom. If an exposure slider does not appear for your device, use Method 1 or Method 2 instead. Both will produce reliable results before you join the call.

Webcam Exposure Settings Greyed Out: Common Causes and Fixes

Finding the exposure slider but being unable to move it is a separate problem from not finding it at all. Here are the four most common causes with a direct fix for each.

• Cause: Another app has exclusive camera access. Windows 11 grants one app camera control at a time. If Teams is running in the background, or OBS or Skype has already acquired the Lyra, controls in Windows Camera or HollyStudio software may be unresponsive. Close all other apps that could be accessing the camera, then reopen the app you want to use.
• Cause: USB hub bandwidth limitation. An unpowered or USB 2.0 hub can restrict the camera’s control channel, making sliders appear but not respond to input. Reconnect the Lyra directly to a USB-C or USB 3.0 port on the PC chassis to restore full bandwidth.

Note: If exposure controls are entirely absent rather than greyed out, check the Lyra’s LED indicator first. A solid active LED confirms the USB data link is live. If the LED is off while the cable is connected, try a different port or cable. The camera is not being recognized, which is why no controls appear at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my webcam exposure keep changing automatically during a call?

Auto-exposure is reacting to shifts in scene brightness. A person walking behind you, a window brightening, or a monitor screen turning on. To stop this, disable auto-exposure using Method 1 (HollyStudio software) or Method 2 (Windows Camera App settings) and lock a fixed manual value before the call starts. The image will hold steady despite minor lighting changes.

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Do exposure settings carry over between apps – Zoom, Teams, OBS?

It depends on where you make the change. Settings applied through the HollyStudio app write to Lyra’s onboard configuration and persist across all apps and sessions. Settings adjusted inside Zoom or Teams typically apply only within that specific app and may reset when you close and relaunch it.

What is the difference between adjusting exposure and adjusting brightness?

Exposure controls how much light the sensor captures at the hardware level, affecting overall image quality and noise. Brightness is a software post-processing offset applied after the image is already captured. Adjusting exposure produces cleaner results; pushing brightness too far can wash out fine detail or introduce visible noise in shadow areas.

Conclusion

Choosing the right exposure method depends on where you need control. Windows Camera offers a quick way to adjust your webcam. HollyStudio provides deeper controls for your Hollyland Lyra webcam. These settings can stay consistent across different video applications. Zoom and Teams make adjustments convenient during calls and meetings. If controls appear limited, check the available settings first. For advanced control, HollyStudio gives you more Lyra-specific options.