Hardware almost never breaks. App permissions and device selection break daily.

"Camera not working" in Teams/Zoom/Meet

1. Privacy settings (the #1 cause)

Windows blocks camera access at the OS level. Settings → Privacy & security → Camera:

  • Camera access must be On
  • Let apps access your camera must be On
  • Scroll down — your specific app (Teams, Zoom) must be On individually

On macOS: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera → tick the apps.

2. The app's own device selector

In Teams: Settings (top right) → Devices → Camera dropdown. Make sure the right camera is selected — laptops often default to the built-in camera even when you've plugged in a better USB one.

In Zoom: Settings → Video → Camera.

3. Camera in use by another app

Cameras can only be used by one app at a time. If Teams is open and Zoom can't see the camera, close Teams. The most common offender is the Camera app on Windows — close it.

4. Privacy slider on the laptop

Some business laptops have a physical privacy shutter or slider on top of the screen. Check that it's open.

"Microphone not working"

1. Mute check (yes, really)

The single most embarrassing cause. Look at the app's mic button. Also check the mute button on your headset and on the laptop function row — they're separate.

2. Right input selected

Same as camera: open the app's device settings and pick your headset's mic, not the laptop's built-in mic (which is too far away to be useful in most rooms).

3. OS-level permissions

Windows: Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone → app must be enabled.

4. Test it

Windows: Settings → System → Sound → Input → speak. The level bar should move.

If the bar doesn't move with a built-in mic, ticket. If it moves with the built-in but not your headset, the headset is the issue — try a different USB port or restart.

"Others can hear an echo / my own voice"

Echo means your speakers are picking up the call audio and re-broadcasting it through your mic. Fix:

  • Use a headset (the single best fix)
  • Lower speaker volume
  • Sit further from the laptop

"I'm choppy / breaking up"

That's bandwidth, not hardware. See [laptop-running-slow](/kb/laptop-slow-or-overheating) to free CPU, and check your Wi-Fi signal — meeting calls need ~1.5 Mbps minimum.

When to ticket

Raise a ticket only if:

  • Built-in camera and mic both don't work after privacy permissions are confirmed on
  • A specific USB device works on a colleague's laptop but not yours
  • Camera works but is completely upside down / mirrored and no flip option in the app