If Zoom isn't working, first check zoomstatus.com to see if Zoom itself has a problem. If it's fine, restart your device and router, update or reinstall the Zoom app, and run Zoom's Network Connectivity Tool with Ctrl + Alt + Shift + D on Windows or Cmd + Option + Shift + D on a Mac.
When Zoom stops working five minutes before a call, the trick is to find out quickly whether the problem is Zoom's or yours. Zoom has an official status page for the first question and a built-in network test for the second. Here's the order I'd work through, depending on what's going wrong.
Step one: is Zoom down for everyone?
Zoom's support team points everyone to its service status site, zoomstatus.com, for current problems and planned maintenance across all Zoom services. If there's an incident listed, there's nothing to fix on your side: wait, or move the call. You can also click Subscribe to Updates there to get an email or text message when an incident is created, updated or resolved, which is handy if you run a lot of calls.
Find your problem
| What's happening | Start with |
|---|---|
| Nothing works, or it's slow and freezing | Status page, then restart device and router, then the Network Connectivity Tool |
| Invalid meeting ID or can't open the link | Enter the meeting ID and passcode by hand in the app |
| Asked for a passcode you don't have | Ask the host for it |
| People can't hear you, or you can't hear them | Check cables, Bluetooth, mute switches and volume |
| The app won't open or keeps failing | Reinstall the Zoom desktop app |
Can't join a meeting
- Open the Zoom desktop app, click Join on the Home tab, type the meeting ID, then enter the passcode when asked.
- If you're joining in a browser, try a different browser.
- Install the Zoom desktop app if you don't have it, or reinstall it if you do. Zoom suggests its CleanZoom tool to remove the old version completely first.
- If Zoom says the meeting ID is invalid, contact the host. The ID may be wrong, or the meeting may have been changed.
Slow, freezing or dropping out
Zoom lists the basics first, and they fix more than you'd think: restart your computer or phone, restart your modem or router, and check your antivirus and firewall settings aren't blocking Zoom. If that doesn't do it, use Zoom's own diagnostic.
Run Zoom's Network Connectivity Tool
- Open the Zoom desktop app.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + D on Windows, or Cmd + Option + Shift + D on a Mac.
- Click the Smart Test tab, then Network Test.
- Click Start Test and read the results for each section.
The tool tests the connection between your Zoom app and Zoom's services, and it can export a log if Zoom support asks for one. It's the quickest way to prove whether your network is the problem.
Audio not working
- Push the microphone cable fully into the right port, or unplug it and plug it back in.
- Check Bluetooth headphones are switched on and connected to this device.
- Look for a mute switch on your headset.
- Make sure you're not muted in Zoom. If you can't unmute, the host may have muted you.
- Turn up your computer's volume, which can be muted even when Zoom isn't.
Then test your speaker and microphone in Zoom's audio settings, or join Zoom's test meeting at zoom.us/test, which also checks your internet connection.
Zoom works on your phone but not your computer
That pattern points to your computer or its network, not Zoom. Check whether you're on the same Wi-Fi on both. If the phone is using mobile data and works fine, the problem is likely your home or office connection, so restart the router and run the Network Connectivity Tool. If both are on the same Wi-Fi and only the computer fails, look at antivirus and firewall settings, which Zoom lists as a common culprit, and then reinstall the desktop app. Work or school laptops sometimes block Zoom through company settings, in which case your IT team holds the fix.
When nothing else works
Uninstall Zoom completely, restart your computer and install it fresh from Zoom's own download page. If you're still stuck, join from your browser or your phone so the meeting can go ahead, and come back to the fix afterwards. Most clients would rather you joined from a phone than not at all.
Prevent it next time
- Join important calls five minutes early.
- Keep the Zoom app updated, as Zoom sets minimum versions for many features.
- Have the meeting ID and passcode written in the calendar invite, not just a link.
- Keep your phone charged with the Zoom app installed as a backup.
If your calls are webinars rather than meetings, my webinar resources cover the planning that avoids last-minute panic. And if you're seeing similar problems on other platforms, my guides to YouTube Studio not working and Messenger not loading follow the same check-the-service-first approach.
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My verdict
Check zoomstatus.com first, then restart your device and router, then run the Network Connectivity Tool. For joining problems, type the meeting ID by hand; for audio, check the physical stuff before the settings. And keep your phone ready as plan B.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zoom down right now?
Check Zoom's official status site, zoomstatus.com, which lists current incidents and maintenance for all Zoom services.
Why can't I join a Zoom meeting?
Try entering the meeting ID and passcode manually in the app, use a different browser, or reinstall the Zoom app. If the ID is invalid, contact the host.
How do I test my connection in Zoom?
Open the Network Connectivity Tool with Ctrl + Alt + Shift + D on Windows or Cmd + Option + Shift + D on a Mac, then run the Network Test.
Why is my Zoom audio not working?
Check your microphone cable or Bluetooth connection, any physical mute switch, whether you're muted in Zoom and your device volume.
How do I fix Zoom freezing?
Restart your device and router, check your antivirus and firewall settings, and run Zoom's Network Connectivity Tool.
