Webcam Test — Free Online Test
Our Webcam Test opens a live preview from any camera connected to your device — built-in laptop cam, USB webcam, or virtual camera — so you can confirm image quality, framerate, and focus before your next video call. It also displays resolution, framerate, and camera name so you know exactly what your app is streaming.
How to use the Webcam Test
- Grant camera permission in the browser prompt.
- Check that the preview is clear, well-exposed, and in focus.
- If you have multiple cameras, switch between them using the selector.
- Take a snapshot to save a reference image.
How to interpret your results
A healthy webcam shows a sharp, correctly exposed image at its rated resolution. Grainy footage in normal lighting indicates a low-quality sensor. A black or frozen preview means the camera is disabled, in use by another app, or physically covered by a privacy shutter.
Common issues and what they mean
Black preview but permission granted
Another app (Teams, Zoom, OBS) is holding the camera. Close it and reload.
Very grainy video
Improve lighting — most webcams need at least 300 lux. Face a window or add a ring light.
Wrong camera opened
Click the camera selector and pick the correct device.
When to run this test
- Before every important video call or interview.
- After a Windows or macOS update.
- When troubleshooting Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet.
Fixing a webcam that will not start on Windows 11 and macOS
A black preview with permission granted almost always means another application holds the camera. Windows allows only one process to own a capture device at a time, so a Teams window minimised to the tray, an OBS virtual camera, or a background Zoom process will block every other app. Close them from Task Manager rather than the window's X button, then reload this page.
If no application is holding the device, check the privacy layer next. Windows 11 has three independent switches: Settings, Privacy and security, Camera must allow camera access overall, allow desktop apps, and allow your browser specifically. Many enterprise machines also ship with a Group Policy or vendor utility (Lenovo Vantage, Dell Optimizer, HP Wolf Security) that disables the camera at the firmware level, which no browser setting can override.
On macOS, camera permission is granted per application in System Settings, Privacy and Security, Camera, and the browser must be listed and enabled. Safari additionally asks per site. If the camera works in Photo Booth but not in the browser, the fault is browser permission; if Photo Booth also fails, restart with the SMC reset procedure for your model or check whether a physical privacy shutter is closed.
Why your 1080p webcam streams at 720p
Resolution in a video call is negotiated, not fixed. The browser requests a capture format, the driver offers what it supports, and the conferencing service then re-encodes to fit available bandwidth. It is entirely normal for a 1080p camera to capture at 1280x720 in a call while capturing at 1920x1080 in this test.
Three factors decide the outcome. First, uplink bandwidth: most services drop resolution before they drop frame rate. Second, the capture format: many USB cameras expose 1080p only in MJPEG, and some browser and driver combinations default to uncompressed YUY2, which USB 2.0 bandwidth limits to 720p at 30fps. Third, CPU headroom: software encoders reduce resolution under load.
This test reports the actual negotiated resolution, frame rate and device name, which is the number to quote when a colleague says you look soft. If the test shows 1080p but your meetings do not, the constraint is the meeting platform or your upload speed, not the camera.
Image quality: lighting beats megapixels
Webcam sensors are small, so they need light. Below roughly 300 lux the sensor raises gain, and gain is what produces the grainy, smeared look people blame on a cheap camera. A single diffused light source in front of you improves apparent quality more than upgrading from a 720p to a 1080p camera.
Position the main light at eye level in front of you, not behind. A window behind your head forces the camera's automatic exposure to expose for the bright background and leaves your face in shadow. If you cannot move, disable auto-exposure in the vendor utility and set exposure manually.
Check focus and framing while the preview is running: eyes on the upper third of the frame, camera at or slightly above eye level, and about an arm's length away. Take a snapshot in this test before an interview so you see what the other side sees, rather than discovering the problem during the call.
Frequently asked questions
Do you record my video?
No. The stream stays in your browser tab and never leaves your device.
Why is my 1080p webcam only running at 720p?
Browsers negotiate the highest supported resolution. Some cameras only expose 1080p through vendor drivers.