Zoom Camera Not Working: Step-By-Step Guide To Fix Zoom Camera

Zoom has become the popular choice in these last few years, with so many new people working from home for the first time. It’s especially great if you use it in a classroom or similar teaching/learning setup. The service and its app offer features that make instructional interactions easier.

To Zoom’s credit, the app is easy to use. Setting up and joining a meeting takes only a few seconds and users very rarely if ever, run into problems when signing in. New users are far easier to onboard and it has fewer restrictions than Microsoft Teams which is built to run in an organization set up and not an open set up.

Zoom Camera Not Working

Zoom is very specific in what it does; video conferencing. Its tools and features are built around its core function.

Zoom has support for additional apps e.g. Microsoft Teams but even so, the apps do not interfere with its calling or scheduling feature.

Why Is Zoom Video Not Working?

If you’re trying to attend or set up a meeting in Zoom but your video isn’t working, try the fixes below.

1. Restart Zoom

Zoom is a fairly no nonsense app which is why trouble with it is rare. If the video isn’t working, quit the app and run it again. A restart will fix most problems with it.

2. Exit other camera apps

If you have other apps running that use the webcam, you should quit them. A webcam cannot be used with multiple apps. If another app is using the webcam, Zoom won’t be able to access it.

1. Quit all apps that use a webcam.
2. Quit Zoom.
3. Launch Zoom again and join/start a meeting.

3. Check Zoom camera permissions

In order to use the webcam, Zoom must be allowed to access it. Check to see if you’ve granted it permission to do so.

On Windows 10 and 11;

1. Open the Settings app with the Win+I keyboard shortcut.
2. Go to Privacy and select the Camera tab.
3. Turn the Allow apps access to the Camera switch On.
4. Scroll down the list of apps, and turn the switch next to Zoom On.
5. Restart Zoom.

On macOS;

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Go to Security & Privacy.
3. Select the Privacy tab.
4. Select Camera in the column on the left.
5. In the pane on the right, enable Zoom.
6. Restart Zoom.

4. Check camera settings in Zoom

Zoom has its own camera settings. Make sure the correct webcam is connected to it and that is being detected.

1. Open Zoom and click the cogwheel button under your profile picture.
2. Go to the Video tab.
3. Open the Camera dropdown and select your webcam.
4. Restart Zoom.

5. Turn off virtual backgrounds

It’s possible that you’ve enabled virtual backgrounds and they’re causing problems with the webcam.

1. Open Zoom and click the cogwheel button under your profile picture.
2. Go to the Background and filters tab.
3. Select None in the background.
4. Restart the app.

6. Enable/disable hardware acceleration

Zoom supports hardware acceleration. It may or may not cause problems with the video. Try turning it off.

1. Open Zoom and go to its settings.
2. Select the Video tab.
3. Click the Advanced button at the bottom.
4. Uncheck Video Processing under Use hardware acceleration for.
5. Uncheck Sending video under the same section.
6. Restart Zoom.

7. Update Zoom

If you have pending updates for Zoom, install them as this could be the reason your zoom camera isn’t working. The app normally checks for updates when it is launched. Quit the app and open it again.

8. Uninstall and reinstall Zoom

If everything else fails you can uninstall and reinstall Zoom. It may take more time than the other fixes on the list but it will work.

On Windows 10 and 11;

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Go to Programs>Uninstall a program.
3. Select Zoom from the list and click Uninstall.
4. Download Zoom and install it.

On macOS;

1. Open the ~/Applications folder.
2. Right-click Zoom and select Move to bin.
3. Download Zoom and install it again.

Zoom Camera Not Working? Not Anymore!

Zoom is easy to set up and while there are many alternatives to it, few come as close to its simplicity. You can try using Google Meets instead of Zoom but the above fixes should resolve video problems with the app.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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