Camera preview not working after a browser update?

Your webcam worked before a browser update, but now the preview is black, missing, or showing the wrong camera. An update can change site permissions or how the browser selects a camera, so the problem does not automatically mean the webcam is broken.

Test the camera outside the app where you first noticed the issue. The Camera Test shows a live preview, resolution, and frame rate in your browser. This helps separate a browser permission problem from an issue with the camera or its connection.

Test the camera preview

Open the Camera Test in the browser that was updated.
When the browser asks to use the camera, allow access. If you do not see a prompt, check the camera permission for the site using the icon beside the address bar.
Look at the live preview. Move your hand in front of the lens and check whether the image responds. Note the resolution and frame rate shown by the test.
If more than one camera is available, such as a built-in webcam and a USB webcam, select another camera if the test offers a camera selector. Check whether its preview appears.
Reload the page once and repeat the check. If the preview fails again, open the test in another browser on the same device to see whether the issue follows the camera or stays with one browser.

Close video meeting and camera apps before testing. Another app may already be using the webcam, which can prevent the browser from starting a preview.

What the result means

The preview works in the test

The browser can access a camera and receive video from it. If the camera still fails in one meeting app or website, check that app's camera permission and selected device. A working preview does not guarantee that every app has permission or is using the same camera.

The preview is black or does not start

The browser may be blocked from using the camera, the operating system may deny access, or another app may be holding it. A physical privacy shutter or camera-off key can also block the image. Work through the fixes below before assuming the webcam has failed.

The preview shows a different camera

Your browser or website may have switched to a different available camera after the update. Choose the intended camera in the test or in the affected site's camera settings. If the correct camera is not listed, reconnect it and check whether the operating system recognizes it.

The preview appears but is choppy or low quality

The camera is sending video, but another app may be using resources or the browser may be using a different camera mode. Close other video apps and compare the preview again. Resolution and frame rate can vary by camera, lighting, browser, and other apps using the device, so one low reading alone does not prove a fault.

How to fix it

Check the shutter and camera-off key. Move the webcam's privacy slider to open, if it has one. Some laptops have a camera key or switch that disables the camera. Press the key normally, not with Fn unless the laptop requires it; Fn itself does not reach the browser.
Close apps that may be using the camera. Quit meeting, messaging, and recording apps, including ones minimized in the background, then reload the test. If the preview starts, reopen the apps one at a time to find which one was competing for access.
Allow camera access for the site. Click the site information icon beside the address bar, set camera access to allow, and reload the page. In Chrome, check Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings › Camera. In Edge, check Settings › Cookies and site permissions › Camera. In Safari on a Mac, check Safari › Settings › Websites › Camera. A browser update may have reset or changed a site's permission. For more on repeat permission prompts, see why a website keeps asking for camera permission.
Check the operating system's camera permission. In Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Camera and turn on camera access and access for desktop apps. In macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera and allow your browser. Close and reopen the browser after changing permission.
Select the correct camera in the affected site. A browser update or changed device order may leave a website using a different webcam. Open the site's video or device settings and choose the camera you want. If the camera works in the test but not that site, this is a likely cause. For more steps, see camera works in one app but not another.
Reconnect the webcam. For a USB camera, unplug it, wait a few seconds, and connect it directly to another USB port. For a wireless camera, check its connection and power. Then reload the test and grant permission again if asked.
Restart the browser and computer. A restart can release a camera left in use by a process that did not close correctly. Save your work first, then test again before reopening other camera apps.
Check for a browser or camera driver issue. Test with another up-to-date browser. If the camera works there but not in the updated browser, review that browser's privacy settings and extensions. If no browser can see it, check for an operating system update or a camera driver update from your computer maker. Browser features and access can change after updates; browser feature support after an update explains why behavior may differ.

When it's likely to be the camera hardware

If the camera is missing from multiple browsers and camera apps, check its cable, privacy switch, and operating system permissions first. Try a USB webcam on another computer, or try the built-in camera in another supported app. If an external camera remains undetected on a second device, its cable or camera may be faulty. Contact the seller or manufacturer if it is under warranty. For a built-in laptop webcam that stays unavailable after permission and driver checks, a repair shop can inspect the camera and its internal connection.

The Camera Test runs in your browser and displays a live preview, so you can check access without recording a video.