What is a webcam test?
A webcam test is a quick check that your camera works and shows what it can really do. The page asks the browser for your camera, plays the picture back, and reads back the numbers the browser is using: frame size, frame rate and, where available, which way the camera faces.
| Check | What you see | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Live preview | Your picture, mirrored or not | Confirms the camera, driver and permission all work |
| Resolution | Width × height, name and aspect ratio | Shows the real sharpness the browser receives |
| Frame rate | Frames per second, measured live | Low numbers make motion look choppy |
| Light | A rating from too dark to too bright | Poor light hurts a picture more than a cheap sensor |
| Errors | A plain reason and fix steps | Turns "it doesn't work" into something you can fix |
How do I test my webcam online?
Open this page, press Start camera and choose Allow. If you can see yourself, your webcam works in this browser. The steps above cover the rest, and the notes below explain what happens behind the button.
The page calls the browser's getUserMedia function with video only. The browser shows its own permission prompt, opens the camera, and hands the page a video stream. That stream plays in a muted <video> element, so there is no echo and no sound is captured.
How do I run a webcam resolution test?
Pick a size under Size to request and read the resolution row. The browser treats your choice as a request and tells you what it got. This webcam resolution test compares the two and says so plainly, because a camera advertised as 1080p often gives less.
The request uses an *ideal* constraint, not an *exact* one. An exact request fails with an error if the camera cannot match it. An ideal request lets the browser choose the closest mode, which is what a video call app does too.
| Name | Frame size | Pixels | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 480p (SD) | 640×480 | About 0.3 million | Low-bandwidth calls, old cameras |
| 720p (HD) | 1280×720 | About 0.9 million | Everyday video calls |
| 1080p (Full HD) | 1920×1080 | About 2.1 million | Streaming, recording, sharp calls |
| 4K (2160p) | 3840×2160 | About 8.3 million | High-end cameras; needs a fast connection |
What does the webcam FPS test show?
The webcam fps test counts the video frames that actually reach the preview and divides by the time, over the last two seconds. That is your real frame rate right now, which can be lower than the number the camera was asked for.
The page shows two numbers. Measured is the count above. Reported comes from the track's settings and is the rate the browser asked the camera for. When they differ, trust the measured one.
| Measured | Rating here | What you will notice |
|---|---|---|
| 27 fps or more | Smooth | Natural motion, fine for calls |
| 20 to 26 fps | Slightly choppy | Fast hand movement looks a little jumpy |
| 12 to 19 fps | Choppy | Clear stutter when you move |
| Under 12 fps | Very low | Slideshow effect; check light, cable and CPU load |
How does the camera test rate my lighting?
Once a second the page draws one small frame of your video onto a hidden canvas and averages its brightness. It reports too dark, a little dark, good, a little bright or too bright, plus a flat-image warning when there is almost no contrast. The cut-offs are this tool's own rules of thumb, not a standard, and the sampled frame is discarded at once.
Backlight is the most common trap. A bright window behind you makes the camera darken the whole picture, so your face turns into a silhouette even though the average looks fine. Turn so the light hits your face.
What do the mirror and snapshot buttons do?
Mirror preview flips the picture like a bathroom mirror, so moving your right hand moves the hand on the right of the screen. It only changes the preview. Other people on a call see the un-flipped view, and text held up to the camera reads backwards in mirror mode.
Take snapshot copies the current frame to a canvas at full camera size and encodes it as a PNG. Snapshots are not mirrored, so they match what the camera really sees. The image sits in the tab's memory until you press Download PNG.
Why is my webcam not working in the browser?
Your webcam is not working in the browser for one of four reasons: permission is denied, another app is using the camera, the camera is not detected, or the page is not secure. The test names which one, using the error the browser returns.
| Error name | Plain meaning | First thing to try |
|---|---|---|
| NotAllowedError | Permission was blocked | Set Camera to Allow in the site settings |
| NotFoundError | No camera found | Check the cable, then press Refresh list |
| NotReadableError | Camera is busy or unreadable | Quit other apps that use the camera |
| OverconstrainedError | The size or device is unavailable | Choose Auto and pick the camera again |
| No prompt at all | Page is not on HTTPS | Use an https:// address |
Camera permission in Chrome
- Click the icon at the left of the address bar (a lock or camera) and set Camera to Allow.
- Or open
chrome://settings/content/cameraand remove this site from the Block list. - Reload the page and press Start camera again.
- If the setting is greyed out, a work or school policy may control it. Ask your administrator.
Camera permission in the operating system
- Windows: Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. Turn on camera access, and allow desktop apps to use it.
- macOS: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. Turn on your browser.
- Physical switches: some laptops have a sliding shutter or a function key that cuts power to the camera.
If the browser reports your webcam not detected, unplug an external camera, wait a few seconds, plug it into a different port and press Refresh list. Avoid unpowered USB hubs.
What does "camera in use by another app" mean?
"Camera in use by another app" means a different program already has the camera open. The browser shows this as NotReadableError (or AbortError). Most systems let only one program use a camera at a time, so the second one is refused.
- Quit Zoom, Teams, Discord, Skype, OBS or a camera utility completely, not just the meeting. Check the system tray or menu bar.
- Close other browser tabs that use the camera, including tabs in other browser profiles.
- Restart the browser. A crashed tab can leave the camera locked.
- Unplug and replug a USB camera. As a last step, restart the computer.
Why does my virtual camera show up in the camera list?
A virtual camera is software that registers itself as a camera and sends whatever it wants to apps, such as your screen, an OBS scene or a filtered version of your webcam. Browsers cannot tell it from hardware, so it appears in the list and works in the test like any other.
That is useful when you test. If the picture shows a logo, a black frame or a scene instead of your face, or the resolution never matches what you ask for, the virtual camera may be the selected device. Pick the physical camera from the list, or close the app that provides the virtual one.
Is a webcam and microphone test the same thing?
No. A webcam and microphone test checks two separate devices with two separate permissions. This page tests video only and never asks for the microphone, so a successful result says nothing about your sound. Test audio separately before an important call.
For a webcam test for Zoom, the steps are the same as above, with two extras. Check that Zoom itself has the right camera selected in its own video settings, and that the operating system allows Zoom to use the camera. Browser and app permissions are separate. The Zoom and Google Meet pages cover browser extensions for those meetings.
Is it safe to test my webcam online?
Yes, when the test runs in your browser and you can see it working. This page makes no network calls with your video, has no recording feature and loads no third-party scripts. The browser shows a camera indicator in the tab while it is in use.
Be wary of extensions and sites that ask for the camera without a clear reason. In Chrome, the tabs permission and access to all sites matter more than a one-off camera prompt. Check what a tool is allowed to do, and revoke camera access for sites you no longer use. The WebRTC leak test shows what your browser's real-time features reveal about your network.
