What the check covers
A video call needs three things to work: a camera that shows you, a microphone that hears you and speakers or headphones that let you hear the others. This check goes through them one after another, which takes well under a minute. At each step you see the device working and answer one question: does it work, does it not, or do you want to skip it — for example, when the call is audio only.
At the end you get a short verdict. If everything works, you are ready. If something does not, you see exactly what, with links to the detailed test and to step-by-step help for that device.
Step 1: the camera
Turn the camera on and look at the picture as the other people will see it.
- In the frame. Your face should be roughly in the upper middle of the picture, not cut off at the top.
- Light. Light should come from in front of you. A window behind you turns your face into a dark shape.
- Sharpness. A blurry picture often just means a smudged lens. Wipe it with a soft cloth.
- Background. Check what is behind you before the others do.
If the browser does not show a picture at all, the camera not working in the browser guide goes through permissions, other apps and privacy switches.
Step 2: the microphone
Turn the microphone on and speak in your normal voice. The bar should move with your words and fall back when you stop. If it stays flat, check the mute switch on your headset cable or ear cup and whether the right microphone is selected in the system. A bar that barely moves usually means you are too far from the microphone.
The microphone test goes further: it records a few seconds so you can hear how you sound, and explains echo, hiss and crackling.
Step 3: speakers or headphones
Play the tone on the left, on the right and on both sides. It starts quiet, so raise the volume slowly. In headphones the left tone should be in your left ear only. If one side is silent, the sound only in one ear guide helps find the cause. For a full check with a frequency sweep, open the headphone and speaker test.
If something does not work
The final screen lists every step you marked as not working, with two kinds of links: the detailed test for that device and a guide for the most common problem. Fix one thing at a time and run the check again; it only takes a minute.
Just before you join
- Close other call apps. Teams, Zoom, Discord and similar apps can hold the camera or microphone even when minimised.
- Choose the same devices in the call app. Apps often ignore the system default, especially after you plug in a headset.
- Wear headphones if you can. They stop your microphone from picking up the other people’s voices, which is what causes echo on their side.
- Check the light once more. A lamp in front of you does more for the picture than any camera setting.
- Keep the charger nearby. Video calls use a lot of battery, and laptops on battery may also lower performance.
Private by design
The camera picture and the microphone level exist only inside this tab. Nothing is recorded, and nothing is sent anywhere. When you move to the next step or leave the page, the camera and microphone are switched off.
If a call app still cannot hear you after everything here works, the guide for microphone not working in Zoom walks through app settings and system permissions step by step.