Webcam Test
Allow camera access and see yourself live. Find out if your webcam is working, and why the picture is black, choppy or dark.
Getting ready…
How It Works
Once you allow access, your camera’s picture appears live, mirrored like a selfie. If you see yourself, the camera works and the browser can use it.
The test takes 5 seconds and needs nothing from you. It counts the frames your camera delivers and measures how bright the picture is, so it can tell a black or frozen camera from one that is only slow or badly lit.
Your picture stays on this page. Nothing is recorded, uploaded or saved, and the camera turns off when you close the page.
Interpreting Your Result
A black picture with the camera light on is almost always a privacy shutter, a lens cover or a camera key on the keyboard. No picture at all usually means another app, such as Zoom or Teams, is holding the camera: close it and the picture appears here by itself.
Under 24 frames per second, motion looks choppy. Webcams lower their frame rate in dim light to let in more light per frame, so add light before blaming the camera.
Brightness is the picture’s average on a scale of 0 (black) to 255 (white). Under 50, your face turns dark and grainy; over 200, it washes out. Face a window or a lamp, and keep bright light out from behind you.
The test asks for up to 1080p, the most video calls send. A camera that shows less, such as 720p, may be built that way: many laptop webcams are. To find the most yours can send, and how smooth it stays at each size, run the webcam resolution test.
Getting ready for a call? Check that people will hear you with the mic test, and that you will hear them with the speaker test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my webcam not working?
The most common causes are another app using the camera, the browser blocked from it, or a privacy shutter or camera key turned on. If no picture appears here, close Zoom, Teams and other video apps first, then check your browser and system camera permissions.
How do I allow camera access in my browser?
In Chrome, Edge or Firefox, click the icon at the left of the address bar, set Camera to Allow, and reload. In Safari, open the Safari menu, choose Settings for This Website, and allow the camera. Also check your system: on Windows, Settings, Privacy & security, Camera; on a Mac, System Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera.
Why is my webcam picture black?
Most laptops have a way to turn the camera off: a sliding shutter over the lens, a camera key on the keyboard, often one of F1 to F12, or a switch on the side. Some webcams have a cap. If the picture is still black with all of those open, try another USB port.
Is my picture recorded or uploaded?
No. The picture is shown and measured inside this page only. Nothing is recorded, sent or saved, and the camera turns off as soon as you close or reload the page.
Why does my webcam look choppy or laggy?
Usually not enough light: webcams lower their frame rate in the dark. Add light in front of you. If it is still choppy, plug the webcam straight into the computer instead of a hub, and close other apps using the camera or a lot of processing power.
Why does my webcam work here but not in Zoom or Teams?
Then the camera is fine and the app is choosing another one, or is blocked. Pick the same camera in the app’s video settings, and check that your system lets the app use the camera: on Windows in Settings, Privacy & security, Camera; on macOS in System Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera.