Check your camera and its microphone work, see the resolution and frame rate the camera delivers, and play back a 5-second clip.
Your browser asks for camera and microphone access. The picture and sound stay on this page and are never uploaded.
Recording 5
Microphone
Listening…
Camera Delivers
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Frame Rate
Measuring…
Camera
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Aspect Ratio
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Megapixels
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Lighting
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That camera isn't available; using the default camera.
This browser can't record video, so the playback clip isn't available here.
Take Photo keeps the picture on this page, unmirrored, the way others see you. Download Photo saves it to your device only. A clip stays in this page's memory and is discarded when you leave.
Your 5-second clip, unmirrored, the way others see and hear you. The camera and microphone are off during playback, so phones play the sound through the speaker.
The clip couldn't be played. Try recording again.
Camera Stopped
Another app or the system turned the camera off.
Still blocked. Change the setting in the steps below, then try again.
How to Allow the Camera
Chrome and Edge: click the icon to the left of the address, set Camera to Allow, and reload.
Safari on Mac: open the Safari menu, then Settings for This Website, and set Camera to Allow.
Firefox: click the camera icon in the address bar, remove the block, and reload.
iPhone and iPad: tap aA in the address bar, then Website Settings, and set Camera to Allow. Also check Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Camera.
Android: tap the icon to the left of the address, then Permissions, and allow Camera.
Windows: open Settings, then Privacy and security, then Camera, and turn on camera access for apps and desktop apps.
Mac: open System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Camera, and turn on your browser.
How to Use It
Press Test My Webcam and allow camera and microphone access when your browser asks. It's one prompt.
Check the picture is sharp and well lit, then read the resolution and the measured frame rate.
Talk at your normal volume and watch the Microphone bar under the picture. It should read Level: good.
Press Record 5-Second Clip and talk. When the countdown ends, the clip plays back with sound, so you see and hear what others on a call get.
If you have more than one camera, pick it from the Camera list. On phones this switches between the front and back cameras.
What the Results Mean
Camera Delivers
The resolution and frame rate the camera agreed to send. Browsers pick the nearest mode the camera supports, so this is the camera's real output, not its box specification.
Measured Frame Rate
Frames actually shown in the last 2 seconds. Around 30 fps looks smooth on calls. Below 20 fps usually means too little light or an overloaded computer.
Aspect Ratio
The shape of the delivered picture, matched to a common name such as 16:9 or 4:3 where it's close enough. It comes from the same width and height as Camera Delivers above.
Megapixels
Width times height of the delivered picture, in millions of pixels. A webcam's box often lists a higher number from its sensor, which the camera downsamples before it reaches your browser.
Lighting
How bright the picture looks on average, from too dark to too bright. Put a light in front of you, not behind you: backlighting makes auto exposure darken your face.
Microphone Level
The bar runs from silence on the left to the loudest the microphone can record on the right. The thin line marks the last peak. Level: good means speech from arm's length reaches at least −45 dBFS. Level: quiet means you're below that, No sound means nothing above −70 dBFS reached the browser, and Level: too loud means the signal is clipping.
To check that the level comes from the webcam's own microphone and not another input, follow how to test a webcam microphone.
Recorded Clip
The clip is what the browser recorded from your camera and microphone, unmirrored. Choppy video or sound that drifts out of step usually points to a busy computer or a USB hub.
Fixes
Camera Access Is Blocked
Allow the camera for this site in your browser, then check the system privacy settings (Windows: Settings, then Privacy and security, then Camera; Mac: System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Camera).
Camera Is in Use
Only one app can use most webcams at a time. Quit Zoom, Teams, Skype, OBS, or any other video app, then try again.
No Camera Found
Check for a privacy shutter, a camera key on the keyboard (often F8 or F10 with Fn), or a disabled camera in Device Manager. Plug a USB webcam directly into the computer, not a hub.
No Microphone Found or Microphone Blocked
The camera test still works without a microphone. Allow the microphone for this site in your browser. Then check the system privacy settings (Windows: Settings, then Privacy and security, then Microphone; Mac: System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Microphone). To check a microphone's level, noise, and playback in more detail, use the mic test on Soundlevel.
The Picture Is Dark or Blurry
Face a window or a lamp, wipe the lens, and close other apps that use the processor. A higher resolution doesn't help if the room is dim.
Press Test My Webcam and allow camera and microphone access. Your picture appears with the resolution and frame rate the camera delivers, and a bar shows the microphone level. Nothing is uploaded.
Does it test my webcam's microphone?+
Yes: the Microphone bar shows the live level, and Record 5-Second Clip plays back what it captured. It uses your default microphone, which isn't always the webcam's own; make the webcam your default input to test it. For a closer look at a microphone, use the mic test on our sister site Soundlevel.
Why is my webcam not working?+
Usually the browser or system has blocked the camera, another app is using it, or a privacy switch or key has turned it off. The test shows which one and how to fix it.
Why is my webcam picture mirrored?+
Previews are mirrored by default so moving feels natural, like a mirror. Other people on a call see the unmirrored image. Untick Mirror to see what they see; photos and clips are saved unmirrored.
What resolution is my webcam?+
The test asks for 1080p and shows what the camera actually delivers. Choose 4K to see if it can go higher, or 720p for older computers. Many laptop cameras top out at 720p.
How many megapixels is my webcam?+
The test shows the megapixels of the picture the camera is actually sending, which can be lower than its sensor's rating. Choose 4K to see its maximum.
Why does my webcam look dark?+
Put a light in front of you, not behind you. A window or lamp behind you makes auto exposure darken your face to protect a bright background. That is what the Lighting result is warning about.
Why is the measured frame rate lower than 30 fps?+
Cameras slow down in dim light to gather more light per frame. Add light in front of you and the rate usually rises. A busy computer or a USB hub can lower it too.
Why does the camera turn off after I record a clip?+
So the clip plays through your speakers. On iPhones and iPads, sound goes to the quiet earpiece while the microphone is on, so the test releases the camera and microphone first. Press Restart Camera or Record Again to carry on.
Is my video recorded?+
Only when you press Record 5-Second Clip. The clip stays in your browser's memory and is discarded when you record another, press Stop or Done, or leave the page. Take Photo keeps one picture on the page, unmirrored, the way others see you; press Download Photo to save it to your device. Nothing leaves the page unless you choose to download it.