Greenlight › Webcam Black Screen
Webcam Showing a Black Screen?
A black camera preview has a handful of common causes. Test your camera, then check them one by one.
📷 Webcam Test
Check your camera feed before a call.
Your video never leaves your device — there is no upload, recording, or storage.
Work out which kind of black screen you have
- Error message in the test above (blocked, busy, not found): follow that message — it tells you exactly what’s wrong.
- No error, just black, camera light on: something is physically covering the lens, or the camera is switched off in hardware.
- No error, black, no light: the camera isn’t actually running — usually a driver, power, or selection problem.
1. Physical covers and switches
Check for a sliding privacy shutter, a sticker or tape over the lens, and laptop camera keys (often an F key with a camera icon). Some external webcams have a lens cap or a rotating shutter.
2. Another app has the camera
Close Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS, FaceTime, and other tabs with video. Many cameras show black rather than an error when another app is using them.
3. Wrong camera selected
Use the Camera dropdown above. Virtual cameras (from OBS or effects apps) and phone cameras can show black when their source app isn’t running.
4. Permissions
On Windows, Settings → Privacy & security → Camera; on Mac, System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera. Allow your browser and apps.
5. Power and drivers
- For USB webcams, plug straight into the computer, not a hub, and try another port.
- On Windows, reinstall the camera in Device Manager under Cameras, then restart.
Black webcam FAQ
Why is my webcam showing a black screen?
A closed privacy shutter, a camera key turned off, another app using the camera, the wrong camera selected, or missing permissions are the most common causes. The test on this page shows an error message for permission and busy-camera problems.
Why is my webcam light on but the screen black?
The camera is running but something is covering the lens, or a hardware privacy switch is blocking the image. Check shutters, stickers, and lens caps.
How do I fix a black webcam screen on Windows?
Check the privacy shutter and camera key, close other camera apps, allow camera access in Settings under Privacy & security, and reinstall the camera in Device Manager if needed.
Does this webcam test record my video?
No. The preview stays in your browser and is never recorded or uploaded.