Devices
Random Video Chat on a Windows PC
For a random video chat on PC, open omlet.site in Edge, Chrome or Firefox, allow your webcam and microphone, confirm you're 18 or older, and press Start. There's nothing to download and no account to create.
Windows adds a few settings of its own between your browser and your camera. This page covers those, plus choosing a webcam, installing Omlet as a desktop app, and the keyboard shortcuts that make it quicker to use.
Edge, Chrome or Firefox on Windows
All three work with Omlet. The differences are small and mostly about installing and where permissions live. Names may differ slightly by version.
| Microsoft Edge | Google Chrome | Firefox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comes with Windows | Yes | No | No |
| Install Omlet as an app | Yes, from the address bar or menu | Yes, from the address bar or menu | Not in the same way; pin the tab instead |
| Site camera settings | edge://settings/content/camera | chrome://settings/content/camera | Settings → Privacy & Security → Permissions |
| Pick a different camera | Dropdown on the camera settings page | Dropdown on the camera settings page | Dropdown in the permission prompt |
Windows privacy settings for camera and microphone
If the camera is black in every browser, Windows itself is probably blocking it. On Windows 11:
- Open Settings → Privacy & security → Camera.
- Turn on Camera access and Let apps access your camera.
- Turn on Let desktop apps access your camera. Browsers count as desktop apps, so this switch matters most.
- Go back and do the same under Privacy & security → Microphone.
- Reload Omlet and allow access when the browser asks.
On Windows 10, the same switches are under Settings → Privacy → Camera and Microphone. Some laptops also have a physical shutter or a function key that turns the camera off completely. Step-by-step help: webcam not working on Windows, and for Edge specifically, camera not working in Microsoft Edge.
Choosing and connecting a USB webcam
Desktop PCs rarely have a built-in camera, so most people plug one in. A USB webcam that works in the Windows Camera app will normally work with Omlet too.
- Plug it straight into the PC rather than a hub or a monitor's USB port, at least while you test.
- Test it in the Camera app first. If it works there, any problem is in the browser, not the camera.
- Check that Windows lists it. On recent Windows 11 builds, connected cameras appear under Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Cameras.
- Pick it in your browser. If the PC has more than one camera, including virtual cameras from streaming software, choose the right one in the browser's camera settings. See how to change the camera your browser uses.
- Mount it at eye level on top of the monitor, not on the desk looking up at you.
A webcam's built-in mic sits far from your mouth and picks up the room. A simple wired headset is usually the quickest audio upgrade for video chat on a PC.
When Windows says the camera is in use
On Windows, a webcam is usually available to one app at a time. If Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS or another browser tab already has it, Omlet can't open it and you'll see a black or missing camera.
- Close video apps and other tabs that use the camera, including apps hiding in the system tray near the clock.
- Reload Omlet and allow access again.
- If it's still busy, restart the PC to release the camera.
To track down what's holding it, read camera is being used by another app.
Install Omlet as a desktop app
Installing gives Omlet its own window, taskbar icon and Start menu entry. Underneath it still runs on your browser, with the same permissions.
- Edge: click the app-available icon at the right of the address bar, or open ⋯ → Apps → Install this site as an app.
- Chrome: click the install icon in the address bar, or open ⋮ → Cast, save, and share → Install.
- Firefox: it doesn't install web apps the way Edge and Chrome do. Right-click the tab and choose Pin Tab, or bookmark it.
Once installed, right-click the Omlet icon on the taskbar and choose Pin to taskbar. Wording varies by browser version; the desktop web app install guide has full steps for each browser and shows how to uninstall.
Talk to strangers on PC: keyboard and desk tips
- → (right arrow) starts a chat or skips to the next person, and Esc stops. With a hand on the keyboard you never have to hunt for buttons.
- Sit about an arm's length from the screen so your head and shoulders fit the frame.
- Light your face from the front. A lamp behind the monitor, pointed at you, works well at night.
- Use headphones if your speakers are loud, so your mic doesn't pick up your partner's voice and echo it back.
- Text chat runs beside the video, with emoji and messages up to 1,000 characters, which is handy for spelling a name or a song title.
On a laptop rather than a desktop? Random video chat on a laptop focuses on built-in cameras, batteries and posture.