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 Skype settings. Go to Skype video settings.
- The preview is black or fails — the issue is system-level (permission, driver or another app holding the camera), not Skype. See System-level fixes.
Step 2: Fix Skype video settings
Open … → Settings → Audio & Video, then:
- Open Audio & Video. Go to … → Settings → Audio & Video; you should see a preview.
- Pick the right Camera. Set Camera to the device that previewed above.
- Close rival apps. Quit other apps using the webcam and reopen Skype.
Skype-specific gotchas worth checking
Skype shows a live camera preview right in Settings → Audio & Video — if that preview is black, fix the camera before worrying about the call. Skype now runs the same engine on web and desktop, so a camera choice set in one client may not carry to the other; reselect it where you actually call from.
Skype obeys the one-app-per-webcam rule, so quit other video apps if the preview is black, and on a fresh install confirm Skype is allowed under the OS camera privacy settings (macOS requires a relaunch after granting). A privacy shutter or tape over the lens produces the same black box and is worth ruling out first.
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 Skype (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 Skype 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 Skype — why?
The camera is fine; Skype has the wrong Camera selected, the camera is turned off, or another app is holding it. Open … → Settings → Audio & Video and pick the right device.
Does this Skype 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 Skype camera black?
Another app is usually holding the webcam, or Skype has the wrong camera selected. Close other video apps, pick the right Camera, and reload.