TurnCamOn

Free webcam test

Webcam test: see how you look on Zoom before you join

Turn your camera on and see exactly what people will see on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. The frame shows the real crop, the checks tell you what to fix, and nothing is recorded.

Sample pictureLive · only you can see this

This is a sample picture. Your video stays on this device and is never recorded.

Webcam details

CameraTurn your camera on
Resolution—
Quality—
Megapixels—
Aspect ratio—
Frame rate (measured)—
Facing—

Check your camera in 60 seconds before a Zoom or Teams call

  1. Turn your camera on. Press Turn camera on and allow access. The picture stays on your device.
  2. Pick the app you are joining. Choose Zoom, Teams or Meet. The bright frame shows the 16:9 tile other people see in gallery view.
  3. Put your eyes on the line. Raise the camera to eye level so your eyes sit on the dashed line, about a third of the way down, with a little space above your head.
  4. Fix the light. Face a window or a lamp. If the check says Backlit, the light behind you is brighter than your face.
  5. Check the background. Turn off Mirror self-view to see the picture the way others will, and tidy anything inside the frame.
  6. Test your mic. Press Test mic and talk at a normal volume. The bar should reach the middle.

What Zoom, Teams and Google Meet actually show

Your webcam can capture more than people see. Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet send video in a wide 16:9 shape, and gallery views can trim the edges again to fit each tile. TurnCamOn draws that crop over your live picture, so whatever is inside the bright frame is what the meeting shows.

Gallery tile, 16:9
The usual tile on laptops and desktops in Zoom, Teams and Meet.
Square tile
Big grids and phone screens often use square tiles that cut off your sides.
Phone portrait tile
Viewers holding a phone upright can see a tall tile that trims even more.
Full frame
Speaker or spotlight view shows your whole picture.

Mirroring. Your self-view is flipped like a mirror in all three apps, but everyone else sees you the right way round. Writing on a shirt or a poster behind you looks backwards to you and reads correctly to them.

Joining from a phone. Held upright, your phone sends a tall picture. People on laptops see a wide slice from the middle, which can cut off the top of your head and your chin. Turn the phone sideways to fill a 16:9 tile.

How to look good on a video call

  • Camera at eye level. Stack books under your laptop so the lens is level with your eyes. A camera looking up at you is the most common unflattering angle.
  • Light in front of you. Put a window or lamp behind your screen, facing you. Avoid a bright window behind your head.
  • About an arm’s length away. Sit 50–70 cm (20–28 in) from the camera so your head and shoulders fill the tile.
  • Clean the lens. A fingerprint makes the whole picture soft. Wipe it with a soft cloth.
  • Look at the lens when you talk. Move the meeting window to the top of your screen, near the camera.
  • Check the corners. People notice the edges of the tile, not only what is behind your head.

Webcam not working? Try these fixes

  • Another app has the camera. Quit Zoom, Teams, Skype, OBS or FaceTime, then press Turn camera on again.
  • The browser blocked it. Click the camera or lock icon in the address bar and choose Allow.
  • Windows. Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. Turn on camera access and let desktop apps use it.
  • Mac. System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. Turn on your browser, then restart it.
  • iPhone and iPad. Settings > Safari > Camera > Allow. In other browsers, open that app in Settings.
  • Android. Tap the icon next to the address > Permissions > Camera > Allow.
  • Still black? Check for a privacy shutter or a camera key on your keyboard, unplug and replug a USB webcam, or restart your computer.

Webcam test questions

How do I test my webcam?

Press Turn camera on at the top of this page and allow camera access when your browser asks. Your live picture appears straight away, with the resolution, frame rate and a lighting check underneath. If the picture is black or you get an error, see the fixes in the troubleshooting section.

How can I see how I look on Zoom before a meeting?

Choose Zoom above the preview and keep the 16:9 gallery tile selected. The bright frame shows the part of your camera picture that other people see in Zoom gallery view. Zoom also has its own preview under Settings > Video, but it does not show crop guides or check your lighting.

Why do I look different on Zoom or Teams than in my camera app?

Three reasons. Meeting apps crop your picture to a wide 16:9 tile, so the edges of a phone or 4:3 webcam picture are cut off. Your self-view is mirrored, while other people see you the right way round. And apps compress video, which makes poor lighting look worse. Good light in front of you makes the biggest difference.

Do other people see me mirrored on video calls?

No. Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet show you a mirrored self-view because it feels natural, but everyone else sees the unmirrored picture. Turn off Mirror self-view on this page to see yourself as others do.

What is the best camera angle for video calls?

Put the camera at eye level and sit about an arm's length away, so your eyes sit roughly a third of the way down the frame with a little space above your head. On a laptop, raise it on a few books. Face a window or lamp so the light falls on your face rather than behind you.

How do I test the front camera on my iPhone or Android phone?

Open this page in Safari or Chrome on your phone and tap Turn camera on. The front camera opens by default. If you hold your phone upright, the page shows how a laptop viewer's wide tile cuts off the top and bottom of your picture. Turn the phone sideways to fill the tile.

Why is my webcam not working?

Usually another app such as Zoom, Teams or Skype is still using the camera, or the browser or operating system has blocked camera access. Quit other video apps, allow the camera from the icon in your address bar, and check your system camera privacy settings. A privacy shutter or a camera key on the keyboard can also turn it off.

Is this webcam test private?

Yes. Your video is processed in your browser and is never recorded, stored or sent to our servers. Snapshots are only saved if you press Save snapshot, and they go straight to your own device.

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