To test a webcam in Windows 11, open Start, type Camera, and open the Camera app. A moving preview shows that the selected camera can supply video to that app. Check the picture, then test the camera in the meeting app you actually plan to use.
These steps work for built-in laptop cameras and USB webcams on Windows 11, and there’s a microphone test further down. You don’t need to record anything; the live preview is enough.
Test the Picture in the Camera App
- Connect an external webcam if needed. Open a physical privacy shutter or check the laptop’s camera switch. Position the camera where you will use it.
- Open Start, type Camera, and select the Windows Camera app. Expect a live picture. If access is blocked, use the permissions section below.
- If the computer has several cameras, use Change camera at the top right to switch between them. Make sure the picture is coming from the camera you want.
- Move a hand through the frame. Check that the picture changes instead of remaining frozen. Look at your normal sitting position: is your face framed clearly, or is a bright window behind you making it dark?
- Close Camera when you’re done, then check the camera preview in your meeting app. Even if the Camera app works, another app may be set to a different camera or blocked from using it.
Microsoft’s Camera app guide also explains optional captures. Select Photo and then Take photo, or select Video, Take video, and then Stop. Use the thumbnail at the bottom right to review the result. A preview is enough for the basic video test.
Use the Camera Preview in Settings
Another route is Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras. Under Connected cameras, select your webcam. Windows starts its preview and displays supported controls. Brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and other options depend on the camera and Windows version.
Changes here are saved as that camera’s defaults for your Windows user account. Note the original value before experimenting so you can put it back. Meeting apps may override these defaults, so check the final picture inside your intended app too.
Microsoft’s Camera settings documentation notes that some devices, including Windows Hello infrared cameras and some specialist cameras, do not appear on this page. An absent entry alone does not establish a hardware fault.
Prefer a browser test? Zoom’s test meeting page lets you check your camera and microphone before a call without setting up a meeting. Allow camera access if your browser or Windows asks, and make sure the preview shows the right camera.
Check Camera Permissions When Access Is Blocked
- Open Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.
- Check Camera access. Turn it on if you want this device to allow camera use. If the control cannot be changed, ask the device administrator.
- For a listed Microsoft Store app, check Let apps access your camera and that app’s individual switch.
- For desktop apps, check Let desktop apps access your camera. This is a shared desktop-app control; Windows does not provide individual switches for those apps on this page.
- Reopen the app and try its preview again.
See Microsoft’s camera permissions guide for the details. On a work or school PC, these settings may be locked by your organization.
Test the Microphone
The camera test checks video only. To test a webcam, headset, or laptop microphone, open Settings > System > Sound, select your microphone under Input, select Start test, and speak. If the level doesn’t move, check the mute button and Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. The Microsoft microphone guide covers these controls.
Does a Camera Test Check the Microphone?
A moving camera preview checks video only. If you need sound for a call, separately select and test the microphone in the meeting app. A webcam’s microphone, a headset, and the laptop microphone may be different input devices.
Our Windows microphone and audio guides cover input level and sound troubleshooting. Check the camera picture and microphone separately before the call, then close your test apps.
Test the Camera or Microphone in Windows 10
To test the camera in Windows 10, open Start, search for Camera, and open the Windows Camera app. You should see a live picture from your camera; then close the app. If access is blocked, check Settings > Privacy > Camera and the permissions for the app you want to use. This only tests video, not the microphone.
Webcam Not Working? Quick Fixes
The Camera app shows a black screen or “We can’t find your camera”: open the privacy shutter, press the laptop’s camera key if it has one, and unplug and reconnect a USB webcam. Then restart the PC.
Another app is using the camera: close Teams, Zoom, and browser tabs that use video, then open Camera again. Only one app can use the camera at a time on many webcams.
The camera is missing from Device Manager or shows a warning: right-click Start > Device Manager, expand Cameras, right-click the camera, and select Update driver. If it still fails, uninstall the device and restart so Windows reinstalls it.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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