Read a Canon shutter count on Windows, no extra software
Windows gives Canon cameras its own camera driver, and Chrome can't use that one. You can switch the camera to WinUSB, a driver already built into Windows, in about 2 minutes. Nothing gets downloaded, and you can undo it afterwards.
Before you start
- Windows 10 or 11, and Chrome or Edge.
- Camera battery charged, Wi-Fi off on the camera, and a USB cable that carries data.
- Close EOS Utility, the Photos app and anything else that imports photos.
Switch the camera to WinUSB
- Plug in the camera and switch it on. Wait a few seconds for Windows to recognize it.
- Open Device Manager. Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager, or press Win + X and pick it from the menu.
- Find the camera. It's usually under Portable Devices or Cameras, listed by name, for example "Canon EOS 7D Mark II". Right-click it and choose Update driver.
- Pick the driver yourself. Choose Browse my computer for drivers, then Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
- Choose WinUSB. Untick Show compatible hardware. In the Manufacturer list choose WinUsb Device, and in the Model list choose WinUsb Device. If Windows asks for a device type first, choose Universal Serial Bus devices. Click Next, then Yes on the warning.
- Replug and connect. Unplug the camera, plug it back in, then open the Canon checker and click Connect camera. The camera now appears in Chrome's list.
Undo it when you're done
Until you undo the switch, the Photos app and EOS Utility won't see the camera on this PC.
- In Device Manager, open Universal Serial Bus devices and find WinUsb Device.
- Right-click it and choose Uninstall device.
- Unplug the camera and plug it back in. Windows puts its normal camera driver back.
No computer changes at all: use an Android phone
Chrome on Android talks to USB cameras without any driver step. Plug the camera into the phone with a USB OTG adapter (USB-C to your camera's cable), open ShutterOdo in Chrome, and click Connect camera. The phone powers the connection, so keep the camera battery charged.
iPhones can't do this: Safari doesn't support USB devices.
Questions
Do I need to download anything?
No. WinUSB is a driver that ships with Windows 10 and 11. You're only telling Windows to use it for the camera.
Will this break my camera?
No. Nothing on the camera changes. The switch only affects how this Windows PC talks to it, and you can undo it in under a minute.
Why can't the website do this itself?
Browsers can only talk to USB devices that use WinUSB on Windows, and only the camera maker or you can change which driver a camera uses. That's a Windows security rule, not a ShutterOdo choice.
Do I have to do this every time?
No. Windows remembers the choice for that camera on that USB port until you undo it.