How to fix camera and microphone problems

Check your browser permission

The most common cause of a black screen is a blocked permission. Click the padlock or camera icon in your address bar, set both Camera and Microphone to Allow, then reload the page. If the site was previously blocked, this single change fixes most problems.

Choose the right device

If you have more than one camera or microphone — a laptop webcam plus an external one, or a headset plus a built-in mic — the browser may have picked the wrong one. Open the device menu in the chat and select the correct camera and microphone from the list.

Close other apps

Most operating systems let only one app use the camera at a time. If your camera works everywhere except Stranger Chat, another tab or app is probably holding on to it. Close other video apps — Zoom, Meet, Teams, OBS, or another browser tab with video — and try again.

Test before you chat

Before you press Start, use the preview in the chat screen to confirm your camera shows a picture and your mic bar moves when you speak. A quick check now saves an awkward "can you hear me?" later. If the preview is empty, revisit the steps above in order.

Still stuck? Our FAQ covers more edge cases, and you can always fall back to text chat while you sort it out.

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Frequently asked questions

• Why is my camera showing a black screen?
  Usually the browser has not been given camera permission, or another app is already using the camera. Allow camera access in the browser, close other apps, then reload the chat.
• Why can't the other person hear me?
  Check that the correct microphone is selected in the device menu, that you have not muted yourself, and that the browser has microphone permission.
• How do I allow camera access in my browser?
  Click the padlock or camera icon in the address bar, set camera and microphone to Allow, then reload the page. On mobile, check your browser's site permissions in settings.