Troubleshooting video performance in Zoom

Option 1: Outgoing Video

Streaming video from your side to Zoom may not be available for two reasons, the second of which needs special attention. In particular, restrictions on the operating system side are the most frequent problem, since the application in question simply cannot detect the camera.

Cause 1: Camera disabled

The most obvious reason for outgoing video not working is that the camera is disabled through the program settings via the corresponding button on the bottom panel. The situation can be corrected by pressing the button "Enable video" button. on any platform and confirming access to the linked component. In either case, the camera image will appear on the screen.

Read more: Enable the camera in Zoom

Also, pay attention to the possibility of the conference organizer forcibly suspending the video, albeit without automatic mode, as is done with the microphone. Thus, the video can be blocked by the session administrator for some reasons, which cannot be avoided by internal or external means.

Reason 2: Third Party Restrictions

The most extensive topic is that of third-party restrictions imposed on the application by the operating system itself or related to camera malfunctions. To get started, if you're using a mobile device or computer running Windows 10 or later, you need to visit your privacy settings and allow the camera to be used by everyone or by a specific app.

Read more: Troubleshooting camera performance in Zoom

If the above action has not resulted in anything, you should use any other program to check the device and only after that move on to more radical solutions. As a last resort, you will have to replace the camera if the image does not appear in any other application, or at least reinstall the application if the result is more favorable.

Option 2: Incoming Video

Blocking of incoming video on Zoom is quite a rare issue as the messenger mainly takes care of video and audio related features to work. If you encounter such a situation, the problem is most likely due to the app malfunctioning or accidental activation of one of the internal functions.

Cause 1: Incoming video is blocked

Through the settings of the integrated camera, which are available to all conference participants without exception, it is possible to forcibly block the incoming video signal, which is useful in case of traffic savings, for example. This option is only relevant if a static image is still displayed instead of the caller's photo after turning on the camera.

Computer

1. To disable the above option in the desktop version of Zoom, open the main window of the program, click the tab «Home» tab. and click on the gear icon. A similar section can be opened directly during the conference by selecting "Video settings". in the dropdown above the element “Start/stop video”.
2. If necessary, manually click the tab "Video". through the menu on the left of the configuration window and scroll to the bottom of the page. Here you have to uncheck the checkbox "Activate the incoming video stop function.".

No need to manually save new settings, all changes are applied in the background. Also, if the parameters were edited during a communication session, you can see the result immediately.

Mobile device

1. A significant difference between the mobile app and the desktop version of Zoom is the limitation of settings, making it impossible to change the parameter in question outside of the conference. Therefore, the first thing to do is connect to the session and only then proceed to the software configuration.
2. Once you understand the connection, on the right side of the bottom panel, pull down the menu "Advanced". and go to "Conference setup".. To disable the parameter in question, use the slider "Stop incoming video.".

You can only verify that the participants' video stream works by joining a conference with other users. If you have previously accessed a suitable channel, the changes will take effect as soon as you exit the specified settings section.

Reason 2: Software failure

A more global problem, often affecting many functions at once, is the messenger malfunctioning, for example caused by an update. The solution in this case is a complete reinstall of the app and the deletion of all user data, regardless of the device.

Computer

1. The basic and universal way to remove Zoom from your computer, which you should do first, is through "Applications and Features".. To open this category, you can use the right mouse button menu on the icon Home icon.or select "Applications". on the main page of system settings.

   Also read: Uninstall programs from a Windows computer

2. In the indicated tab, look for "Zoom". in the general list, left-click to select and use the "Delete". After confirming this action, the program will be uninstalled from the computer.
3. To reinstall the client, go to the official website of the software, download and open the installation EXE file. In the case of this software, the installation is completely automatic.

   Further information: Installing Zoom on your computer

If you don't want to download the file from the official website and you're still using Windows 10 or 11, you can go to the Microsoft Store. In this case, just click the button "Install".while when finished on the desktop and in the menu "Start" a home shortcut will appear.

Mobile device

1. To reinstall the app on your phone, you must first visit the settings, select "Zoom". from the list of installed programs and use the option "Delete". On some mobile phones and iPhones in particular, the uninstall can be done directly from the home screen.

   Read more: Uninstall phone apps

2. You can reinstall from the official app store page, which directly depends on your device, but the steps are almost identical. All you have to do is follow the corresponding link and press the cloud button or the "Install"..

   More information: Install Zoom on your mobile phone

3. Finally, it is impossible not to mention a function of Android mobile phones that allows the data of individual applications to be erased. If you don't want to do a full reinstall, you can start by doing a forced memory cleanup through system settings.

   Also read: How to clear the cache of applications on Android

It is important to note here that data deletion often leads to more serious issues and the app may not boot later. Regardless, the reinstall should help, including fixing the first cause in the instructions section by automatically resetting all internal settings.