Why is my camera not working in Zoom or Teams but fine elsewhere?

The app has not been given camera permission, has the wrong camera selected, or another video app is holding the camera. Grant permission, pick the right device, and close other video apps.

How do I allow camera access in Chrome?

Click the lock icon in the address bar and set Camera to Allow, or open chrome settings content camera, find the site, and move it from Block to Allow. Then reload the page.

Webcam Not Working in Teams, Zoom or Chrome? Fix It

Q: Why does my camera work in one app but not another?

Camera permissions are set per app, and a browser permission is separate from desktop apps. Also, only one app can use the camera at a time, so a second app will see nothing.

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.