Your camera works perfectly in Teams but refuses to show a picture in Zoom, or it was fine yesterday and now Zoom just shows a black screen. Camera problems in Zoom are usually caused by one of four things: Windows privacy settings blocking the app, the wrong camera selected, a driver issue, or a conflict with another application. Here is how to work through each one.
Step 1: Check Windows Privacy Settings
Windows 11 requires you to explicitly allow apps to use your camera. Zoom may have been blocked:
- Press Windows + I to open Settings
- Go to Privacy & Security > Camera
- Make sure Camera access is turned On
- Scroll down and find Zoom in the list — make sure its toggle is On
If Zoom does not appear in the list, it may not be installed as a traditional desktop app or may need reinstalling.
Step 2: Check the Camera Selected in Zoom
Zoom may be pointing to the wrong camera — especially if you have a USB webcam and a built-in laptop camera:
- Open Zoom and go to Settings (gear icon in the top right)
- Click Video on the left
- Check the camera dropdown at the top — try switching between options if multiple cameras are listed
- You should see a live preview below the dropdown when the correct camera is selected
If no camera appears in the dropdown, Zoom cannot detect any camera on your system — this points to a driver or privacy settings issue.
Step 3: Close Other Apps Using the Camera
Only one application can typically use a webcam at a time. If Teams, Skype, or the Windows Camera app is running in the background with the camera active, Zoom may not be able to access it:
- Close any other video or camera apps completely (not just minimised)
- Check the system tray for any running apps that may be using the camera
- Restart Zoom after closing the other apps
Step 4: Update or Reinstall the Webcam Driver
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager
- Expand Cameras
- Right-click your webcam and select Update driver
- If updating does not help, right-click and select Uninstall device, then restart your PC
Windows will reinstall the driver automatically on restart. For laptops, you can also download the latest camera driver from your manufacturer’s support page.
Step 5: Reinstall Zoom
If all else fails, a clean reinstall of Zoom often resolves camera issues caused by a corrupted installation:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps
- Find Zoom and click Uninstall
- Download the latest version from zoom.us/download
- Install and test the camera again
Step 6: Check if the Camera Works Outside of Zoom
Open the Windows Camera app and check if you can see a picture there. If it works in Camera but not Zoom, the issue is Zoom-specific (settings or installation). If it does not work in Camera either, the issue is at the Windows or hardware level — see our guide on fixing a webcam not working in Windows 11.
Black Screen but No Error Message?
A black screen in Zoom with no error usually means the camera is being accessed but producing no image. This can be caused by a physical privacy shutter on the webcam being closed, or a laptop keyboard shortcut that has disabled the camera. On many Dell and Lenovo laptops, Fn + F10 or a dedicated camera key can toggle the camera off.
