It’s safe to say that video calling apps are taking over physical company meetings and conferences. Market leaders like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet are growing fast for group video calls. Among them, Zoom is probably the most used video calling app for various reasons. The software is easy to use and can be used on different platforms. With so many options, nothing can upset you more than your webcam or microphone not working during a Zoom video call. In this post, we will talk about solving most video problems that occur when using Zoom.
If you don’t pay attention to Zoom’s pop-ups properly, you’ll see a black screen at the beginning of meetings. The microphone not working during Zoom meetings is also one of the many problems faced by users. However, the strangest thing is that others cannot see them over a video call.
Zoom offers multiple options to enhance the video calling experience. You can also use apps like EpocCam to turn your phone into a webcam on Zoom. In this article, we will fix the Zoom webcam not working issue in eight steps. Let’s first go through some of the key solutions that lead to video visibility issues in Zoom.
1. Grant Proper Camera Permission for Zoom
Zoom often asks for relevant permissions during software installation. You can double check if the app has camera permission to use the webcam every time you launch it. Zoom’s Windows client is something to tinker with, and that’s why we’ve compiled a helpful list of Zoom Video settings that you can use on Windows systems. However, we have observed that many Mac users struggle with this, especially those running the latest macOS updates.
Follow the steps below to check permission on Mac.
Stage 1: Open the System Preferences menu.
Step 2: Go to Security & Privacy > Privacy > Camera.
Stage 3: Make sure Zoom has camera permission.
In Windows, you can search for ‘webcam’ in the start menu and select ‘what apps can use the camera’. Scroll down and you will see the list of apps using the camera. Make sure the Zoom app is using the webcam permission.
2. Enable Start Video Meeting Option
Zoom lets you start the meeting with the video open. I mostly keep it off because I’m not comfortable directly joining a video-enabled meeting. However, you can enable this option if you want to skip the blank screen at the beginning of the meeting and choose the option to always start the video from your end.
Open the Zoom app and go to the ‘New Meeting’ tab. To join/create the meeting with the video open, tap the down arrow next to the menu and enable the ‘Start with video’ option.
Pro tip: When joining the meeting with video, Zoom will ask you to enable audio every time you join the meeting. You can enable the ‘Automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting’ option. It will enable the device microphone for you.
3. Disable Turn Off Video in Settings
You should disable the ‘Turn off my video when joining the meeting’ option in the zoom settings menu. When enabled, you cannot see yourself in the Zoom meeting. Follow the steps below to turn off the option.
Stage 1: Open the Zoom app and tap the Settings icon in the upper right corner.
Step 2: Go to the video option.
Stage 3: Scroll down to the meeting option and disable the ‘turn off my video when joining a meeting’ option.
4. Make Sure No Other Apps Are Using The Webcam In The Background
If other apps like FaceTime, Teamviewer, or Skype are already using the camera in the background, you won’t be able to use the video in the Zoom app.
On most laptops, it’s easy to see if another app is using the camera. You can browse through the laptop’s camera and if the LED is on (White or Green), this indicates an app is using a camera in the background. Close these apps and return to the Zoom app to see if the video works.
5. Change Default Camera on Zoom
If you are using apps like Droidcam, EpocCam and iVCam to turn your phone into a webcam, you must select the corresponding camera option for video feed in Zoom.
Open the Zoom app and go to the app settings. Go to the video menu and select the camera you are using.
You can also switch between cameras from the Zoom meeting menu. In the Stop Camera option, tap the arrow at the top and select the relevant camera.
6. If You Are Using the Phone as a Webcam
In such cases, you should make sure to install the relevant drivers of the application on your PC/Mac. These drivers allow you to use the Zoom app with such apps and services.
If you are using apps like EpocCam to use the phone camera as a webcam, make sure both the phone and laptop are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and don’t forget to change the default Video settings in the Zoom app. .
If you are still encountering problems, read our dedicated post to fix such problems with webcam apps.
7. Update Video Drivers
If video is not working for you, you should consider updating the webcam drivers to the latest version. Follow the steps below to update the webcam drivers on your Windows laptop.
Stage 1: Tap the Windows button and type device manager.
Step 2: Press enter and it will open device manager.
Stage 3: Scroll down and go to Sound, Video and Game controllers and update the video drivers.
8. Update Zoom App
Video feed not working in Zoom may be due to outdated build on your mobile or computer. You should update the Zoom app to the latest version as it includes several bug fixes and performance improvements. Most importantly, these updates also fix potential security loopholes. Open the Zoom app and you will see the update banner at the top. Download the latest build and start using Zoom for digital meetings.
Fix Zoom Video Feed Not Working
It doesn’t make you look professional if Zoom video or audio doesn’t work at your first digital conference. If you have trouble dealing with Zoom’s video every time, check our solutions and customize the app according to your needs and usage. While time is of the essence, you can follow these solutions to start using Zoom like a pro.
Next: Want to master Zoom software? Read the post below to find the best tips and tricks for it.