How to Turn Off Your Camera on Zoom

Turning off your camera in Zoom stops other meeting participants from seeing your video, while you can usually keep listening and speaking. You can switch it off before joining or during a meeting on a computer or phone; the exact button location varies slightly by device.

What You’ll Need

A device with the Zoom desktop app or mobile app, or a web browser that supports Zoom meetings.
Access to the meeting, if you want to change your camera after joining.

Step-by-Step

Before joining on a computer: Open the meeting link or enter the meeting ID in Zoom. On the preview screen, find the video or camera control and turn off Start Video (the wording may appear as a camera icon or a checkbox). Confirm that your preview is blank or that the camera control shows video is off, then join.
Before joining on a phone or tablet: Open the meeting link in the Zoom app. On the join preview screen, tap the camera control or switch labeled Turn Off My Video, if shown. Join after confirming the video is disabled.
Turn off video during a computer meeting: Move your pointer over the meeting window to show the controls. Click Stop Video, usually near the lower-left corner of the window. The camera icon should show a slash, and your live video should disappear from the meeting.
Turn off video during a mobile meeting: Tap the screen to display the meeting controls, then tap Stop Video. If the controls are hidden, tap once more. Check for the crossed-out camera icon or the off status.
Check that video is off: Look at the camera control, not only your own tile. A slashed camera icon or a button labeled Start Video generally indicates that your video is currently off. Other participants may still see your name, profile picture, or a blank tile.
Keep it off for the rest of the meeting: Do not press Start Video unless you want to be seen. If you leave and rejoin, check the preview screen again because the setting can depend on your app preferences, device, or meeting setup.

Common Mistakes

Muting instead of stopping video: The microphone and camera are separate controls. Mute stops your audio from being heard; Stop Video stops your camera feed. Use the camera control if you want to hide your video.
Assuming a hidden control means the camera is off: On a phone, meeting controls disappear after a short time. Tap the screen to reveal them and check the camera icon’s state.
Leaving the meeting to change video: You can normally stop video without leaving. Leaving may interrupt the meeting and require you to rejoin or wait for the host to admit you.
Expecting the camera to be physically disconnected: Stopping video disables your feed in the meeting, but it does not necessarily cut power to a built-in camera. Use a physical privacy shutter, if available, for an additional hardware barrier.
Clicking the wrong arrow or menu: Some layouts place a small arrow beside the camera button for device or video settings. Select the main Stop Video control to turn video off; settings menus alone may not stop the feed.

Tips

Turn video off on the preview screen before joining if you do not want to appear on camera even briefly.
Check the camera status immediately after joining, especially if you switched devices or changed Zoom settings since your last meeting.
If you need to speak, you can usually leave video off and unmute your microphone when appropriate. Follow the host’s meeting instructions.
Use a physical webcam cover or built-in shutter when you want visual confirmation that the lens is blocked. Do not force a cover over a lens or screen area if it could damage the device.
On a computer, you can use Zoom’s video settings to select the correct camera, but selecting a different camera is not the same as stopping video. Confirm that the meeting control says video is off.

Troubleshooting

The Stop Video button is missing: Tap the screen on a mobile device or move the pointer over the meeting window on a computer. If you are viewing Zoom in a browser, look along the meeting toolbar; controls can be positioned differently from those in the desktop app.

The camera icon is crossed out, but I still see an image: The image may be a profile picture, an avatar, or a frozen last frame rather than live video. Check whether the button now says Start Video. If it does, Zoom considers your video off. You can also ask another participant whether they see a live picture.

The camera turns back on: You may have tapped Start Video accidentally, or a meeting action may have changed the setting. Tap Stop Video again and confirm the icon is crossed out. When joining again, review the preview screen rather than relying on the previous meeting’s state.

Zoom says it cannot access the camera: This message usually indicates a camera permission or device issue, not that your video is being shown. If you do not want video, leave it off. If you need to use the camera later, check your operating system’s camera privacy permissions and close other apps that may be using the camera, then reopen Zoom.

The meeting host controls video: Hosts can manage participant video or meeting settings, and some organizations apply their own controls. If the button is unavailable or a video setting is enforced, ask the host or meeting organizer what options are permitted. Do not assume that changing your device settings overrides meeting controls.

Controls are unresponsive: Wait briefly, then try the camera button again. If the meeting remains stuck, check your internet connection and update or restart the Zoom app when practical. Avoid leaving a meeting if you cannot rejoin easily; tell the host through chat or another channel if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off my camera before joining a Zoom meeting?
Yes. Use the camera or video control on the join preview screen to disable video before you enter.

Can I turn off video without muting myself?
Yes. Camera and microphone controls work separately. Tap or click Stop Video and leave your microphone on if you want others to hear you.

Will other people know when I turn off my camera?
They will no longer receive your live video, and your tile may show your name, profile picture, or an avatar. Zoom may display a camera-off indicator, depending on the layout.

Does turning off my camera leave the meeting?
No. Stopping video normally keeps you in the meeting with audio and other meeting features still available.

How do I turn my camera back on?
Click or tap Start Video in the meeting controls. Check your preview and surroundings before enabling it.

Can I keep my camera off by default?
Zoom offers video preferences that may let you join meetings with video turned off. Availability and wording can vary by app and account. The safest approach is to check the join preview every time.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.

More cards in this drawer

The whole Numbers and Powers drawer →