Free tools / Webcam test

Webcam Test

See what your camera sees. Check it turns on, read its real resolution and frame rate, and take a snapshot, all without leaving the browser.

FreeRuns in your browserNothing uploaded

Press Start, then choose Allow when the browser asks to use your camera. The picture stays on this device.

The camera preview appears here

Cover check: if the preview is black or very dark, look for a privacy shutter, a sticker over the lens or a camera key on the keyboard that turns it off.

Resolution

Off

Frame rate

Off

Brightness

Off

Camera

None yet

Snapshot

Press Snapshot while the preview is running. The frame is drawn here and never leaves your device.

Your browser will ask for permission to use the camera. The preview and any snapshot stay on your device. Everything runs locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

How to use the webcam test

1

Press Start and allow the camera. The browser asks for permission the first time. Choose Allow. If the machine has more than one camera, a picker appears so you can switch between them.

2

Check the preview. You should see yourself within a second or two. The preview is mirrored so it behaves like a mirror. Turn that off to see the image the way other people see it on a call.

3

Read the resolution and frame rate. The readout shows the size the camera is actually delivering and how many frames a second arrive. Compare it with what the laptop or webcam box promises.

4

Take a snapshot. Press Snapshot to freeze a frame below the preview. It is a good way to judge focus, colour and grain. Download it if you want to keep it. It never leaves your device.

What the results mean

No camera found. The browser cannot see a camera at all. Check the privacy shutter, any camera key on the keyboard, and the privacy settings in Windows or macOS. If those are fine and a USB webcam works but the built-in one does not, the internal camera or its cable has failed.

Permission blocked. The browser has been told not to use the camera. Click the padlock or camera icon in the address bar, allow the camera and press Start again.

Black or very dark preview. The camera is running but sees nothing. That is nearly always a closed shutter, a sticker over the lens or a room with the lights off. The cover check flags it for you.

Low resolution or frame rate. A camera reporting a much smaller size than its rating is usually being limited by the browser or by another app that is using it. A low frame rate in a bright room, with nothing else running, points to a struggling camera or a slow machine.

Working at the expected size. The preview is clear, the resolution matches the specification and the frame rate is steady. The camera is fine. If it still fails in a meeting app, check that app has permission and has the right camera selected.

When a laptop webcam is a repair job

A built-in webcam sits in the screen bezel and connects to the main board through a thin cable that runs through the hinge. When the camera is missing from the device list, shows a blank image or drops out when you move the lid, the cable or the camera module is the usual cause, and our free diagnosis tells you which. We fit replacement cameras and cables on all the main laptop brands and on MacBook at our Kings Cross workshop, with an exact quote before any work and No Fix No Fee.

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Webcam test: your questions answered

Is the preview or snapshot uploaded anywhere?−

No. The video goes straight from the camera to the page in your browser. The snapshot is drawn on your device and the download link points at that image, not at a server.

Why is the preview mirrored?+

A mirrored preview is easier to use because it moves the way a mirror does, and meeting apps do the same. Use the Mirror button to see the image the way other people receive it, which is the way it is actually captured.

Why is the resolution lower than the camera rating?+

Browsers ask the camera for a size and the camera picks the nearest mode it supports. Another app using the camera, a low-power setting or an old driver can also hold it at a smaller size.

Does this work on a phone?+

Yes. On a phone the tester uses the front camera by default and the picker lets you switch to the rear camera where the browser allows it.

The camera works here but not in Teams or Zoom. Why?+

Then the camera hardware is fine. Check the app has permission to use the camera in your system privacy settings and that it has the right camera selected in its own settings. Restarting the app usually clears it.

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