Webcam Not Working in Teams, Zoom or Chrome? Fix It
Quick answer: If your webcam works elsewhere but not in Teams, Zoom, or Chrome, the camera is fine — the app lacks permission, has the wrong camera selected, or another app is using it. Grant the app camera permission and close other video apps.
Confirm the camera itself works: open the webcam test . If you see a live preview there, the hardware is fine and the fix is in the app.
First, free up the camera and restart the app
Only one app can use the camera at a time, so if Zoom and Teams are both open, one will get nothing. Close every other video app and browser tab, then restart the app you want — and if that fails, restart the computer to release a stuck camera.
Allow camera permission
For a desktop app (Teams or Zoom)
Go to Settings → Privacy & security → Camera. Turn on "Camera access" and "Let apps access your camera", then make sure the toggle for that specific app (and "Let desktop apps access your camera") is on.
In Chrome and other browsers
Browser permissions are separate, and if you ever clicked Block, the browser will not ask again. In Chrome, click the lock icon in the address bar and set Camera to Allow, or open chrome://settings/content/camera and move the site from Block to Allow. Edge and Firefox have the same option under site permissions. Also disable ad-block or privacy extensions, which often block camera access, then reload.
Pick the right camera in the app
In the app's video settings, open the camera dropdown and select your actual webcam rather than a virtual or inactive device. In Zoom, also uncheck "Turn off my video when joining a meeting" and click Start Video.
Update the camera driver
Press Win + X → Device Manager, expand Cameras, right-click your webcam and choose Update driver. An outdated driver can stop newer app versions from using the camera.
Why does my camera work in one app but not another?
Camera permission is granted per app, and a browser's permission is separate from desktop apps — so one can be allowed while another is blocked. The other common reason is that a second app is already holding the camera. If the preview is also black in a quick check, see our guide on a webcam showing a black screen .
Confirm your webcam works
Re-run the webcam test (our webcam test walkthrough shows what to look for), then rejoin your meeting. The camera should now show in the app.
Selecting Your Camera in Teams and Zoom
If your camera works elsewhere but not in a meeting, it's almost always the wrong camera selected or a permission the app never received. In Zoom, go to Settings → Video and pick your camera from the dropdown; you'll see a preview immediately if it's right. In Microsoft Teams, click your profile → Settings → Devices and choose the camera there, or use the device settings inside a call. If the dropdown lists a virtual camera (OBS, NVIDIA Broadcast, a manufacturer app) it may be selected by default and show black when its source isn't running — pick your real webcam explicitly.
Permissions and the One-App Rule
Both apps need camera permission from the operating system, separate from their own settings. On Windows 11 24H2, Settings → Privacy & security → Camera, with the app (and "desktop apps") enabled; on macOS Sequoia, System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera. Remember that most systems let only one app use the camera at a time, so if your browser, Zoom and Teams are all open, whichever grabbed the camera first wins and the others show black — close the ones you're not using. The browser versions of Teams and Zoom also need permission via the address-bar camera icon, which is independent of the desktop app.
When a Reset Is Needed
If the camera passes the webcam test but fails only in Teams or Zoom, the fault is inside that app. For Teams, a stuck device list often clears by fully quitting the app from the system tray and reopening, or clearing the Teams cache. For Zoom, toggling "Turn off my video" and back on, or restarting the app, refreshes the device. Background-blur and virtual-background features occasionally fail on older hardware and freeze the feed, so turn them off to test. If both apps fail but the test passes, the common factor is a system permission or another app holding the camera — fix that once and both apps recover.
Clearing a Stuck Device List
Occasionally Teams or Zoom keeps showing an old or missing camera even after you've fixed everything at the system level, because the app cached a stale device list. For Teams, fully quit it from the system tray (right-click the icon → Quit, not just close the window) and reopen — this rebuilds the device list and fixes most "no camera" cases; clearing the Teams cache is the next step if quitting alone doesn't help. For Zoom, sign out and back in, or simply restart the app, to refresh its device detection. After either, plug in the camera before launching the app so it's present when the app builds its list, and select it explicitly in Video or Devices settings rather than relying on the default.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my camera work but not in Teams or Zoom?
The app has the wrong camera selected or lacks permission. Choose your webcam in Zoom's Video settings or Teams' Devices settings, confirm the app has camera permission in your system privacy settings, and close other apps that might be holding the camera.
How do I change the camera in Zoom?
Open Settings → Video and pick your camera from the dropdown. A live preview appears when the right one is selected. Avoid virtual cameras like OBS in the list unless their source is running, or you'll see black.
How do I select my camera in Microsoft Teams?
Click your profile picture → Settings → Devices, and choose your camera under Camera, or open device settings during a call. If the list is stuck, quit Teams fully from the system tray and reopen it.
Why is my camera black in Teams or Zoom only?
Another app likely grabbed the camera first, a virtual camera is selected, or background effects froze the feed. Close other video apps, select your real webcam, and turn off background blur to test.
Do Teams and Zoom need separate camera permission?
Yes. Each app needs camera permission from Windows or macOS, and the browser versions need it from the browser via the address-bar icon. These are all separate from the app's own camera selection.
How do I clear the Teams cache to fix the camera?
Quit Teams completely from the system tray, then clear its cache folder in your user AppData, and reopen. Teams rebuilds the device list, which fixes a stuck or missing camera that survives other fixes.
Why does a virtual background freeze my camera in Zoom?
Background and blur effects are demanding and can stall the video feed on older hardware. Turn off the virtual background and blur in Zoom's Video settings to test, and update your graphics driver.