Whether you’re holding daily meetings with your team, pitching clients or taking online classes, Zoom calls have become an integral part of many people’s lives. Since this type of meeting relies on technology to function, some will inevitably encounter technical difficulties, such as the camera not working, with one of their calls.
If you’re having trouble with your zoom camera, don’t panic. There are many reasons why this could be the case. So, to help you out, we have listed various ways to fix this problem so that you can continue with your busy day.
1. Is your camera connected properly?
Before you start changing any settings on your computer, the first thing you need to do is make sure that the webcam is connected and working properly on your PC. If you’re using an external camera, check it for physical damage. You can try connecting it to a different port if available, check if it is working with another computer.
For wireless cameras, make sure Bluetooth is working on both of your devices. In some cases, a Bluetooth webcam can lose its connection if it runs out of battery while you’re in a Zoom session, or you accidentally turn off your computer’s Bluetooth. Check your settings and reconnect the device.
If you’re using a laptop, make sure there are no obstructions to the camera. Some users forget that they have tapped something on their camera, which may be the reason why it is not showing anything in your zoom. If there’s no obstruction, open your computer’s camera app and check that it’s working. If so, perform the following troubleshooting steps.
2. Check Your Zoom Camera Settings
Once you have established that your webcam is working, the next step that you should do is to check the camera settings of your Zoom app. When you join a meeting, you’ll see this prompt: Turn off my video.
If you check this box, you will enter the meeting without a camera. When you’re in a meeting, simply turn on the camera manually by pressing the Start Video icon at the bottom-left of the screen. Alternatively, you can press and hold Alt + V to turn it on.
But if you haven’t checked this box, and you’re still not getting a response from the camera, make sure all apps that use your camera are closed. You also need to make sure that you are using the correct camera for your calls. To test this, press the up arrow next to the Start Video icon and choose the device you want to use.
3. Check the system’s camera settings and permissions
In some cases, your system may be blocking the app from accessing your device’s camera. If you haven’t given Zoom permission to use your system’s camera, it won’t turn on at all, even if all your app settings are correct. You need to enable camera permissions to fix camera issue.
Under Camera, check the Allow apps to access your camera option and make sure the setting under it says Camera access is turned on for this device. If this option is disabled, click the Change button to turn it on.
To make changes to your preferences, click the lock icon in the lower-left corner of the screen. This will unlock the setting.
Then, click the Camera icon on the left side navigation and make sure there is a check in the box next to the Zoom app to make sure the app has access to the camera.
Finally, open Zoom and join your meeting to see if the problem persists.
4. Update Zoom
Updating your apps is important to ensure that it runs smoothly and without any issues. If you’re running an older Zoom, your camera may not be working during meetings. For Zoom apps on your Windows or macOS computer, visit the official download page to download the latest update.
You can use the same website to download the latest version on your tablet or mobile phone, or visit your App Store and Play Store to update the app.
5. Restore Zoom
If all the above fixes fail, then it is time to completely delete the app from your device and install a new one. Downloading a fresh copy of Zoom allows you to start over, removing any modifications or settings that may be causing the problem.
Zoom camera problem, now fixed
If you’ve always been using Zoom for work or school, you need to learn the various troubleshooting steps in case you face any technical issues during a call.
Plus, you can master other skills, like learning to take notes while using Zoom.
