Why is my webcam not working?
A webcam that fails in a meeting has usually not broken — it is far more often held by another app, blocked by a permission, or sitting behind a closed privacy shutter. Start the preview below and you will know in a few seconds which it is.
Permission is only requested when you start the test. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
This runs locally in your browser. No device data is uploaded.
The three usual causes
Another application still has the camera. Only one app can use most webcams at a time, and video calling software is notorious for keeping it after a call ends. Quit anything that might be holding it and try again.
A privacy shutter or a piece of tape. Laptops increasingly ship with a sliding cover, and the preview will be pure black rather than an error — which reads exactly like a dead camera.
Permission. Browsers ask per site, and a decline is remembered. If you are never prompted at all, the site is already blocked: open the padlock in the address bar and set camera access back to ask or allow.
If the preview works but your call does not
The camera is fine, so the fault is on that site or in that app. Check its camera permission and its selected device — laptops with an external webcam attached often default to the wrong one.
On macOS, also check System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera, which can block an app system-wide regardless of what the app itself says.
Frequently asked questions
- Is any video recorded or uploaded?
- No. The preview is rendered locally in your browser and discarded. Nothing is recorded, stored or sent anywhere, and stopping the test releases the camera immediately.
- The image is dark and grainy. Is the camera faulty?
- Usually not. Webcam sensors are tiny and depend heavily on light. A window behind you will silhouette your face and a dim room produces visible noise. Put a light source in front of you before blaming the hardware.
More about this test
The full webcam test page covers how the test works and what the common faults look like.
Open the Webcam Test →