How to use the webcam test
Press Start camera. Your browser shows a permission prompt near the address bar; choose Allow. The preview appears within a second or two, mirrored by default so it behaves like a mirror — the people on your video call see the un-mirrored image. If you have several cameras (a laptop camera plus a USB webcam, or front and rear cameras on a phone), pick one from the camera list; the names only appear after you have granted permission once, which is a browser privacy rule rather than a fault.
The panel on the right fills in automatically. Live resolution is the size of the frames actually arriving, not what the camera advertises. Measured fps counts the frames delivered to the page every second, so it catches a camera that claims 30 fps but only manages 12 in a dim room. Lighting samples the raw image several times a second and tells you if it is too dark, dim, good or overexposed.
Use the resolution and frame-rate lists to request a mode — the camera grants the closest it can, and the readouts show you what you really got. Probe resolutions asks for seven standard sizes one after another and lists which ones the camera delivers natively. When you are done, press Stop: the stream is closed, the camera is released and its indicator light should go out.
What good webcam results look like
| Reading | Good | What a poor result usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1280×720 or higher for calls; 1920×1080 for streaming | 640×480 on a camera sold as HD: a USB 2.0 hub, an old driver or another app forcing a low mode |
| Measured fps | Within 10% of the reported rate, typically 29–30 | 15 fps or less: the camera is lengthening its exposure because the room is dark, or USB bandwidth is shared |
| Lighting | “Good” | “Too dark” adds grain and lowers fps; “Too bright” means a window behind you is blowing out the highlights |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 | 4:3 is normal for older or budget webcams and is cropped or letterboxed by most call apps |
The Supported capabilities list comes straight from the camera driver via the browser: maximum and minimum resolution, the frame-rate range, facing mode on phones, and — on cameras that expose them — zoom, focus, exposure and white-balance modes. Chrome and Edge report the most; Safari reports a subset and Firefox reports none, which is why the probe exists. If zoom or a torch is available, a slider or switch appears under the preview and controls the real hardware.
Webcam not working? Fixes that actually help
- “Camera access was blocked”. You, or a previous visit, denied permission. Open the fix steps under the tool — they switch to your browser automatically — and reset the permission from the address bar, then reload.
- The browser is allowed but it still fails. Both Windows and macOS have their own camera privacy switches that override the browser. On Windows it is Settings → Privacy & security → Camera; on a Mac, System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera. Restart the browser after changing it.
- “The camera is busy”. Only one application can usually hold a webcam. Close Zoom, Teams, OBS, FaceTime, or a video call in another tab. A physical privacy shutter, or a laptop's camera kill-switch key, gives a black picture or a busy error.
- “No camera found”. Try another USB port directly on the computer, not a hub, and check the camera appears in Device Manager or System Information.
- Black or frozen picture while “Live”. The tool detects when a camera stops sending frames and says so; that points at a shutter, a closed laptop lid or a driver problem.
Privacy and browser limits
Everything happens inside your browser tab. The video is never uploaded, and nothing is recorded unless you press Record clip — even then, the clip lives only in this tab's memory until you save it. Snapshots are drawn locally onto a canvas and exported as PNG. Closing the tab, or pressing Stop, releases the camera. You can confirm that no data leaves the page in your browser's network panel; see our privacy policy for the details.
A few limits are imposed by browsers rather than by the tool. Camera access only works on secure (https) pages. Resolution probing can only test sizes the browser is willing to request, and browsers that cannot disable scaling may report a size as available when the camera is really upscaling. The preview adjustments are applied on screen and to snapshots but do not change the camera's own settings, so a call app will not see them. On iPhone, only the video itself can go full screen, and iOS allows one camera at a time, so switching cameras briefly stops the preview.
Checking your whole call setup? Test your microphone and your speakers or headphones next.
Frequently asked questions
Is this webcam test safe and private?
Yes. The camera stream is processed entirely inside your browser and is never uploaded or stored on a server. Nothing is recorded unless you press Record clip, and clips and snapshots stay in the tab until you download them. Press Stop, or close the tab, and the camera is released immediately.
Why is my webcam showing a lower resolution than advertised?
Browsers pick a sensible default, often 640×480, until a page asks for more. Choose a higher size from the resolution list and see what the camera grants. If it still stays low, the camera may be on a USB 2.0 hub, another app may be holding a lower mode, or the advertised figure refers to still photos rather than video.
Why is my frame rate lower than 30 fps?
Most webcams lengthen their exposure in dim light to get a brighter picture, which caps the frame rate at 15 fps or lower. Add light in front of you and watch the measured fps climb. Shared USB bandwidth, other apps using the CPU heavily, and power-saving modes on laptops can also reduce it.
Why does my camera image look mirrored?
The preview is mirrored by default because that is what people expect when they look at themselves, like a mirror. The people on a video call normally see the un-mirrored image, so text on your T-shirt reads correctly for them. Untick Mirror to see the true image; snapshots follow whichever view you have selected.
How do I test a different camera, such as my phone's rear camera?
Grant permission once, then open the camera list: every connected camera appears by name, including front and rear cameras on phones and tablets. Picking one restarts the preview with that camera. On iPhone and many Android phones only one camera can run at a time, so the preview goes blank briefly while it switches.
Does the webcam test work on iPhone and Android?
Yes, in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Samsung Internet on Android. If nothing happens on iPhone, check Settings → Apps → Safari → Camera is set to Ask or Allow. Full screen on iPhone shows the video player only, which is an iOS restriction.