What a browser-based hardware check cannot detect

A browser hardware check can show whether your keyboard sends key presses, your camera produces a picture, or your Wi-Fi connection is dropping requests. It can help narrow down a problem, but it cannot inspect every part of a computer or prove that a device is healthy.

Test Everything walks through browser-based checks and gives you a report. Here is what that report can tell you, where its limits are, and what to check next.

Run a browser-based hardware check

1. Open Test Everything and follow the checks one at a time. The test steps through the checks and provides a report.
2. Give the browser permission only for the devices you want to test. Camera and microphone checks need permission before they can run.
3. Use the device while its check is running. Press keys for the Keyboard Test, move the mouse, or speak during a microphone check. A test can only report signals it receives.
4. Note any test that reports a problem, cannot start, or behaves differently from another device. Repeat a questionable check once after closing apps that might be using that hardware.
5. Use the relevant individual test for more detail. For example, the Camera Test shows a live preview, while Wi-Fi Signal checks connection quality over time.

What the result means

The check responds normally

The browser can access the device and observed the expected kind of response during that test. A keyboard key registered, or the camera produced a preview. That is useful evidence, but it does not guarantee the hardware works in every app, under heavy use, or in every situation. A loose cable or an intermittent fault can behave normally during a short check.

A test reports a problem

The browser did not receive the response the test expected. That narrows the search, but it does not identify the cause by itself. For example, a camera test that cannot start could point to blocked permission, another app using the camera, a driver or operating system issue, or a faulty camera. Try the fixes below before deciding the hardware is broken.

A test is unavailable or shows no device

The browser may not have permission, the device may not be connected, or the browser or operating system may not expose that feature. Some tests appear only when the browser reports the relevant hardware. For example, Battery Meter and Charger & Cable Test appear only on devices whose browser reports a battery. An unavailable check is not proof that the hardware is damaged.

The report gives an estimate or limited information

Browsers restrict access to some system details. System Info can show a rounded hint about RAM, not the exact installed amount. A browser cannot read Wi-Fi signal strength in dBm, the measurement used by network equipment. Wi-Fi Signal instead measures connection behavior, such as response time, jitter, and lost requests.

How to get a more reliable result

1. Allow access to the device. Click the site controls near the browser address bar and allow camera or microphone access for the test. On Windows 11, check Settings › Privacy & security › Camera or Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone. On macOS, check System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera or System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone, then enable your browser.
2. Close apps that may be using it. Quit video calls, recording software, and other apps that use the camera or microphone, then try again. A device that is busy may be unavailable to the browser.
3. Check the connection and controls. Reseat a USB plug, check a headset mute switch, and confirm that a wireless device is paired. If the test is for a laptop key, remember that Fn and many special keys are handled by the computer, not sent to the browser.
4. Check system settings and updates. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound to select and check an audio input or output. On macOS, open System Settings › Sound. Install pending operating system or device updates, then restart and repeat the check.
5. Compare in another browser or on another device. If the same hardware works elsewhere, the issue may be browser support, permissions, or system software rather than a physical fault. If the result follows the device, that is stronger evidence of a hardware problem.

When the problem may be hardware

A browser test is more useful for spotting a consistent symptom than naming a failed component. If a key never registers in the browser and also fails in other apps, the keyboard or its connection may be at fault. If a camera stays unavailable after permissions are enabled and it fails in more than one app, the camera, cable, or system driver may need attention.

For an external device, test another cable or USB port if possible, then connect it to another computer. For built-in hardware, use the computer maker's diagnostic process or ask a repair shop to inspect it. If the device is under warranty, contact the seller or manufacturer before opening it. A browser cannot check for physical damage inside the device, test every firmware function, or certify that a component will keep working.

What a browser cannot inspect directly

Browser tests work through features the browser is allowed to use. They do not directly inspect circuit boards, internal connectors, firmware, or every device driver. They also cannot reliably identify the exact cause of a symptom when several parts of the system can produce the same result. A test report is a clue for troubleshooting, not a full repair diagnosis.

If a check involves recording or opening files, those files stay on your device in TooLab's browser tools. Speed tests are different: they exchange test data with our server to measure the connection.