Webcam Test
Check that your camera works and how good it looks, and get the exact fix if it doesn't.
Runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded.
Your browser will ask to use the camera. The picture stays on your device.
How to use Webcam Test
- Press Test my camera and choose Allow when your browser asks.
- Look at the preview and read the result: it checks for a black, frozen, dark or slow picture.
- If something is wrong, follow the steps shown for your browser and system.
- Pick another camera or resolution to compare, and take a photo to check the quality.
- Press Stop when you are done. The camera turns off right away.
How it works
Your browser opens the camera and shows the preview. Four times a second the test looks at a tiny copy of the picture to judge its brightness and whether it moves, and it counts the frames as they arrive. Nothing is sent anywhere, and the camera turns off when you press Stop or leave the page.
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Your camera works | A live picture arrives at a normal brightness and speed. | Nothing. If an app still can’t see you, pick the same camera in that app. |
| Black picture | The camera is on, but sends darkness. | Open the privacy shutter, press the camera key, or pick the other camera. |
| Picture frozen | No new frames for three seconds. | Close other camera apps, then unplug and replug the webcam. |
| Very dark | Not enough light for others to see you well. | Put a light in front of you, not behind. |
| Washed out | Too much light hits the lens. | Turn bright lights away from the camera. |
| Slow | Fewer than 15 frames per second, so calls look choppy. | Add light, pick a lower resolution, or use a USB 3 port. |
If the camera doesn’t start at all, the test names the cause, such as a blocked permission, a system privacy setting, another app holding the camera, or no camera at all, and shows the steps for your browser and system.
Resolution and frame rate
Browsers start most webcams at 640 × 480 unless a site asks for more. The test asks for up to 1080p, so you see what your camera can really do. Choose Up to 4K to check a 4K webcam, or 720p to compare. Video-call apps often use less than the camera’s maximum to save bandwidth.
Frame rate is measured from the frames that actually arrive, not the number the camera claims. Many webcams drop from 30 to 15 frames per second or less in a dim room, because each frame needs more time to collect light.
Laptops with two cameras
Laptops with face sign-in (Windows Hello) have a normal camera and an infrared one. Browsers list both. The infrared camera shows a dark, grainy, black-and-white picture, so if your picture looks like that, pick the other camera in the list.
It works here but not in Zoom, Teams or Meet
The test proves your camera and browser are fine. When one app still shows no video:
- Wrong camera. Each app picks its own. Choose the one named in this test in the app’s video settings.
- App blocked by the system. On Windows, Settings → Privacy & security → Camera lists which apps may use it. On a Mac, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera.
- Camera in use. On most Windows PCs only one app can use the camera at a time. Close this test and other video apps first.
Take a photo, or use it as a mirror
While the camera is on, press Take a photo to take a picture with your webcam. The photo appears under the preview, and Download photo saves it as a JPG at your camera’s full resolution. It isn’t uploaded anywhere. Use it to check sharpness and color, or for a quick picture when you need one.
The preview is mirrored like a bathroom mirror, which is how most apps show you to yourself, so the page also works as a camera mirror before a call. Other people see you the right way round: turn off Mirror preview to see what they see. The photo is always saved the way others see you.
Questions
How do I know if my webcam is working?
Press Test my camera and allow access. If you see yourself and the result says "Your camera works", the camera, its driver and your browser are fine. The test also shows the resolution and frame rate your camera really delivers.
Why is my camera showing a black screen?
Usually a closed privacy shutter, a camera key on the keyboard that turned it off, or the wrong camera picked: laptops with face sign-in also have an infrared camera that shows a dark picture. Another app holding the camera can cause it too. The test detects a black picture and lists the fixes.
Why is my webcam not working?
The usual causes are a blocked browser permission, a system privacy setting, another app using the camera, or a camera that is unplugged or switched off. The test names the cause it finds and shows the steps for your browser and system.
How do I allow camera access in Chrome?
Click the icon at the left end of the address bar, set Camera to Allow, then reload the page. On Windows and Mac, the system privacy settings must also allow Chrome to use the camera.
Why does my webcam look mirrored?
Most apps show your own preview mirrored, like a mirror, because that feels natural. Other people see you the right way round. Turn off "Mirror preview" to see what they see, or take a photo.
Does this webcam test record or upload anything?
No. The preview and checks run in your browser. A photo is only taken when you press the button, it stays on your device, and it is gone when you close the page.
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Updated October 26, 2026 · Works in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari · Runs entirely in your browser