Step 1: Does your camera work at all?
Click Test my webcam above and allow access:
- You see yourself here — the camera and drivers are fine; the problem is in your Google Meet settings. Go to Google Meet video settings.
- The preview is black or fails — the issue is system-level (permission, driver or another app holding the camera), not Google Meet. See System-level fixes.
Step 2: Fix Google Meet video settings
Open … → Settings → Video, then:
- Allow the camera in the browser. Click the camera icon in the address bar, choose Allow, and reload.
- Pick the right Camera. In … → Settings → Video set Camera to the device that previewed above.
- Turn the camera on. Click the camera button at the bottom so it is not red.
Google Meet-specific gotchas worth checking
Meet's camera comes entirely from the site permission for meet.google.com, not any OS app permission — a blocked badge on the camera icon in the address bar is the top cause of a black Meet tile. Click it, choose Always allow, reload; the permission is per browser profile, so a Guest or different Chrome profile starts blocked.
Meet lets you cap send resolution (Settings → Video) — on a weak connection it drops you to 360p, which looks soft but is not a fault. If the preview is black only in Meet, an open Zoom/Teams tab is likely holding the webcam; close it and rejoin. Meet's camera works most reliably in Chrome.
Step 3: System-level fixes (if the preview above also failed)
Windows 10 / 11
- Settings → Privacy & security → Camera: turn on camera access and allow desktop apps and your browser.
- Device Manager → Cameras: if there is a warning icon, update or reinstall the driver.
- Close every other app that may be using the camera — most webcams allow only one at a time.
macOS
- System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera: enable Google Meet (or your browser), then quit and reopen.
- If the preview is still black, restart the Mac to clear a camera process stuck by another app.
Step 4: Last resorts
- Remove any physical privacy shutter or tape over the lens.
- Update Google Meet and your webcam/USB drivers, then reboot.
- Try a different USB port for an external camera.
FAQ
My camera previews in this test but not in Google Meet — why?
The camera is fine; Google Meet has the wrong Camera selected, the camera is turned off, or another app is holding it. Open … → Settings → Video and pick the right device.
Does this Google Meet camera test record video?
No. The preview and any snapshot stay only in your browser. No video or photo is recorded or uploaded.
Why is my Google Meet camera black?
Another app is usually holding the webcam, or Google Meet has the wrong camera selected. Close other video apps, pick the right Camera, and reload.