Camera and microphone test.
Check your camera preview and microphone level before a video chat. The test runs only in your browser: nothing is recorded, and no video or audio leaves your device.
Your camera preview appears here.
The level bar shows your microphone once the test runs.
Nothing is recorded. The preview and the level meter are computed on your device, and the stream stops when you leave this page or press Stop.
What the test checks
A video chat needs three things to work: a camera the browser can open, a microphone that actually picks up your voice, and permission for this site to use both. The preview shows what your chat partner would see, including lighting and framing. The level bar shows whether the microphone hears you; if it stays flat while you talk, the wrong device is selected or it is muted.
Permission problems by browser
Browsers remember a block. If you once pressed Block or Don’t allow, the page will not ask again until you change the site permission yourself. The steps for Chrome, Safari on iPhone and Mac, Firefox and Edge appear above when access is denied, and the same steps apply to the chat itself.
Before you start a conversation
- Face a window or a lamp so your face is lit from the front, not from behind.
- Close other apps and tabs that use the camera, such as video calls or streaming tools.
- On a phone, hold it upright and keep it steady; a stand helps.
- Use headphones if you hear an echo; the microphone then picks up only your voice.
When the preview is clear and the bar moves while you speak, you are ready. The button above opens the video chat on the home page with the same browser permissions. Read the full camera and microphone guide
FAQ
Does this test record me?
No. The video stays in your browser as a live preview and the microphone level is calculated on your device. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded.
The preview is black. What now?
Another app or tab may be using the camera. Close video apps and other tabs, check that no privacy cover is closed, then select the camera again in the list and restart the test.
The level bar does not move when I speak.
Pick the right microphone in the list, check that it is not muted in your system settings and speak closer to it. On laptops the built-in microphone often works best.
My browser never asked for permission.
It may have remembered an earlier block. Follow the steps for your browser above to allow camera and microphone for hotcams.live, then reload.
Which browsers work for video chat?
Up-to-date Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge on computers, and Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android. Older browsers and in-app browsers inside social apps often cannot access the camera.
Can I use an external webcam or a phone as a camera?
Yes. Connect it, reload the page and choose it in the camera list. If it does not appear, check that its own software is not holding the device.