# Getting Started with WinForms WebCam

This article will help you to quickly get started using the control.

## Adding Telerik Assemblies Using NuGet

To use `RadWebCam` when working with NuGet packages, install the `Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.AllControls` package. The [package target framework version may vary](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/visual-studio-integration/available-nugets).

If you don’t need all controls, you can instead install a more lightweight package targeting only RadWebCam: **UI.for.WinForms.RadWebCam**. This package has a dependency on **UI.for.WinForms.Common**, which will be automatically installed when adding the **RadWebCam NuGet**.

Read more about NuGet installation in the [Install using NuGet Packages](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/installation-and-upgrades/install-using-nuget) article.

> tip With the 2025 Q1 release, the Telerik UI for WinForms has a new licensing mechanism. You can learn more about it [here](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/licensing/license-key).

## Adding Assembly References Manually

When dragging and dropping a control from the Visual Studio (VS) Toolbox onto the Form Designer, VS automatically adds the necessary assemblies. However, if you're adding the control programmatically, you'll need to manually reference the following assemblies:

* **MediaFoundation**
* **Telerik.Licensing.Runtime**
* **Telerik.WinControls**
* **Telerik.WinControls.RadWebCam**
* **Telerik.WinControls.UI**
* **Telerik.Windows.MediaFoundation**
* **TelerikCommon**

The Telerik UI for WinForms assemblies can be install by using one of the available [installation approaches](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/installation-and-upgrades/installing-on-your-computer).

## Defining the RadWebCam

This tutorial will walk you through the creation of a sample application that contains a **RadWebCam**.

> caution **RadWebCam** requires .NET Framework 4.0 and cannot be used with an older version.

## Assembly References

In order to use **RadWebCam**, you will need to add references to the following assemblies:

* Telerik.WinControls
* Telerik.WinControls.UI
* TelerikCommon
* Telerik.WinControls.RadWebCam
* Telerik.Windows.MediaFoundation: This dll is located in the UI for WinForms installation folder.
* MediaFoundation: This dll is located in the UI for WinForms installation folder.

You can download the required assemblies for each control from your Telerik account: [Download Product Files](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/installation-and-upgrades/download-product-files).

> caution Microsoft Media Foundation enables the development of applications and components for using digital media on **Windows Vista and later**. Thus, [RadWebCam is not support for Windows XP machines](https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/Windows/en-US/3de928f0-1190-4ee8-9d94-06f5d2db5bd2/run-media-foundation-application-on-windows-xp?forum=mediafoundationdevelopment). Also, the lastest version of Windows 7, Service Pack 1 (6.1.7601.24499), doesn't support RadWebCam as well.

## Setting up the Control

To start using the control you only need to add a **RadWebCam** control to the form either at design time by dragging it from toolbox and dropping it onto the form or via code.

> important **RadWebCam** video recording relies on USB web cams being able to use **MJPEG** or **H264** encoded streams.
> On August 2nd, 2016, Microsoft released the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 (1607) which [has broken millions of Web cams](https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/76719/microsoft-broken-millions-webcams-windows-10-anniversary-update). In this update Windows no longer allowed USB web cams to use **MJPEG** or **H264** encoded streams and was only allowing **YUY2** encoding.
> According to a comment in [this discussion](https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsdesktop/en-US/9d6a8704-764f-46df-a41c-8e9d84f7f0f3/mjpg-encoded-media-type-is-not-available-for-usbuvc-webcameras-after-windows-10-version-1607-os?forum=mediafoundationdevelopment) the bug was fixed in April 2017 (version 1703, 10.0.15063).

#### Adding a RadWebCam at runtime

```C#
RadWebCam radWebCam1 = new RadWebCam();
string path = @"..\..\Test images and videos\";
radWebCam1.AutoStart = true;
radWebCam1.RecordingFilePath = path + @"\Video1.mp4";
this.Controls.Add(radWebCam1);
```

```VB.NET
Dim radWebCam1 As RadWebCam = New RadWebCam()
Dim path As String = "..\..\Test images and videos\"
radWebCam1.AutoStart = True
radWebCam1.RecordingFilePath = path & "\Video1.mp4"
Me.Controls.Add(radWebCam1)

```

From this point on, you can start using the control without any additional set up.

## Auto Start

By default, the camera control will start automatically if a camera device is connected. You can change this by setting the **AutoStart** property of **RadWebCam** to *false*.

```C#
radWebCam1.AutoStart = false;
```

```VB.NET
radWebCam1.AutoStart = False
```

## Connect to the Webcam Manually

To connect to the web cam manually you can call the **Start** method once the control is initialized.

```C#
radWebCam1.Start();
```

```VB.NET
radWebCam1.Start()
```

> note Read more about the capture devices in the [Media Information](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/webcam/features/media-information) article.

## Stop the Camera Control

To stop the stream between the camera device and the **RadWebCam** control, call the **Stop** method.

```C#
radWebCam1.Stop();
```

```VB.NET
radWebCam1.Stop()
```

## Recording Video

To record a video you need to set **RecordingFilePath** before start the recording. This is required in order to specify where the recording will be stored on the file system.

To start recording, press the "Start recording" button or call the **StartRecording** method of **RadWebCam**. This will start writing the media stream to the corresponding file.

> note Read more about this in the [Recording Video](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/webcam/features/recording-video) article.

```C#
radWebCam1.RecordingFilePath = path + @"\Video1.mp4";
```

```VB.NET
radWebCam1.RecordingFilePath = path + "\Video1.mp4"
```

## Taking Snapshot

A snapshot of the currently displayed video feed can be taken using the **TakeSnapshot** method of the control, or by pressing the "Take snapshot button". This will fire the **SnapshotTaken** event where you get access to the current snapshot as an Image object.

```C#
private void RadWebCam1_SnapshotTaken(object sender, SnapshotTakenEventArgs e)
{
    Image snapshot = e.Snapshot;
    // here you save the source to a file, in memory, or to show it in the UI 
}
```

```VB.NET
Private Sub RadWebCam1_SnapshotTaken(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As SnapshotTakenEventArgs)
    Dim snapshot As System.Drawing.Image = e.Snapshot
End Sub
```

## See Also

* [Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/webcam/structure)
* [Design Time](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/webcam/design-time)
* [Overview](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/webcam/overview)

## Telerik UI for WinForms Learning Resources

* [Telerik UI for WinForms Webcam Component](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/webcam.aspx)
* [Getting Started with Telerik UI for WinForms Components](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/getting-started/first-steps)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Setup](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/installation-and-upgrades/installing-on-your-computer)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Converter](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/ai-coding-assistant/converter/converter)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Visual Studio Templates](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/visual-studio-integration/visual-studio-templates)
* [Deploy Telerik UI for WinForms Applications](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/deployment-and-distribution/application-deployment)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Virtual Classroom(Training Courses for Registered Users)](https://learn.telerik.com/learn/course/external/view/elearning/17/telerik-ui-for-winforms)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms License Agreement)](https://www.telerik.com/purchase/license-agreement/winforms-dlw-s)