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Webcam Test — Check Your Camera Online, Free, No Upload

Test your webcam online: see the live picture, check its real resolution and frame rate, switch cameras and save a snapshot. Free, nothing uploaded.

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Your browser will ask for permission. The picture stays on this device.

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See what your camera really delivers

Press the button, allow the camera when your browser asks, and your webcam appears. Besides checking that it works, the page shows the resolution and frame rate the camera is actually delivering, which is often lower than the number on the box. The picture stays in your browser: nothing is uploaded or saved unless you press the snapshot button.

What the readout shows

Resolution right now is the size of the picture the camera is sending at this moment. Highest the camera reports is the largest size it says it can do. Frame rate is measured from the frames that actually reach the screen over two seconds, so it shows what you really get. Frame rate often drops indoors, because a camera in dim light lets each frame gather light for longer.

Try a resolution

The buttons ask the camera for 320 × 240, 640 × 480, 1280 × 720 or 1920 × 1080. The browser takes the closest size the camera can really deliver, and the readout shows what it got, which may not be what you asked for. Many webcams offer 640 × 480 and 1280 × 720; fewer offer 1920 × 1080. Video calls often send less than the camera could, to save bandwidth.

If the camera does not start

Allow the camera for this site in the address bar, and check that a privacy shutter or a hardware switch is not closed. Close video-call apps and other tabs that may be holding the camera, because most cameras can serve only one program at a time. For an external webcam, try another USB port, and pick the right camera in the Camera list if you have more than one.

Mirror view and snapshots

The preview is mirrored by default, the way you see yourself in a mirror and the way video calls show you. The snapshot you save matches what you see. Untick the mirror box to see the picture as other people will, with any writing reading the right way round. Once the camera works, you can change a video's resolution or shrink a recording with the video compressor.

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my webcam online?
Press Start webcam test and allow the camera when your browser asks. Your live picture appears with the resolution and frame rate the camera is delivering. If you see yourself, the webcam works.
Is the picture recorded or uploaded?
No. The video is shown directly in your browser and is not sent anywhere or stored. Only if you press Save a snapshot does the page make a PNG file, and that is saved to your device.
My webcam does not work. What should I check?
Allow the camera for this site in the address bar, open any privacy shutter, close video-call apps and other tabs using the camera, try another USB port for an external webcam, and choose the right camera in the Camera list.
How do I check my webcam's resolution and frame rate?
The readout under the picture shows the resolution the camera is sending now, the highest size it reports, and the frame rate measured over two seconds. Use the resolution buttons to see which sizes the camera really supports.
Why is my frame rate low?
In dim light a camera often lowers its frame rate so each frame can collect more light. A busy computer, a camera shared with another app or a very high resolution over a slow USB connection can also reduce it. Try more light and a lower resolution.
Why is the picture mirrored?
The preview is flipped left to right by default, like a mirror, because that feels natural. It does not change the real video. Untick the mirror box to see the picture the way other people see it.
How do I switch to another camera?
Use the Camera list under the picture. It names your cameras after you have allowed access, and the test restarts with the one you choose. On a phone the list usually offers the front and back cameras.
Does the webcam test work on a phone?
Yes, in current mobile browsers on a secure page, once you allow the camera. If it fails, check the browser's camera permission in the phone's settings.

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