Webcam test: preview and resolution

Press start to see yourself

The browser needs camera permission to show the picture; nothing is recorded or uploaded.

Your browser will ask whether this page may use the camera; choose Allow. Saying no is fine and the rest of the page still works. You can take the permission back at any time from the icon next to the address bar.

What the camera actually delivers

Resolution—

Frame rate (reported)—

Measured frames per second—

This page asks the camera for 1920 by 1080. When it cannot deliver that, the browser picks the closest it can, so this is the resolution you actually got, not necessarily the most the camera can do. In dim light many webcams lower the frame rate to expose longer, so the measured rate can be below the reported one.

Mirroring only changes this preview. People on a video call usually see the unflipped picture, with text the right way round.

Snapshot

The snapshot lives only in this tab's memory so you can look at it closely. It is gone when you take another, delete it or close this page, and it is never uploaded or saved.

Browser webcam test · nothing is uploaded

What the webcam test shows

Check that your browser can see your webcam: watch the live picture, compare the resolution and frame rate it actually delivers, switch between cameras, and take a snapshot to inspect the image up close. Use the steps below if permission is blocked or the picture stays black.

How to test your webcam

Press start and allow the camera
Press Start the webcam test and choose Allow when the browser asks. With an external webcam, or front and back cameras on a phone, switch between them in the list.
Check the picture and the numbers
If the picture appears, the browser is getting video from the camera. Below it you see the resolution and frame rate it actually delivers; in dim light the frame rate often drops, so turn on a light and look again.
Take a snapshot and look closely
Press Take a snapshot to study a still frame, where focus, noise and smudges on the lens are easier to spot. Mirroring only changes this preview; people on a call see the unflipped picture.

Webcam not working? Fix it by what you see

A web page cannot read any of these settings, so only you can check them. The message above tells you which case you are in; after a change, press Try again.

Permission was blocked

The browser or your system will not let this page use the camera. Fix the browser's site permission first, then the system setting.

Chrome: Click the View site information icon to the left of the address, switch Camera to Allow and reload. Or go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Camera and remove this site from the blocked list.
Edge: Click the icon to the left of the address and set Camera to Allow under Permissions for this site, or go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > Camera.
Safari on Mac: Choose Safari > Settings > Websites > Camera in the menu bar and set www.pocketool.app to Allow or Ask.
Firefox: Click the crossed-out camera icon to the left of the address, clear Blocked and reload. Or remove this site under Settings > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Camera.
iPhone and iPad: In Safari, tap the page menu in the address bar, then Website Settings, and set Camera to Allow. You can also use Settings > Apps > Safari > Camera (Settings > Safari on older iOS). For Chrome or another browser, find it under Settings > Apps and turn on Camera.
Android: In Chrome, tap More at the top right > Settings > Site settings > Camera and move this site from Blocked to Allowed. If that is not enough, open the system Settings > Apps > Chrome > Permissions and allow the camera. Android 12 and later also have a Camera access switch in Quick Settings that blocks every app while it is off. Names vary by maker.
Windows: On Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and turn on Camera access and Let desktop apps access your camera (browsers count as desktop apps). On Windows 10 it is under Settings > Privacy > Camera.
macOS: Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera and turn on your browser. Quit and reopen the browser if the system asks.

No camera found, or it cut out

The browser cannot list any camera, or the one you were using disappeared.

Plugs and ports: Try another USB port for a webcam, ideally straight into the computer rather than through a hub. A camera built into an external monitor only appears when the monitor's USB cable is connected.
Camera switches: Some laptops have a key that turns the camera off (often F8 or F10, marked with a crossed-out camera) or a physical switch on the side. While it is off, the system treats the camera as missing.
Does the system see it?: Open the Camera app on Windows or Photo Booth on a Mac. If the system app cannot show a picture either, the problem is the connection or the driver, and a web page cannot fix that.
Replug and try again: Once it is back, press Try again above and pick it from the list.

Another app is using the camera

Permission is granted and the device is there, but the browser cannot open it.

Close apps that use the camera: Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Discord, OBS, the Windows Camera app and other tabs in a meeting can all hold the camera. On Windows a camera usually works with one app at a time, so close them and press Try again.
Antivirus and privacy tools: Some antivirus suites include webcam protection that blocks apps from using the camera. Check its settings and add your browser to the allowed list.
Replug or restart the browser: When a driver gets stuck, unplugging the device or quitting and reopening the browser usually brings it back.

The picture is black or frozen

Permission and device are fine, yet the picture is black, grey or stuck on one frame.

Is something covering the lens?: Many laptops and webcams have a privacy shutter, and some have a privacy sticker. Make sure nothing is in front of the lens.
Pick the physical camera: The list may include virtual cameras, such as the OBS virtual camera or a call app's virtual background, which show black while they are not running. Switch to the real camera in the list.
Light: In the dark the picture turns black and soft, and the frame rate drops. Turn on a light or face a window and look again.

Unsupported browser, or opened inside an app

When the page says this browser cannot use the camera, it is usually one of these two.

In-app browsers: Links opened from Facebook, Instagram or other apps often open in the app's own browser, which may not allow the camera. Use Open in browser from the app's menu to open this page in Chrome or Safari.
Old browsers: Update Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox. This page needs the standard getUserMedia API.

Privacy

Your camera picture never leaves this tab

This page asks for camera permission, so here is exactly where the picture goes.

Nothing is uploaded

The preview and the numbers are handled in your browser; this site has no server that receives video. Google Analytics only gets codes such as whether permission was granted and which kind of error occurred, never pictures, snapshots, device names or resolutions.

No recording, memory only

This page records no video. A snapshot lives in this tab's memory and is not written to localStorage, IndexedDB or any file.

Gone when you leave

Stopping, switching tabs, leaving or reloading turns the camera off. A snapshot is cleared when you take another, delete it or close this page.

Taking permission back

The permission covers all of www.pocketool.app, so other Pocketool tools at the same address can use it too. To take it back, set the permission icon next to the address bar to Ask or Block; the steps above show where it is in each browser.

Webcam test questions

Why does this page need camera permission?

Browsers only hand camera video to a page after you agree. This page asks only after you press start, and the picture is shown in this tab only, never recorded or uploaded.

Why is my picture flipped?

The preview is mirrored by default, like a mirror, because that looks natural when you see yourself. Turn Mirror off to flip it back. People on a video call usually see the unflipped picture.

Why is the resolution lower than the camera's spec?

This page asks for 1920 by 1080. When the camera or browser cannot deliver that, you get a lower value; a busy USB connection, a hub or another app using the camera can also bring it down. Try a different USB port.

Why does the frame rate jump around?

Many webcams lengthen the exposure in dim light, and the frame rate drops with it. Turn on a light or face a window and the measured rate usually climbs back.

Are snapshots saved or uploaded?

No. A snapshot stays in this tab's memory and is gone when you take another, delete it or close the page. If you want to keep one, right-click it and save it yourself; this site never handles the file.

Can I test the front and back cameras on a phone?

Yes. After you press start and allow the camera, switch between the front and back cameras in the camera list. The back camera is not mirrored by default.