How the webcam test works
Click Turn on camera and allow access when the browser asks. The live picture appears on the page together with the camera's name, the resolution it is sending, the frame rate and, in browsers that report it, the highest resolution the camera supports. The page asks for Full HD (1920 × 1080); if the camera cannot deliver that, you see the best it can do. If you have more than one camera, for example a built-in one and a USB webcam, choose it from the list under the picture. The picture is shown only on your screen: nothing is recorded or sent, and Turn off releases the camera at once.
What the results mean
Resolution tells you how sharp the picture can be: HD is 1280 × 720, Full HD 1920 × 1080 and 4K 3840 × 2160. Most laptop cameras send HD or Full HD. The frame rate is how many pictures per second the camera sends; many cameras lower it in poor light to gather more light for each frame, so the picture becomes less smooth. If the picture is dark or grainy, put a light in front of you rather than behind you.
If the camera does not work
- Allow access: click the icon to the left of the address bar, set the camera permission for this site to allow, and reload the page.
- Close programs that may be using the camera, such as Teams, Zoom, Skype or Discord. On Windows a camera often works with only one program at a time.
- Windows 11: open Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and turn on camera access, including access for desktop apps, because your browser is one of them. On Windows 10 the path starts with Settings > Privacy.
- macOS: open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera and allow your browser.
- On a laptop, check the privacy shutter above the screen and the camera key on the keyboard, if there is one.
- For a USB camera, try another port, connect it directly rather than through a hub, and check that it appears in the list under the picture.
Before an important video call
Check the picture here a few minutes before the call, in the room and the light you will use, and watch the frame rate: if it drops, add light. Then check your microphone and speakers on the microphone test. If the camera works here but not in your call app, the problem lies in that app: choose the right camera in its settings and make sure the app itself has access to the camera.
Questions
Is my picture recorded or sent?
No. The picture is shown only on your screen and never leaves your computer.
Why is the resolution lower than my camera's specification?
The page asks for Full HD. Many laptop cameras deliver less, and some reduce the resolution or the frame rate when the light is poor.
Why does my picture look different than in Zoom or Teams?
Call apps often show your own picture mirrored and add their own brightness, blur or background effects. This page shows exactly what the camera sends, without mirroring or effects.
Can I test an external webcam?
Yes. Connect it, reload the page, turn on the camera and pick it from the list under the picture.
Which browsers does the webcam test work in?
In current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Some browsers do not report the camera's highest resolution, so that line may be missing.