How to test your webcam online

The online webcam test shows your live camera feed without installing anything. The video stays on your device.

• Open the webcam test and press Start.
• Choose Allow when the browser asks for camera access.
• Select the camera from the list if you have more than one, such as a built-in camera and an external USB webcam.
• Check the picture and read the resolution and frame rate shown with it.

Resolution is the number of pixels in the picture. 1280 × 720 is called 720p and is enough for most calls, while 1920 × 1080 (1080p) is noticeably sharper if your lighting is good. Frame rate is how many pictures per second the camera delivers. 30 frames per second looks smooth for conversation, and anything near 15 looks choppy.

The numbers you see are what the browser negotiated, not always what the camera box claims. A camera may support 1080p over USB 3 but drop to a lower mode over a slow port or when another app is using it. Seeing a lower figure than expected is a clue, not a fault in itself.

A black screen almost always has a simple cause.

• Check the physical privacy shutter or the keyboard key that turns the camera off. Many laptops have both.
• Allow camera access in the browser. Click the lock icon in the address bar and set Camera to Allow.
• Close other apps that may hold the camera, such as Zoom, Teams, Skype or a second browser tab. Most cameras can only be used by one app at a time.
• On Windows, check Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. On a Mac, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera.
• Unplug and replug an external camera, try another USB port and avoid unpowered hubs.

Light matters more than the camera. Put a lamp or window in front of you, not behind you, so your face is the brightest thing in the frame. A back-lit scene makes the camera expose for the bright background and turns you into a silhouette.

Grain is the camera raising its sensitivity in a dim room. Adding light removes it far better than any software filter. If the picture looks too yellow or blue, check that your light sources have a similar colour, because mixing warm bulbs with daylight confuses automatic white balance.

Place the camera at eye level or slightly above, so you are not looking down your nose at it. Leave a little space above your head, and sit about an arm’s length away. On a laptop, a stack of books under it is the cheapest improvement you can make.

Before an interview, run the webcam test and the mic test back to back. If both work in the browser but a meeting app fails, the fault is in that app’s device settings, not your hardware.