How to view your webcam
-
Start the live view. Click Start camera and choose Allow when your browser asks to use the camera. The status says Live, and the badges show the resolution and frame rate.
- Pick a camera and quality. Choose the camera from the menu, then set the resolution and frame rate in Settings. The live view starts at the highest resolution your camera offers.
-
Adjust the view. Rotate turns the picture in 90° steps, Mirror flips it left to right and Flip turns it upside down. Zoom in with the + button or slider, then drag the picture to look around.
- Go big or pop out. Click Fullscreen to fill the screen, or Pop out to keep the camera in a small floating window on top of your other apps.
-
Save a snapshot. Press Snapshot to save what you see — rotation, flips, zoom and filters included — as a JPG.
What you can use it for
- Document cameras and visualizers: rotate or flip the picture when the camera is mounted sideways or upside down, then show it full screen.
- USB microscopes and inspection cameras: zoom in on details and save snapshots without installing the maker’s software.
- Capture cards: watch the video from an HDMI capture card full screen. The viewer shows the picture only, not the sound.
- Before a call: check your framing, focus and lighting so you look your best when the meeting starts.
Choosing the resolution and frame rate
- For detail — documents, microscopes, small print — keep Highest available. The badge on the picture shows the size the camera really sends.
- For smooth motion, pick 30 or 60 fps in Frame rate. Many cameras can only reach 60 fps at a lower resolution, such as 1280 × 720.
- For capture cards, choose the same resolution as the device you are capturing, such as 1920 × 1080 for a games console, to avoid scaling blur.
Keyboard shortcuts
- F Fullscreen
- I Pop out (picture-in-picture)
- R Rotate 90°
- M Mirror
- V Flip upside down
- + Zoom in
- − Zoom out
- 0 Reset zoom
- P Snapshot
When you are zoomed in, click the picture or move to it with Tab and use the arrow keys to look around. In full screen, the mouse wheel zooms too.
Webcam viewer not working? Fix it step by step
-
Read the message above the picture. Camera access blocked means your browser or computer is stopping websites from using the camera (steps 2 and 3). Camera is busy means another app is using it (step 4). No camera found means the browser can’t see any camera (step 5).
-
Allow the camera in your browser. Click the icon to the left of the address bar, open Site settings (or Permissions) and set Camera to Allow. Then reload this page and press Start camera again.
Chrome and Edge site settings. In Firefox, click the crossed-out camera icon in the address bar; in Safari on a Mac, open Safari › Settings › Websites › Camera. - Allow apps to use the camera in your system. Windows 11: Settings › Privacy & security › Camera — turn on camera access for apps and for desktop apps (Windows 10: Settings › Privacy › Camera). Mac: System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera — turn on your browser, then quit and reopen it.
- Close apps that may be using the camera, such as Zoom, Teams, OBS or the maker’s own camera or microscope software. Most cameras can only be used by one app at a time.
-
Camera not found? Reconnect it. Most USB cameras, microscopes and capture cards are standard UVC devices that work without a driver. Plug it into another USB port or use another cable, make sure it is switched on, then reload the page and check the camera menu.
- Picture black? Open the privacy shutter or remove the lens cover. For a capture card, make sure the connected device is turned on and sending a picture.
About this webcam viewer
This webcam viewer runs entirely in your browser, so there is nothing to download or install. The video goes straight from your camera to your screen — nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded. Snapshots are taken only when you press the button and stay in this tab until you download them.
It works with built-in laptop cameras, USB webcams, document cameras, microscopes, capture cards and phone cameras, in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS. The Pop out button appears in browsers that support picture-in-picture for web pages, such as Chrome, Edge and Safari; the floating window shows the camera’s original picture.
Frequently asked questions
How can I view my webcam without software?
Open this page in any modern browser, click Start camera and allow access. Your live camera picture appears right away, with nothing to install.
Can I view my webcam in full screen?
Yes. Click Fullscreen, press F or double-click the picture. Press Esc to leave full screen.
How do I rotate or flip my webcam picture?
Use Rotate to turn the picture in 90° steps, Mirror to flip it left to right and Flip to turn it upside down. Snapshots keep the same orientation.
Can I keep my webcam on top of other windows?
Yes, in browsers that support picture-in-picture. Click Pop out and the camera moves to a small floating window you can place anywhere on your screen.
Does the webcam viewer record anything?
No. The live view is never recorded or uploaded. Only the snapshots you take yourself are saved, and only in your open tab.