This laptop camera test checks the camera built into your laptop's screen from the browser. Press the button, allow the camera, and you see the picture along with the resolution and frame rate the camera really sends, the light level and the amount of grain. It works on Windows 11 and 10 laptops, MacBooks and Chromebooks. If the picture is black or the camera is missing, the sections below go through the shutters, keys and settings that block laptop cameras, maker by maker.
How to test a laptop camera
- Look at the top edge of the screen. If a small slider covers the lens, slide it open.
- Press Test my laptop camera and choose Allow when the browser asks.
- Check the Camera list. Some laptops with face sign-in show two cameras: pick the one without IR in its name.
- Read the verdict, then the Resolution and Frame rate readouts.
- Press Test all resolutions to see every size the camera can send.
- Press Copy results if you need to send the details to the laptop maker or your IT team.
What to expect from a laptop camera
| Laptop | Typical built-in camera |
|---|---|
| Budget laptops from before about 2020 | 1280 × 720, sometimes 640 × 480 |
| Most laptops from the last few years | 1280 × 720 or 1920 × 1080 |
| Business laptops such as ThinkPad, Latitude and EliteBook | 1920 × 1080 or more, often with an IR camera for Windows Hello |
| MacBook Air with M1, 13 inch MacBook Pro and older MacBooks | 1280 × 720 |
| MacBook Air with M2 and later, MacBook Pro 14 and 16 | 1920 × 1080 or more |
Laptop cameras sit in a thin lid, so their sensors are tiny. Expect a soft, grainy picture in a dim room even when the camera works perfectly; more light helps far more than any setting.
The camera is turned off by a shutter, key or switch
Most laptops made in the last few years have at least one physical way to turn the camera off, and it is the first thing to check when the picture is black or the camera is missing.
- Shutter: a slider above the screen that covers the lens. The camera still runs, so you get a black picture.
- Camera key: a key on the top row with a camera and a slash. It cuts the camera off, so Windows reports no camera at all.
- Side switch: some laptops put a small camera switch on the right or left edge.
HP laptops
Many HP Envy, Spectre, Pavilion and EliteBook models have a camera key on the top row; press it once and start the test again. Some Spectre models use a switch on the right side instead. If the camera is still missing, install the latest camera driver from HP Support Assistant or HP's support site, and check that the camera is not turned off in the BIOS, where HP lists it with the built-in devices.
Dell laptops
Many Latitude and some Inspiron models have a shutter above the screen, so check it first. If Windows cannot find the camera, restart, press F2 at the Dell logo to open setup, and check that Enable Camera is ticked under Integrated Devices. Then install any camera or BIOS update from SupportAssist or Dell's support site. In Device Manager, a camera with a down arrow under Cameras is disabled; right-click it and choose Enable device.
Lenovo laptops
ThinkPads have a ThinkShutter slider above the screen, and IdeaPad and Yoga models have a similar shutter or a camera switch on the right edge. Lenovo also blocks the camera in software: open Lenovo Vantage, go to My Device Settings, then Display & Camera, and turn off Camera Privacy Mode. While it is on, apps show a grey or black picture even though the camera is connected.
MacBook
MacBooks have no camera switch or driver to install. If the browser never asks for the camera, open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Camera, turn on your browser and restart it. If Photo Booth says there is no connected camera, hold Option, open the Apple menu and choose System Information, then Camera. If no camera is listed, restart the Mac and install macOS updates; a camera that is still missing needs repair.
Windows settings that block the camera
On Windows 11, open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera, and turn on Camera access, Let apps access your camera and Let desktop apps access your camera. Browsers count as desktop apps. On Windows 10 the same switches are in Settings, then Privacy, then Camera. Windows 11 also has a camera troubleshooter: open Settings, then System, then Troubleshoot, then Other troubleshooters, and run Camera. For every remaining cause, from drivers to antivirus settings, follow the guide for a camera not working on laptop.
The built-in camera looks worse than it should
Tilt the screen so the camera is level with your eyes, wipe the lens with a microfiber cloth, and sit facing a window or lamp. Overhead ceiling light alone leaves dark shadows under your eyes. If you have no lamp, a fill light for video made from your screen helps in a dim room. Some newer Windows laptops have Windows Studio Effects, such as background blur and eye contact, under Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Cameras; turn them off if the picture looks smeared at the edges.
What a laptop camera test cannot check
The browser cannot see why a camera is missing, only that it is. It cannot read the camera's driver version, test the IR camera that Windows Hello uses, or check the laptop's microphone; for that, use the microphone test. For the full set of readings and fixes on any camera, use the webcam test. To compare your laptop camera with a plug-in webcam, run the webcam quality test on each one. If a plug-in camera shows no picture at all, follow the steps for a webcam not working.
Laptop camera questions
How do I test my laptop camera on Windows 11?
Press Test my laptop camera on this page and allow the camera. Without a browser, open the Camera app from the Start menu. If the Camera app shows error 0xA00F4244, Windows cannot detect a camera at all, so check the camera key or switch and Device Manager, then the camera driver. A closed shutter gives a black picture instead, not this error.
Why is my laptop camera black?
The most common causes are a closed privacy shutter, a camera key or switch that turned the camera off, and a privacy mode in the maker's app such as Lenovo Vantage. A black picture can also come from choosing the IR camera used for Windows Hello. Pick the other camera in the list.
Do I need to download a laptop camera test?
No. This page runs in your browser, and Windows has the Camera app built in while Macs have Photo Booth. Downloaded camera testers only add the risk of installing something you do not need.
How do I turn on the camera on a Lenovo laptop?
Slide the ThinkShutter or privacy shutter above the screen open, and check the right edge of the laptop for a camera switch on some IdeaPad and Yoga models. Then open Lenovo Vantage and turn off Camera Privacy Mode, which blocks the camera in software.
Why does my laptop camera only show 720p?
Most laptops sold as having an HD camera have a 1280 × 720 sensor, so 720p is the most they can send. The Resolution readout shows what the camera really delivers. Press Test all resolutions to confirm that no larger size is offered.
Can a laptop camera turn on without the light?
On a MacBook, no: Apple designs the camera so it cannot run without the green light coming on. On Windows laptops the light is usually switched by the camera module itself, and how well it is protected varies by maker. A physical shutter is the only cover you can check by looking at it.