External camera glitching in Macbook | Community
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Newcomer
SophieWH
Newcomer
January 30, 2025
Question

External camera glitching in Macbook

  • January 30, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 47 views

Dear Zoom community,

I’m really hoping for your help.  I’m not techy, so I’m trying to include all the relevant info – apologies in advance for any missing bits/things that aren’t clear.

I have a Macbook 13” running Sonoma 14.7.1, and am using  Zoom Version: 6.2.11 (43613).  I use Zoom professionally, but as the Mac camera is such poor quality, I have been using an external camera – a Logitech for Creators StreamCam, full HD 1080p 60Fps, USB-C.  Alas, something very weird started to happen in Zoom about 4 months ago where the visual screen glitches, splitting the screen repeatedly.  This is also happening with another x2 cameras I got to try and resolve the problem – a Logitech Webcam C920 and a Razer Kiyo X (both of which are USB-B so needed a converter).  All of the cameras work fine in a Lenovo laptop running Windows, and they all work fine in other video apps on the Mac, like Google meet, Photobooth etc (although once the splitting was happening in the Logitech GHUB screen too with the Logitech Webcam C920).

With the help of my partner, we’ve tried downloading old versions of Zoom (still the same problem), multiple reloads and restarts, deselecting: “optimize quality of the video I send with de-noise,” changed the anti-flicker to 50 (although it’s not a flicker – it’s a splitting of the screen)… I've tried turning off hardware acceleration with no luck.

Anything else I could try?!  Thank you so much for your thoughts.

Sophie

    5 replies

    A
    Newcomer
    Andin
    Newcomer
    January 31, 2025

    I’m having this exact problem so hope we get an answer on this. I assumed it was the camera failing so I went out and bought a new one only to have the exact same problem. This only happens when  on zoom not other visep

    platforms.

      N
      Newcomer
      Niallgraham
      Newcomer
      February 3, 2025

      I also have had this problem the last few weeks. Thinking it was the camera broken (it's a Logitech C922) but the camera works in other apps. I see responses to similar problems going back to 2023 but nothing recent. if you hear of anything please reply here, im reluctant to buy another camera as it seems like it is the apps fault.

        A
        Newcomer
        ASLInterpreter1
        Newcomer
        February 6, 2025

        I am having the same issue. I have tried both external cameras and they are both doing the same thing. The internal camera quality is so poor I cannot use it for work. Please help!

        MGSR
        Community Manager
        MGSR
        Community Manager
        February 6, 2025

        Hello Community Members,

        I'm sorry for the inconvenience you experienced.

        Please ensure that both your Zoom app and camera drivers are updated to the latest versions. Additionally, make sure that Zoom is granted permission to access your camera by going to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Camera. 

        Please let us know if you need further assistance. 

        S
        Newcomer
        SophieWHAuthor
        Newcomer
        February 7, 2025

        Hello Mark,

         

        thanks for replying.  I can confirm that the Zoom app is the latest version, the camera drivers are updated, and that Zoom has permission to access the camera.  To be clear, there IS an image, but the image repeatedly splits, as if the image jumps in a split second to another section of the screen, e.g. my face which is usually centred in the screen, would jump to the top right and back again repeatedly.

         

        Look forward to hearing alternative suggestions - thank you.

        Sophie

          S
          Newcomer
          SophieWHAuthor
          Newcomer
          May 27, 2025

          Thank you Mark - that's submitted, and once I have a resolution (optimism!), I'll post it back here so others can benefit.


          Hey folks,

           

          More light shed on the problem after extensive attempts by Support to problem solve.  Not 100% resolved though, but I have given up!

           

          Update on what we tried:

          -enabling HD when the external camera is selected

          -Checking macOS privacy and security settings under Camera (i.e. allowing applications to access Zoom)

          -Check Full Disk Access (i.e. allowing applications to access Zoom)

          -Disabling the 'Hardware acceleration' feature on your Zoom App. 

          -there is this thread too: 1 other user stated they were able to resolve the issue by disabling the auto focus on the Logitech camera software. 
          https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255093307?sortBy=rank

           

          Based on this thread, the only thing that seemed to resolve it partially was reducing the CPU i.e. by closing down all other applications.  I thought initially that this had fully resolved it, but the problem has come back this week………

           

          Good luck to you all!

           

           

          M
          Newcomer
          mrvirk
          Newcomer
          February 10, 2025

          Summary: There is definitely a bug in the Zoom app.

          Info: My zoom app on Macbook Air is giving issues with external camera, i have ensured zoom has camera access in security settings.

           

          Fun facts:

          1. On the same Mackbook Air when using Zoom in Chrome its working fine with the external camera.
          2. The same external camera works fine with Google meet
          3. The same external camera is working fine in my Macbook Pro with Zoom app 
          4. The same external camera is working with Windows 10 PC.

          So out of 3 devices the camera is working fine with Zoom, except the Zoom app  Version: 6.3.6 (47101) on  Macbook Air Sequoia 15.2 (24C101)

           

          I have tried all the troubleshooting i could as i am in tech so i have spent significant time but no luck.

           

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