Zoom Webcam or Audio not working

Modified on Mon, Dec 27, 2021 at 3:24 PM

Solution 1: Check Zoom settings

On the pop-up that prompts for a meeting ID just before joining a call, leave the following settings unchecked:

Do Not Connect to Audio
Turn Off My Video

This allows you to join a call with your audio and video automatically enabled.

Solution 2: Exit other related apps

If your webcam isn’t showing up, make sure all other programs that use the webcam are closed. Zoom may not be able to use the camera if it’s currently being accessed by a different application.

Solution 3: Test the audio and video

If your webcam or audio issues persist, you can test your audio and video in Zoom by clicking this link. Once open, you can join a test call on the Zoom application and follow the instructions on the screen.

If you’ve joined on the web (or to just double-check your webcam in the main Zoom app), you can also select your webcam by clicking Start Video (it might say Stop Video if you’re in a call) on the bottom toolbar. If the screen is blank, you can then click the arrow icon next to the video camera icon and choose Same as System (or you may see Integrated Camera) or a more specifically named webcam from the list.

Solution 4: Check PC settings

Sometimes, the problem might not be Zoom at all. If you’re on a Windows 10 PC or Mac, the webcam might be blocked. You can correct this by checking your app permissions to make sure the Zoom app or your web browser can use your webcam.

On the web specifically, you can also check this setting by restarting your call and making sure you press Allow when prompted about the camera and mic access.

Windows 10

MacOS

Enter “webcam” in the taskbar search box and select Choose Which Apps Can Access Your Camera from the menu. Scroll down, and you’ll see the list of Microsoft Store and desktop applications that are allowed to use your webcam.

For non-Microsoft Store apps, like Zoom, you’ll need to make sure the toggle for Allow Desktop Apps to Access Your Camera is switched to the On position.

In the same way, you can also search for Microphone and choose Microphone Privacy Settings to do the same.

Open System Preferences and select Security and Privacy. After that, click the lock icon and enter your password to make changes. You can then click Camera from the sidebar and make sure your desired web browser and Zoom are checked. You’ll also want to make sure the box for the device’s microphone is checked.

Note: Some laptops also have a physical webcam switch that must be enabled to allow the webcam to function properly. Double-check that yours is in the right position if you have one.

Solution 5: Reinstall Zoom

If all else fails, uninstall the software. The next time you try to join or start a virtual meeting, the web browser client should download the software for you. You also can manually install the software from Zoom.

Reference: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/common-problems-with-zoom-and-how-to-fix-them/