Troubleshooting
If the preview is black, close any app using the camera and check for hardware shutters or privacy switches. Allow camera permission and select the correct camera device, then reload and re-test the preview. If the issue persists, update drivers or try another USB port for external webcams.
Pro tip
If the preview is black, switch cameras and check OS privacy settings, then reload the page.
Common symptoms
- Preview is black
- Camera detected but no video
- Wrong device selected
Webcam not being detected gives you a clean baseline so you can separate permission blocks from a real camera problem. This page keeps the focus on permission and detection first. Most camera problems are not the camera itself, they are detection issues, permission blocks, or another app holding the camera open.
Start with a simple setup. Close apps that can grab the camera, like Zoom, Teams, Discord, or any camera utility, then reload the page. When the browser asks, allow camera access and pick the intended device, and if nothing appears, the browser may not be seeing any camera. If the camera does not appear at all, do not assume it is broken, check USB connections, privacy shutters, and whether the OS is detecting the device. If you want a quick quality check, look for sharp edges, natural skin tones, and whether autofocus keeps pulsing. These clues help you tell the difference between a permission problem and a camera quality setting that is simply too low.
To get a clean result from this webcam not being detected, test with good light and keep it consistent for 10 to 20 seconds. If the camera only appears sometimes or keeps disconnecting, you may have a virtual camera driver, a background app reconnecting, or a USB port that is unstable. A quick comparison trick is to try a second browser profile or an incognito window, if it works there, an extension or site setting is likely the cause.
Once you see a stable preview, you can move on with confidence. If your microphone is also part of the call setup, pair the camera check with microphone test so you do not get surprised at join time. Any time you change a permission, swap ports, or switch devices, come back to webcam test and re-run the webcam not being detected to confirm the fix actually stuck.