Can't update Zoom

[dlmcgeoch]

I have had  a personal Zoom account for more than three years and lately when I attempt to join a meeting or start meetings that I have scheduled I get the following message: "You must update to the latest version of Zoom to join this meeting. Contact your IT admin to update." I don't have an IT admin, so I attempted to do the update myself. When I scroll to the Downloads section on the bottom of the Zoom home screen and click to download the latest version, I am asked to sign in to my account. When I attempt to sign in to my account, I get the following message: "Your app version needs to be 5.12.2 or higher to sign in. Please contact your IT team to update your version of Zoom." So I can't join or run meetings unless I update the Zoom version, and I can't sign in to update the Zoom version unless I am on a later version. So I am stuck.

I did see some community entries here that suggested uninstalling and reinstalling Zoom. That sounds like a rather unprofessional option to updating to a newer version of the app. If that is indeed what I must do, then is there an option to save all my account settings, such as personal meeting ID and host code, as well as all the repeating meetings that I have scheduled? Or will I need to manually start over from scratch?

Please advise.

Thanks!

[DanHuber]

Maybe before your personal Zoom account you had a different Zoom account managed by a company. if that IT dept installed the MSI version of Zoom then it can't be auto updated within the Zoom Client. that's why people are suggesting you fully uninstall your current version and reinstall. I have also seen where a version of Zoom desktop client is too old to be upgraded, and again the best practice is to uninstall and then reinstall. 

So if you do not want to uninstall your current version and only want to upgrade then you can try downloading the zoom client for IT admins. open a browser and goto zoom.us, then scroll to the bottom of the page and under Download click on Zoom Desktop Client. You can either try to download the Zoom Desktop client, and then click the downloaded file to install. Or, on the Download center page along the right side is a dropdown called Download for IT Admin. you would click on download MSI and this version is a machine wide installer. this version however won't auto update, nor can you from within this zoom desktop client auto update. 

[dlmcgeoch]

Thanks, but this doesn't really address my concerns. I installed Zoom myself as a personal account, so there never was a prior version and there never has been an IT department to maintain it. I installed it three years ago, so I can't remember how I did it. How would I know if I have an MSI version of Zoom? What does MSI mean? When I click on "My Account" and look at the information available I don't see anything like I would normally see for installed software, like clicking on Help and then About and having the software name, version, and release numbers displayed.

In my original post I mentioned that I tried downloading the Zoom client and then got bogged down when I tried to sign on and it said I had to update to a newer version of Zoom. Is that not the case if I try to download the Zoom client for IT Admins? Does that get me by the "need to update version" issue? Or is that a bug in the Zoom update process in that I get a message that I need to update in order to process the update? Makes no sense to me.

If the Zoom client for IT Admins gets me by the download issue, and doesn't cost more or introduce more complexity to Zoom (it is just me using it), then maybe it is worth trying if it means I don't have to uninstall. IF I do have to uninstall, and then reinstall either client, then my main concern is whether I lose all the scheduled repeating meetings that I have saved as well as my personal meeting Id and pass code? I would hate to have to recreate all that.

Ideally I would like to update to the new version of Zoom in the same way that I update other paid for and licensed software on my laptop.

Thanks!

[DanHuber]

ok, then you do not have an MSI installed version. I was probably over thinking your situation. you dont have to log into Zoom to update your client version. you should just be able to goto the download page as I described then when you have downloaded the file open it to update your version. this will only update your version, it will not change any of your settings or change your personal meeting ID. 

[dlmcgeoch]

Here is my conundrum. To test out this scenario, I scheduled a test meeting and then clicked on start to start the meeting. I get the following message: "You must update to the latest version of Zoom to start this meeting. Contact your IT admin to update." So I go to the Zoom Support page, click on Downloads and then I click on the Download button for Zoom Desktop Client. It downloads an executable named ZoomInstallerFull. I attempt to run that executable and a Zoom window pops up asking me to either "Join a Meeting" or "Sign In" so I click on Sign In. I then enter my Zoom userid and password and I get the message "Your app version needs to be 5.12.2 or higher to sign in. Please contact your IT team to update your app." So I can't start a meeting unless I update to a newer version, and I can't run the update because Zoom needs to be at a higher version.

[DanHuber]

then it does sound like you will have to uninstall your version of Zoom then double click that zoominstallerfull again. this removal does not change your account, your account is tied to your sign in so you can still log into your account at zoom.us and see all your scheduled meetings and zoom settings. 

[ReneeDB]

I wish I could ❤️ this comment!  OMG it's taken me months to get this resolved. I wouldn't remember having this issue until I was already trying to log into a meeting & would forget after. 

[dlmcgeoch · Accepted solution]

Thanks! Uninstalling and reinstalling seems to have worked.

[Tomnn200]

I agree, had a laptop I had not Zoomed on for a couple years.  Got the "can't update, need newer version, contact IT".  Finally, in Win 11 went to settings, Apps, uninstalled Zoom.  Downloaded the new version, it installed and worked fine.  Old login worked.  I agree, there should have been an automatic removal of old versions, then a new install when downloading the product.  Way to techie, and I'm a retired IT Manager.

[pfment]

i'm having the identical same problem - however i ONLY click to JOIN meetings, i ahven't ever hosted one, now when i click to join it says i need to update, but doensn't tell me how - i sign in but i'm just a free account so there's nothing under my profiile icon with an 'update' selection, otherwise i get the message mentioned above - it says my app version must be 5.12.2 or higher to sign in!  this is craziness, how does a person on a their personal PC get zoom anymore?

