Test your webcam privately in the browser
The Webcam Test confirms your camera is working and gives you a live preview before an important call or recording — without installing software or trusting an upload-based site. Press Start camera, allow access when prompted, and your video appears instantly. Nothing is ever recorded or sent anywhere; the preview exists only on your own screen.
Underneath the picture the tool reports the device name, the resolution (for example 1280 × 720) and the frame rate in frames per second, so you can verify the camera is delivering the quality you expect.
What to check before a call
- Framing and orientation — you are centred and the image is the right way up.
- Lighting — your face is evenly lit, with the main light in front of you rather than behind.
- Focus and clarity — the picture is sharp and not smeared or grainy.
- The right camera — if you have several, use the drop-down to pick the one you want to use.
Fixing a camera that will not start
If the preview stays black or the browser reports an error, the usual causes are another app already holding the camera, a privacy shutter or hardware kill switch, or a permission that was previously blocked. Close other video apps, open any physical cover, re-enable the camera in your browser’s site permissions, and reload the page.
Because the entire test runs client-side, it is a safe, private alternative to services that stream your camera to a server.