Continuing with the theme of troubleshooting Zoom, this post will address another frustration: camera and video issues. Last week’s Clef Notes post addressed audio concerns and many of those resolutions will overlap here.
So, you log into a Zoom meeting to find a black screen with your name typed across it and no video of yourself displaying. Is your camera turned on? In the lower left corner you will find the Video icon displaying a camera. Your video is turned off when a red slash mark [ ∕ ] is across the Video icon. Simply click the icon to turn your camera on..
By clicking the small carrot on the Video icon, you can access the Video Settings menu where you can, amongst other things, control how your Zoom account will be set-up upon opening the app and joining a meeting. Note, in particular, the setting to Turn off my video when joining a meeting. If this option is unchecked, your camera should be operating and your video should display when you join a Zoom meeting.
Similarly, if you are using the app version of Zoom (versus opening Zoom through a browser), select Join from the home window, type or paste in a Meeting ID, then select whether to Turn off my video or not.
Now that you have explored these settings and your video is still not working, go through the following checkpoints to troubleshoot your video and camera:
- Join a test Zoom meeting to work out the kinks. This Zoom website will walk you through how to do just that so you are prepared for your upcoming meeting and go into your Zoom feeling confident.
- Within the Video Settings is a view through the camera. What you see here is what another person in your Zoom meeting will see of you. Zoom’s support website demonstrates this camera test.
- As with troubleshooting audio issues, check your permission settings to make sure your computer is not blocking Zoom from accessing your camera. Step-by-step instructions are provided for checking permissions in Windows, in Apple and in Apple mobile devices.
- Found under the General tab within Zoom Settings is the option to Stop my video and audio when my display is off or screen saver begins. By leaving this opinion unchecked you are preventing any potential interruption from computer power settings.
- Back inside the Video Settings window there is an Advanced link found at the bottom that provides two additional settings. While these settings are meant to improve video quality and function, it is also possible they could be affecting video connectivity and performance within Zoom. Or if by now your video is working well you can test these settings out for a more optimal experience.
- Optimize video quality with de-noise is a setting that allows Zoom to remove noise to improve the video quality.
- Use hardware acceleration for receiving video is a setting that allows the computer to jump in and relieve some of the processing power (CPU) it is exerting and to redirect that power to receiving video.
- As is also the case for audio issues within Zoom, a proper restart of your device can prove to be helpful. Close out all open applications, power down your computer, waiting at least ten seconds, then restart. Be patient as your device is waking back up.
- Uninstalling an application sounds daunting and appears annoying. But, going through the process means you are then reinstalling the most up-to-date version available which can be the solution to the problem. Steps for uninstalling Zoom on each platform can be found here.
Lastly, a link to Zoom’s own webpage for general troubleshooting of video issues is another resource.
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