You download Zoom from Zoom's Download Center, which has the Zoom Workplace desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux and the Zoom Workplace mobile app for iOS and Android. You often don't need to go looking for it, because Zoom starts downloading automatically when you start or join your first Zoom meeting.
Here's the catch. On a Mac you pick the installer yourself. Under Zoom Workplace for Mac there are two buttons, Download for Apple Silicon and Download for Intel, and you choose the one that matches your device. The Download Center also carries installers for plugins and other Zoom apps, so check you're grabbing the desktop app for Meetings and not something like the Zoom Rooms app.
Which Zoom installer matches your device
| Device | What to download, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Windows | Zoom Workplace desktop app for Meetings, with separate ARM and IT admin versions listed |
| Mac | Download for Apple Silicon or Download for Intel; the file is zoomusInstallerFull.pkg |
| Debian, Ubuntu or Linux Mint | The DEB file, usually zoom_amd64.deb |
| openSUSE | The RPM file zoom_openSUSE_x86_64.rpm, or zoom_openSUSE_i686.rpm on a 32-bit system |
| Oracle Linux, CentOS, Red Hat or Fedora | The RPM file zoom_x86_64.rpm, or zoom_i686.rpm on a 32-bit system |
| Arch or Manjaro | The TAR.XZ file zoom_x86_64.pkg.tar.xz |
| iPhone, iPad or Android | The Zoom Workplace mobile app |
Zoom's installer list goes further than most people need: Chrome OS, web, virtual desktop infrastructure, the Zoom Plugin for Microsoft Outlook, the Zoom Rooms app, and smaller apps such as ZoomISO, ZoomOSC and Tiles for Zoom.
Will your computer run it?
The desktop app runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10, macOS 10.15 or later, and Linux distributions including Ubuntu 20.04, Mint 20, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0, Fedora 32, Debian 11 and 64-bit ArchLinux, or newer. Windows 10 has to be Home, Pro or Enterprise, because S Mode isn't supported. You'll also need an internet connection, speakers and a microphone, and a webcam, whether built in or plugged in by USB.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Dual-core 2Ghz or higher | Quad-core 2.5Ghz or higher |
| RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| CPU bit | 32/64 | 64 |
Two notes from Zoom are worth knowing before you buy or borrow a laptop for calls. Dual and single-core laptops drop to around 5 frames per second when screen sharing, so Zoom recommends quad-core or higher. And match the app to your computer: on a 64-bit machine, use the 64-bit app. Zoom doesn't recommend the 32-bit app if you want the whole ecosystem of chat, meetings, Zoom Phone and whiteboard.
Older systems have been cut off. From the 6.0.0 release the desktop app stopped supporting Windows 7 and 8/8.1, so 5.17.11 is the last version for anything below Windows 10. From 7.0.0 it dropped macOS 10.13 and 10.14, with 6.7.7 as their last version, and Linux releases such as CentOS 8, Ubuntu 18.04 and Debian 10 stopped at 6.7.5.
How to install Zoom on a Mac
- If macOS blocks the install, click the Apple icon, open System Settings or System Preferences, click Privacy & Security, and next to Allow applications from choose App Store & Known Developers. You may need an administrator's username and password.
- Go to the Download Center and, under Zoom Workplace for Mac, click Download for Apple Silicon or Download for Intel.
- The installer, zoomusInstallerFull.pkg, starts on its own. If it doesn't, double-click it, usually in your Downloads folder.
- If you're asked whether Installer can access your Downloads folder, click OK, then click Continue.
- Choose Install for all users of this computer, which needs administrator credentials, or Install only for me, then click Continue and Install.
- Click Close when it's done. A Zoom icon appears on your desktop; double-click it to start.
The first time you use it, macOS asks you to let Zoom use your microphone and camera, and on macOS 10.15 Catalina, screen recording too. You set those permissions in System Settings.
Installing Zoom on Linux
If you're new to Linux, Zoom suggests the graphical route. On Debian, Ubuntu or Mint, that means GDebi, which most Ubuntu-based distros already have: download the DEB file, double-click it, click Install and enter your admin password. From the terminal it's sudo apt install ./zoom_amd64.deb, and if dependencies are missing, run sudo apt update and try again.
The other families each have one command: sudo zypper install zoom_openSUSE_x86_64.rpm on openSUSE, sudo yum install zoom_x86_64.rpm on Oracle Linux, CentOS, Red Hat or Fedora, and sudo pacman -U zoom_x86_64.pkg.tar.xz on Arch, which installs the dependencies for you. The same steps update an existing install.
Zoom on your phone
When you open the mobile app for the first time you can sign in, sign up for a free Basic account, or join a meeting with its meeting ID and passcode. It may ask for permissions as you use features, including microphone, camera, notifications, photos for chat images and screen sharing, and calendars so scheduled meetings land in your Calendar app. One thing that surprises people: without the calendar integration, the Home tab only shows meetings you scheduled, not ones you've been invited to.
The desktop app opens with the same three choices. If you're about to join your first call, here's how to join a Zoom meeting step by step, and Zoom also lets you join a test meeting to try the controls first.
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Keeping Zoom up to date
Zoom shows a pop-up within 24 hours of logging in when there's a new update. To check yourself on the desktop app, sign in, click your profile picture in the top-right corner, then click Check for Updates, and Zoom downloads and installs any newer version.
| Update type | What happens |
|---|---|
| Web-only | Available from the web portal for new fixes that are being tested |
| Mandatory | You can't carry on until you update |
| Optional | You can postpone it and you're prompted again the next time you log in |
If the app was installed with the MSI installer, by you or your IT team, AutoUpdate is off by default and the Check for Updates button is removed. In that case, ask your IT team or Zoom account admin, or download the latest version from the Download Center. If it's installed but misbehaving, start with my fixes for when Zoom isn't working.
My verdict on downloading Zoom
I'd install the desktop app if you're on Zoom calls every week, and I'd check two things before you click: the right Mac button for your chip, and the 64-bit version on a 64-bit computer. Skip the hunt if you only join the odd call: Zoom starts downloading itself when you join your first meeting. And if a work laptop won't update, don't fight it, because an MSI install means IT controls updates.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I download Zoom?
From Zoom's Download Center, which has the Zoom Workplace desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux and the Zoom Workplace mobile app for iOS and Android.
Which Zoom download do I need for a Mac?
Under Zoom Workplace for Mac, click Download for Apple Silicon or Download for Intel, depending on your device. The installer file is zoomusInstallerFull.pkg.
Does Zoom still work on Windows 7?
No. From the 6.0.0 release the desktop app no longer supports Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1, and 5.17.11 is the last version for systems below Windows 10.
How do I update Zoom?
Sign in to the desktop app, click your profile picture in the top-right corner, then click Check for Updates. If there's a newer version, Zoom downloads and installs it.
Do I need to download Zoom before my first meeting?
Not in advance. Zoom begins to download automatically when you start or join your first Zoom meeting.
