Webcam Test — Check Your Camera Online
This webcam test shows your camera's live picture together with the technical details your browser can read: the output resolution, the requested frame rate and the device name, plus a snapshot button for a quick still.
Quick answer: Press Start camera and allow access: if you see yourself, the camera works. Video is processed locally and never uploaded. If the image is black, the camera is in use by another app, the privacy shutter is closed, or the wrong device is selected in the dropdown.
Your browser will ask for camera access. The video is displayed locally and is never uploaded.
| What it shows | Live preview, device name, reported resolution, requested frame rate and a still-image snapshot |
|---|---|
| Privacy | The stream stays inside your browser; no video or image is uploaded and the snapshot is saved only if you click download |
| Windows tip | If the picture is black, check Settings → Privacy → Camera and close any app already using the camera |
| Multiple cameras | Use the device dropdown to switch between an integrated webcam, a USB camera and a capture card |
Resolution, frame rate and why they can differ from the spec sheet
Browsers negotiate with the camera: the resolution shown is what the camera agreed to deliver for this page, which may be lower than the maximum the hardware supports, especially while other apps are running. Frame rate works the same way — a 30 fps camera can drop to 15 fps under CPU load or when the scene is dark, because many cameras lengthen exposure in low light. If the numbers look low, close other apps, add light, and reload the page.
Black image troubleshooting
In order of likelihood: another application is holding the camera (conferencing clients, Windows Camera, streaming tools); a privacy shutter or a keyboard function key has disabled it; the operating system's camera permission for the browser is switched off; or the camera is faulty. Try the camera in the operating system's own camera app — if it is black there too, the problem is above the browser.
When to use this test
- Before an interview or meeting: confirm the picture, the framing and that no one else is using the camera
- You plugged in a new webcam and want to check which device the browser picks by default
- You want to see the actual resolution and frame rate your camera delivers, not the marketing number
- A laptop camera shows a black or frozen image and you need to know whether it is a hardware fault