You can test your webcam online or using programs that come with Windows 10 or your Mac. You don't have to wait for a video call to find out there's a problem with your webcam — test it ahead of time.

Testing a webcam seems easy enough: Assemble a bunch of them, use them to take photos or video, and compare the results. But it’s worth it to go further. When recommending a webcam, I want it to do ...