Use Snap Camera Filters in Zoom, Skype, and Hangouts

Snap Camera filters can add augmented-reality lenses to your computer’s webcam in video calls. Snap discontinued Snap Camera and removed its official download in 2023, so this guide is for people who already have it installed; it explains how to select it as the camera in Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangouts and what to try if it is missing.

What You’ll Need

Snap Camera already installed on your computer. Avoid unofficial downloads: an old installer may be unsafe or incompatible with your operating system.
A working webcam and a computer that can run both Snap Camera and your video-call app.
Internet access for the call. Snap Camera’s lens availability may vary, and its discontinued service may limit what works.
Permission for the apps to use your camera. On macOS or Windows, check the operating system’s privacy settings if access is blocked.

Step-by-Step

Install or open Snap Camera. If it is already installed, launch it before starting your call. Because the software is discontinued, do not assume a download from a third-party website is genuine. If you do not already have it, consider a currently supported virtual-camera or built-in filter option instead.
Check the preview in Snap Camera. Allow camera access if your system asks. Choose your physical webcam from Snap Camera’s camera selector if there is one, and check that its preview shows you. Close other programs that may be using the webcam if the preview is black.
Select a lens. Browse the available lenses in Snap Camera and click one to apply it. Move into view and wait a moment for face tracking to settle. Some lenses need particular lighting, a visible face, or a compatible camera feed.
Open your meeting app and find its camera setting. Keep Snap Camera running. In Zoom, open Settings, then Video, and choose Snap Camera from the camera list. In Skype, open Settings, then Audio & Video, and select Snap Camera as the camera. Menu wording can vary by app version.
Set the camera in Google Hangouts if it is still available to you. Google Hangouts has been replaced by Google Chat and Google Meet for most users. In a Hangouts call where the camera controls remain available, open the call’s settings or camera menu and select Snap Camera. If you use Google Meet instead, open its pre-join settings or in-call settings, choose Video, and select Snap Camera. If it is not listed, proceed to troubleshooting.
Confirm the call preview. Check that the app preview shows the selected lens, not the unfiltered webcam. If the image is black or frozen, switch temporarily to your physical webcam, then choose Snap Camera again. Check that Snap Camera is still open and the lens is selected.
Check your microphone separately. Snap Camera changes the video source; it does not normally replace the microphone. Choose your actual microphone in the meeting app and make a test call or use the app’s audio preview.
Keep the lens on during the call. Leave Snap Camera open while the call is running. To change the effect, select another lens in Snap Camera and check that the new image appears in the meeting preview. When finished, select your webcam in the meeting app or close the call.

Common Mistakes

Looking for Snap Camera in the wrong menu: select it as the video camera, not as a background, microphone, or general effects setting.
Opening the meeting app first: some apps only detect virtual cameras when they start. Open Snap Camera first, then fully quit and reopen the meeting app if necessary.
Closing Snap Camera after choosing a lens: the virtual camera may stop sending video when its app closes. Keep it running in the background.
Expecting Hangouts to be supported indefinitely: Hangouts has been retired for most users. Its replacement or an account’s available service may not behave the same way.
Assuming every lens works: older lenses or online features may no longer load, and some effects do not track well in dim light or with the face partly out of frame.
Installing an unofficial copy to solve a missing camera: the program is discontinued. A random installer is not a reliable fix and may create security or compatibility problems.

Tips

Test the camera before an important call, including the app’s preview and the lens you intend to use.
Use even, front-facing light and keep your face unobstructed to help tracking. Avoid placing a bright window directly behind you.
Close unused video or camera apps. Two apps trying to use the same webcam can prevent Snap Camera from receiving its feed.
Choose a subtle effect for work calls and check how it appears in the meeting app’s crop; a lens that looks fine in one preview may be cut off in another.
Keep a fallback ready: select the physical webcam in the call app if Snap Camera stops working.

Troubleshooting

Snap Camera is not in the camera list: Confirm the app is open and its preview works. Quit and reopen the meeting app so it refreshes the camera list. Check operating-system camera privacy settings and allow access for both Snap Camera and the meeting app. If the virtual camera still does not appear, your operating system or app may no longer support this discontinued software.

The preview is black: In Snap Camera, select the correct physical webcam if a camera selector is available. Close other camera-using programs, check privacy permissions, and restart Snap Camera. If the webcam works in another app but not Snap Camera, compatibility is a likely issue.

The call shows the unfiltered image: Verify Snap Camera is selected in the call app, then select a lens in Snap Camera. Some apps retain an old camera choice after a restart; switch to another camera and back. Restart the meeting app if needed.

The filter lags, looks distorted, or fails to track: Improve lighting, move closer to the camera, and close demanding apps. Try a simpler lens. If the problem continues, use the normal webcam rather than relying on the effect.

There is no Snap Camera option in Hangouts or Meet: Confirm which Google calling service you are using and check its current video settings. Hangouts has been replaced for most users, and a browser or service update may not recognize an older virtual camera. Use the built-in background or effects options if available, or another supported camera-effects tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still download Snap Camera?
Snap discontinued it and removed its official download. If you do not already have it, avoid unofficial installers and use a supported alternative.

Does Snap Camera work with Zoom?
It can work when the installed version is compatible and appears in Zoom’s Video camera list. Keep Snap Camera open while using it.

Can I use Snap Camera with Skype?
If Skype and your operating system recognize the virtual camera, select it under Audio & Video settings. Availability can depend on the software versions and device.

Does Snap Camera work with Google Hangouts?
Hangouts has been retired for most users. Some legacy access may remain, but it is not a dependable current setup; Google Meet may be the relevant service instead.

Will Snap Camera change my microphone?
No, it is a video-camera effect. Select and test your microphone separately in the meeting app.

What should I use if Snap Camera no longer works?
Try the meeting app’s built-in effects or a current virtual-camera tool from its official source. Check that the alternative supports your operating system and call app.

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