Home › Zoom

Zoom Camera Not Working: Step-by-Step Fix

Short answer: A black screen or "cannot start video" message usually means the wrong camera is selected, another app is using it, or permissions are blocked.

TL;DR: quick fix

In Zoom, click your profile picture > Settings > Video and choose the correct camera from the list.
Close other apps that may be using the camera, such as Teams, FaceTime, or a browser tab.
Grant camera access: Windows Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, or macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera.

Is Zoom down?

Before you change settings, check Zoom Status. If there's an outage, wait it out.

How to fix it: step by step

In Zoom, click your profile picture > Settings > Video and choose the correct camera from the list.
Close other apps that may be using the camera, such as Teams, FaceTime, or a browser tab.
Grant camera access: Windows Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, or macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera.
Check for a physical privacy shutter or a camera function key on laptops.
Update Zoom and your camera drivers, then restart.

FAQ

Does Zoom work in a browser?

Yes. You can join from a web browser, which helps test whether the issue is with the desktop app.

More Zoom fixes

Last checked Oct 2026 against the official help page: Zoom Support. Menus can differ by app version; follow the official page if a step doesn't match.