[dlmcgeoch]

I think that you should be able to uninstall and reinstall like I did. My account is a personal account as well, though I do pay for it because I prefer to have family conversations that are over 45 minutes. My guess for the reason why we need to uninstall and reinstall is that versions prior to 5.12.2 must no longer be supported and there isn't a viable upgrade path from that version. Similar to not being able to upgrade to Windows 11 from older versions of Windows. I looked on the Zoom web site and the free version of Zoom is still supported, so you should be able to uninstall and reinstall. I did that yesterday and both processes ran pretty quickly.

[standryden]

I have exactly this problem.  A real catch 22.  How do I uninstall and reinstall my zoom app?

[Mayala22]

I have the same problem but only when I use my laptop computer. The cell phone doesn't ask for any updates of 5.12.2 or higher?  What's going on?

[Jenny1947]

I have the same problem. Please can someone give simple instructions for uninstalling and reinstalling? 

[Leeleebee]

My problem with getting this error is that this doesn't resolve the issue permanently.  I have to uninstall and reinstall the client with EVERY upgrade Zoom pushes out, and it feels like they do this daily.  Certainly, they can come up with a way to push out updates that don't require a complete reinstall of the software.

[JAlderson]

I am having the exact same issue. This is way too complicated for a product that has been around for so long. Where's the one-click UPDATE button? This is taking me WAY too much time!

[DanHuber]

there is an update button inside the Zoom client. if you get an error that it cannot update, or no error and it just doesn't update, then you are probably on too old of a version, or you have an admin MSI installed version. when that happens the best practice is to uninstall the old version. Windows its in add/remove programs. I haven't seen this behavior with the Mac client. 

Once uninstalled simply goto the bottom of the Zoom webpage and under Download click on Meetings Client. Once you have the newest version installed then this will auto update or at least let you know a new version is available and give you an option to update. 

[Germanuser]

You are so polite. This situation is simply put, s**t. This is what happened to me as a home user: Imagine everything working, the first time you face this issue is just trying to join an important interview. Cannot join the call through the desktop app, and cannot join via the browser link. Blocked to upgrade the version either way. After 30 minutes of looking for a solution, the meeting already ended. Cool ah?

[DanHuber]

I can imagine and realize the frustration this causes. Expectations that something works one day and you not doing anything different but the same program won't work the next day. In Zooms defense they did notify people in emails and on their website about a change in minimum version for connecting to Zoom meetings. if your installed version of Zoom is managed by your work's IT department then they should assist you with getting the newest version installed. Or, if you have the ability to uninstall your current version of Zoom from Add/Remove programs in windows settings, I would do that. then goto Zoom.us scroll to the bottom of the page and under Download click Zoom App and then install Zoom workplace desktop app. If you have a Mac you just drag the Zoom Icon to the Trash and empty the trash to uninstall. then install the from the same place on zoom.us. The newest version of the Zoom app will prompt you when you need to update, and when you allow it to upgrade from then on you will always be running the latest version. 

[JRAEHARRINGTON]

Not true! Never got an email from Zoom with this notification! It's bolloxed up several business meetings and it's impossible to reach any kind of customer support, even with a paid version! Not going to renew my Zoom subscription because of this epic fail. 

[BrianKennedy]

I am having the same problem. I'm a retiree, I just use a  personal accouont for family zoom calls, i have no IT department and I don't think that even my grandkids can figure this out. I will apparently miss the family zoom calls from now on. I'm sad.

[DanHuber]

Brian I think you may want to try uninstalling the version of Zoom you currently have installed. Then install Zooms newest desktop client. if you have a Windows PC then you just need to click the start menu or windows key on your keyboard, then start typing add or remove programs. you should see the control panel setting for add or remove programs and you just click that. now you will see a list of then installed programs on your PC, find Zoom. Now from here it could look a little different depending on what version of Windows you have. if you have Windows 10 then you will click on Zoom and there will be an Uninstall button, if you have Windows 11 you will click the 3 dots to the right of the Zoom app and choose uninstall.  once uninstalled you can goto Zoom.us website scroll all the way to the bottom of the page a choose Zoom app under Download. you will download the Zoom Workplace desktop app. Once downloaded you will either be prompted to Open it, or you will need to goto your Downloads folder and double click it to install it. This newest installed version of Zoom will periodically prompt you to update and from this point on it will be an automatic process and auto update will work. 

[GarudOne]

1. Thanks for detailed process. I am a home desktop PC user with a original Windows 11 operating system, with all updates in place. There is no "IT administrator". I am the single user. Every time I try to use Zoom, it is asking me to update the version (like all the others have said in this thread).
2. When I click on the three dots next to Zoom and try to uninstall my current Zoom (version 5.15.7), the Windows Installer says "The installation source for this product is not available. Verify the source exists and that you can access it." In other words, I cannot uninstall.
3. In the window on the same screen I see "C:\ProgramData\Norton\(OC55C096...\Updater". Why is Norton figuring in the path to the Zoom app installation?
4. I have a paid Norton 360 Premium subscription, and so I tried to update the Zoom version through the "update programs" functionality of Norton. While Norton correctly diagnoses the fact that Zoom needs updating, when I try the update through Norton, it says "update failed"; but doesn't say what to do next. 
5. I have gone to the zoom.us website and downloaded the update. But when I double click and try to execute it, the screen goes back to the old version "sign in" page.
6. In short, I am going round in circles, and unable to uninstall the old version. Therefore I cannot make a fresh install of the new version.

Please help! I have spent hours on this exercise, to no effect.

[DanHuber]

Try downloading and running CleanZoom. https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0065146#collapsePC

[GarudOne]

Thanks for your prompt reply. Will try this and get back.