Video frozen but sound continues? What to check

Your video call freezes on one image, but you can still hear everyone. That usually means the audio and video are failing separately. The camera, meeting app, computer, or connection could be responsible, so start by checking whether the camera can produce a live picture outside the call.

The Camera Test shows a live preview and the camera's resolution and frame rate. It can help you separate a camera problem from a problem in the calling app, but it cannot test the video stream being sent to other people.

Check whether the camera is still producing video

1. Leave or pause the call, then close the calling app or browser tab. A camera usually cannot be tested by two apps at once.
2. Open the Camera Test. When the browser asks for camera access, choose Allow.
3. Look at the live preview. Move your hand in front of the camera or turn your head, and check whether the image updates and the frame rate is shown.
4. If you have more than one camera, such as a built-in webcam and a USB webcam, choose each camera in turn and check its preview.

If the test says no camera is available or the preview stays frozen, close any app that might still be using the camera, then reload the test. If that does not help, follow the fixes below.

What the result means

The preview moves normally

Your camera can deliver a live picture to the browser. The problem is more likely in the meeting app, its camera selection, or the connection carrying video. Check the app's camera preview and selected camera. If video freezes only in one app, see Camera works in one app but not another.

The preview is frozen or updates in bursts

The problem may be with the camera, its connection, or the computer struggling to process video. Try another camera if available, and unplug and reconnect an external webcam. If the picture freezes in the test as well as in calls, changing the meeting app alone is unlikely to fix it.

The preview works, but other people see a frozen image

The camera is making video locally, but the calling app may not be sending it correctly. Check that your camera is on in the call, then check the app's selected camera and video settings. A poor or busy connection can also affect video even while audio continues, because video typically needs more data.

The preview is black

Check that a physical privacy shutter is open and that the webcam is not covered. A black preview can also mean the browser does not have camera permission, or another app is holding the camera.

How to fix it

1. Check the camera switch and close other camera apps. Open any privacy shutter and check for a camera-disable key or switch on the laptop. Close meeting, recording, and camera apps, then reopen only the app you want to use.
2. Allow camera access. In the browser, select the site controls beside the address bar, set Camera to Allow, and reload the page. On Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Camera and turn on camera access and access for desktop apps. On macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera and allow the browser or calling app.
3. Check the app's camera permission on a phone. On an iPhone, open Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera and allow access for the calling app. On Android, open Settings › Apps › [app name] › Permissions › Camera and allow camera access. Menu wording can vary by Android version.
4. Select the camera you are actually using. In the meeting app's video settings, choose the built-in or external camera you want. If you use a USB webcam, disconnect it and reconnect it directly to the computer, rather than through a hub.
5. Restart the call and the app. Leave the meeting, fully quit the app or close its browser tab, then open it again. If the camera was stuck after sleep, restart the computer or phone to release it.
6. Reduce the computer's workload. Close unused video tabs and demanding apps, then lower the call's video quality if the app offers that setting. If the picture improves, the device may have been struggling to process or send video.
7. Compare another call or connection. Try the same camera in a different calling app, or repeat the call on another network. If local camera preview is smooth but outgoing video freezes across apps, investigate the connection or contact your meeting service's support team.

When the camera may be faulty

If the preview freezes or stays black in the Camera Test and in more than one camera app, test an external webcam on another computer, or test the built-in camera in another supported app. If an external camera fails on multiple devices, inspect its cable and connector. A damaged cable or webcam may need replacement. If the built-in camera fails in every app after permissions and restarts are checked, contact the device maker or a repair shop.

What the camera test cannot tell you

A moving preview confirms that the browser is receiving changing frames from the camera at that moment. It does not confirm that a meeting app is sending those frames, that other people can receive them, or that your internet connection is stable. The test also does not diagnose audio, so sound continuing during a freeze does not prove that the camera is working.

Close the camera test before returning to your call, so the meeting app can use the camera without competing for it.