Webcam Test

How to test a webcam

Click Start webcam test and allow camera access. A live picture means the webcam, its cable and its driver all work. The test reads the resolution the camera is actually sending and measures the real frame rate, which is often lower than the box says in a dim room. If your computer has more than one camera, such as a built-in webcam and a USB webcam, pick each one from the list to test it.

What to check in the picture

• Sharpness: hold a page of text about 2 feet away. Blurry text at every distance points to a smudged lens or a failing camera.
• Frame rate: 30 fps is normal for video calls. Below 15 fps looks choppy, usually because of low light or a busy processor.
• Colors and spots: a pink, purple or green tint, dark spots or lines in the same place on every frame mean a damaged sensor or cable.
• Brightness: the reading should rise when you turn toward a window or lamp. A black picture with a brightness near 0 means the lens is covered or the camera is switched off.

Webcam black or not detected?

1. Check for a privacy shutter or camera key. Many HP, Lenovo and Dell laptops have a sliding cover over the lens, or a key with a crossed-out camera icon that turns the webcam off.
2. Close other apps that might be using the camera, such as Zoom, Teams or OBS, then click Start again.
3. Allow camera access. Windows: Settings › Privacy & security › Camera, and turn on camera access for apps and desktop apps. Mac: System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera, and allow your browser. Also click the lock or camera icon in the address bar and allow it for this site.
4. Update or reinstall the driver. Windows: open Device Manager › Cameras (or Imaging devices), right-click the webcam and choose Uninstall device, then restart.
5. If no camera appears in Device Manager or in System Information after a restart, the webcam or its cable in the screen hinge has likely failed.

Testing a phone camera instead? Use the phone camera test. Checking a whole laptop? Run the laptop diagnostic. Getting ready for a Zoom or Teams call? Our webcam and mic test guide covers every fix for a black camera or a silent mic.