How to Test Your Camera in Chrome

Before you start

A camera test in Chrome runs through the browser and uses the camera attached to or built into your computer. The test site needs permission before it can show the video feed. Close other apps that may already be using the camera, such as video call software, because one camera can often be used by only one application at a time. If you have more than one camera, know which device you want to test.

Step-by-step instructions

Open Chrome and go to a camera test page. Choose Start test, Allow camera, or the similar button shown on the page.

When Chrome asks for camera permission, select Allow. If you previously blocked the site or camera, Chrome will not show the video until you change the permission.

Wait for the preview to appear. You should see the live image from the selected camera, along with any status information the test page displays.

If the page offers a camera selector, use it to switch between available devices. This is useful when a laptop has a built-in webcam and an external camera connected.

Review the browser settings if the preview does not appear. In Chrome, site permissions can be managed from the icon near the address bar or through the browser settings. Make sure the active site is allowed to use the camera and that the correct device is selected.

On desktop systems, also check the operating-system permissions. The browser may have access while the system setting for camera use by the app is turned off.

Check the output

A working test shows a moving image that responds when you move or change the lighting. If the test page reports resolution or frame rate, use those numbers to confirm the camera is delivering a usable signal, but remember that reported values depend on the camera and the test tool. Image quality is also affected by the lens, sensor, available light, and settings in the operating system or camera software.

Check for obvious video problems such as a frozen frame, black screen, heavy delay, or very dark image. Move closer to a light source or turn on a lamp if the picture is too dark. A clean lens also helps, especially on built-in laptop cameras.

Common problems and next steps

If Chrome says the camera is not found or another app is using it, close other programs that may have the camera open. Restart the browser, return to the test page, and allow access again.

If no image appears, open the site permissions and confirm the camera is set to allow. Then check browser settings to make sure the intended camera is the selected camera. If the page still shows a black screen, try a different built-in or external camera when one is available.

If you get a permission prompt repeatedly, check whether the permission was set to block at the browser level. Remove the block for that site, reload the page, and choose allow when prompted.

If Chrome has camera access but the operating system blocks it, open the system privacy or camera settings and enable access for the browser. The exact location of this setting depends on the operating system.

When the camera works elsewhere but not in Chrome, test it in one other browser or camera app to help separate a browser issue from a hardware or driver issue.