How to take a picture with your webcam
- Allow camera access when your browser asks. The request comes from your browser, not from us, and you can withdraw it at any time from the address bar.
- Frame the shot. Turn on the grid for rule-of-thirds composition. Turn mirror on if you want the preview to move like a mirror, or off if there's text in the background that must read correctly.
- Set a timer of 3, 5 or 10 seconds if you need to step back or get both hands in the shot.
- Press the shutter - or the Space key on a keyboard.
- Download from the gallery in the format you need. Select several photos to download them together as a ZIP file.
Which format should I choose?
| Format | Best for | File size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | Sharing, email, social media, uploads to forms | Small | Universally accepted; slight compression |
| PNG | Editing, screenshots of documents, maximum detail | Large (often 5-10× JPG) | Lossless - every pixel is kept exactly |
| WebP | Websites and modern apps | Smallest | Similar quality to JPG at a smaller size; some older software can't open it |
If you're not sure, choose JPG. Every website, phone and computer can open it, and the files are small enough to email.
What resolution are the photos?
Photos are saved at the resolution your camera is delivering - the same size shown in the Camera tab under Delivered. Typical results:
- Built-in laptop cameras: 1280 × 720 (0.9 megapixels) or 1920 × 1080 (2.1 megapixels).
- External USB webcams: 1920 × 1080; 4K webcams up to 3840 × 2160 (8.3 megapixels).
- Phones in a browser: often 1920 × 1080 or 1280 × 720. Browsers usually don't give websites the full resolution of the phone's main camera app.
To get the sharpest photo, choose the highest resolution in the Camera tab before you take the picture.
Getting a better webcam photo
Webcam sensors are tiny compared with the ones in phones and cameras, so the conditions around the camera matter more than any setting.
- Face the light. Sit facing a window or put a lamp behind your screen. Light from behind you makes your face dark and the background bright.
- Avoid mixed light. Daylight from a window plus a warm ceiling bulb gives faces an odd two-tone colour. Use one or the other, then fine-tune with the Temperature slider.
- Camera at eye level. Raise a laptop on a few books so you aren't looking down into the lens.
- Hold still for the countdown. In dim light, webcams use slower shutter speeds and movement blurs.
- Clean the lens. A fingerprint makes everything look soft and hazy.
- Use exposure and white balance if they're available. If your camera exposes them to the browser, they appear under Hardware controls. If not, use the Exposure and Temperature filters, which are applied to the saved photo.
Photos for documents, profiles and applications
Many people use a webcam photo for an online profile, an ID upload or a job application. A few tips that help photos get accepted:
- Use a plain, light background and even lighting with no shadows across the face.
- Turn mirror off so the photo shows you as other people see you.
- Choose Normal or Natural - don't use creative filters for official photos.
- Save as JPG unless the form asks for something else.
- Check the size requirements of the form; the resolution is shown in the Camera tab.
Note that official passport and visa photos usually have strict rules about size, background and lighting that a webcam photo may not meet. Check the requirements of the organisation you're applying to.
Mirrored or not?
Most video-call apps show you a mirrored preview but send other people an un-mirrored image. That's why your hair parting seems to "switch sides" in photos. Here you decide: the Mirror setting controls both the preview and the saved photo. Turn it off whenever text or logos need to read correctly.
Is the photo uploaded anywhere?
No. The photo is drawn on a canvas inside your browser, encoded as JPG, PNG or WebP on your device, and offered as a download. It is never sent to our servers. Read the privacy page for the details.