Zoom meetings/sessions don't close cleanly and release resources.

PS  zoom is now asking for an OTP every time I login, even though I only ever use the one PC.  It then sends a download for what I know not so ignore.  I then have to unplug and replug the camera so zoom recognises it.

Zomm has become totally unusable and pushing me towards an alternative.

It sounds like the camera is not being properly released by the application after the first meeting ends, so when you try to start another session it still appears as “in use.” This issue has been reported by some users after upgrading to Zoom version 6.7.5, especially when switching between meetings (for example from a browser meeting to a Personal Room).

A few things you can try that may help:

1. Fully exit and reopen Zoom between meetings
Instead of just closing the meeting window, right-click the Zoom icon in the system tray and choose Exit, then reopen it before joining the next meeting. This forces the camera resource to reset.

2. Check if the browser is still using the camera
If you joined a meeting through your browser, the browser tab may still be holding the camera. Make sure to close the meeting tab completely or close the browser before joining another session.

3. Disable and re-enable the camera in Zoom settings
Go to Settings → Video, switch to another camera (if available), then switch back. Sometimes this releases the device without needing to unplug it.

4. Check Windows camera permissions
In Windows Settings → Privacy → Camera, confirm that desktop apps are allowed to access the camera and that no other application is listed as actively using it.

5. Update or reinstall Zoom
If the problem started right after the update, it might be a bug in that build. Reinstalling the client or updating to the next patch version of Zoom often resolves device-locking issues.

6. Check the camera driver
Updating or reinstalling the camera driver in Device Manager can also help, especially for integrated laptop cameras.

If none of these work, it would be worth reporting the behavior to the Zoom Video Communications support team, as it may be a regression in that specific version.

If you want, tell me:

• the camera model (USB brand or built-in laptop camera)

• whether the meetings are opened via Zoom app or browser

and I can suggest a more targeted fix.

This issue may happen if the camera resource isn’t fully released after a meeting ends in Zoom version 6.7.5. You could try signing out and back into Zoom, restarting the Zoom Workplace app, or checking if any other applications (like browsers or meeting tabs) are still using the camera in the background. Also make sure the camera permissions in Windows 10 are enabled for Zoom under Settings → Privacy → Camera. If the issue continues, reinstalling Zoom or rolling back to a previous stable version might help until a fix is released.