• Sometimes, a simple restart can clear temporary glitches preventing Zoom from launching.
  • If needed, right-click the Zoom icon and select Run as administrator to give Zoom elevated permissions to access system resources.
  • Outdated software can cause compatibility issues. Check for updates within the Zoom app or download the latest version from the official Zoom website.

Preliminary Fixes

  • Restart PC : Refreshing system processes and clearing temporary glitches can resolve the Zoom not launching issue. Try restarting your Windows machine.
  • Force quit Zoom and re-open : Force quit Zoom from the Task Manager and re-open the application. This resolves any temporary glitches preventing Zoom from starting properly.
  • Update camera drivers : Updating the camera drivers and re-opening the application can resolve issues with Zoom not launching on Windows 11 by ensuring the latest software compatibility and proper hardware functionality.
  • Close other apps accessing the camera and microphone : Close other apps accessing the camera and microphone via Task Manager to free up these resources. Then, re-open Zoom to ensure it can access the necessary hardware without conflicts.

Fix 1: Give Relevant Permissions

Zoom requires relevant Camera and Microphone permissions to function properly. Denying such permissions can mess up Zoom’s performance on the desktop.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on a Windows PC. Then, go to Privacy & security .

Step 2: Scroll down to App permissions and select Camera .

select Camera - 1

Step 3: First, toggle on Camera access > Let apps access your camera option.

enable Let apps access your microphone option - 2

Step 4: Now, go back and select Microphone .

Microphone - 3

Step 5: Toggle on Microphone access > enable Let apps access your microphone option.

This should fix the issue; if it doesn’t, move on to the next fix.

Fix 2: Clear Temporary Cache

Over time, Windows collects the app cache in the background to perform its job. Occasionally, these cache files can become corrupted or get so big that they interfere with other apps, such as Zoom, to function properly.

Step 1: Hit the Windows key > search for Disk Cleanup .

Step 2: Press enter and open the app .

Step 3: Ensure to select the C: drive from the list.

select the C: drive - 4

Step 4: Select Temporary Internet files and Temporary cache files from the list.

Step 5: Click on Clean up system files at the bottom.

Step 6: Hit OK , and you are good to go.

Hit OK - 5

Reboot the PC and try to launch Zoom again on the PC. If none of the fixes work, remove Zoom from your computer and perform a clean reinstall.

Fix 3: Reinstall the Zoom App

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your PC by pressing Windows + I.

Step 2: Navigate to Apps > Installed apps .

Navigate to Apps - 6

Step 3: Scroll down to the Zoom app.

Step 4: Click on the three-dot icon > click Uninstall .

click Uninstall - 7

Once uninstalled, go to Zoom’s official website and download the latest build.

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