USB microscope software for Mac, Chromebook and Linux
Updated
Most low-cost USB microscopes come with a viewing and measuring program for Windows, and nothing else. If you have a Mac, a Chromebook or a Linux PC, the microscope still works; it is the software that is missing. Here are your options.
Will a USB microscope work on my computer at all?
Almost certainly. Nearly every USB microscope is a UVC (USB video class) device, which is the same standard webcams use. macOS, ChromeOS, Linux and Windows all include a UVC driver, so the microscope shows up as a camera without installing anything. The exceptions are Wi-Fi microscopes that only stream to a phone app, and a few older models that need their own driver.
Viewing only: the built-in camera apps
To check that the microscope works and take pictures, the built-in apps are enough:
- Mac: Photo Booth, or QuickTime Player (File → New Movie Recording, then choose the microscope as the camera).
- Chromebook: the Camera app, which can switch to an external USB camera.
- Linux: Cheese or guvcview, both in the package repositories of most distributions.
None of them can measure. They show a picture with no scale, so a 1 mm part and a 2 mm part look the same unless you know the magnification.
Measuring: your options
| Option | Runs on | Live view | Calibrated measuring | Install |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software bundled with the microscope | Usually Windows only | Yes | Usually | Yes |
| Built-in camera apps | Each on its own system | Yes | No | No |
| ImageJ / Fiji | Windows, macOS, Linux | Mostly still images | Yes | Yes |
| MeasureLab | Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux | Yes | Yes | No, runs in the browser |
ImageJ and Fiji
ImageJ, and its distribution Fiji, are free scientific image-analysis programs used in many labs. They can calibrate (Analyze → Set Scale) and measure very precisely, but they mostly work on saved images rather than the live picture, they need to be installed, and they take some learning. They do not run on ChromeOS.
MeasureLab in the browser
MeasureLab gives you the live view, calibration, measuring tools and a results table in a browser tab. Because nothing is installed, it works the same on a Mac, a Chromebook or a Linux machine, including school and work computers where you can't install software. You can use it without an account; a free account saves your projects to the cloud.
Chromebooks in the classroom
Chromebooks can't run Windows programs, which rules out the software that comes with most microscopes. A browser-based tool sidesteps that: students plug the microscope in, open a tab and measure, and nothing has to be approved or installed by IT. Projects can be shared with the teacher as a read-only link.
If the microscope doesn't show up
- Close other apps that might be using the camera, then reload the page.
- Try another USB port or cable; some microscopes need a powered port.
- Check that the browser is allowed to use the camera. On a Mac, see System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera.
- If you have several cameras, pick the microscope in the camera list instead of the default camera.
Once the picture is up, calibrate the microscope and you are ready to measure.