Is Zoom Down... Or Is It You?

Is the video conferencing app is having issues or is the problem you?

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on April 19, 2024
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Trying to connect to Zoom and it's not working for you? There may be a Zoom outage.

On the other hand, there could be something wrong with your internet or Wi-Fi access or even your computer. Fortunately, there are some key ways in which you can figure out if the issue is with you or if Zoom is down for everyone. 

How to Tell If Zoom Is Down

If you think Zoom is down for everyone and not just you, try these quick steps to check if you're correct. 

  1. Check the Zoom Service Status page. The Zoom Status page is the perfect first place to look when you're thinking 'is Zoom working?' It breaks down every part of Zoom and shows you exactly what's working right now and what may or may not be suffering issues.

    Zoom Service Status website

  2. Search X (formerly Twitter) for #Zoomdown. If the site is down for everyone, somebody has probably tweeted about it. Check for tweets but also pay attention to the tweet timestamps to ensure that they're not discussing an earlier time that Zoom was not working. Also, be aware that you may get other tweets that use the word 'Zoom'.

    Zoomdown hashtag on Twitter

    Can't access X? Try other major sites like Google or YouTube. If you can't view them either then the problem is almost certainly on your end or with your ISP.

  3. Use a third-party "status checker" website. Popular options include Down For Everyone Or Just Me, Downdetector, and Is It Down Right Now?. All of them will tell you if Zoom is working for everyone else.

    Zoom Down Detector website

If no one else is reporting a problem with Zoom, then the problem is likely to be an issue on your side.

What to Do When You Can't Connect to Zoom

There are a few things you can try if Zoom seems to be working fine for everyone else, but not you.

  1. Make sure you're actually visiting https://zoom.us and not an unofficial clone or the wrong address. 

  2. If you can't access Zoom from your web browser, try using the Zoom app on your PC, Mac or phone. If the Zoom app seems to be down, try using the browser on your smartphone or tablet instead.

  3. Close all of your browser windows, wait 30 seconds, open one window, and then try accessing the Zoom site again. Do the same with the Zoom app. If you're using the app on a smartphone or tablet, make sure you're closing down the app properly. Learn how to close Android apps and how to quit apps on iPhone the full method rather than simply closing them.

    If the app or browser window seems to be stuck and not closing properly, try restarting your device instead.

  4. Clear your browser's cache.

  5. Clear your browser's cookies.

  6. Check your computer for malware.

  7. Restart your computer.

  8. Occasionally, there can be an issue with your DNS server. If you feel comfortable switching DNS servers, there are many free and public methods, but they can require more advanced knowledge. 

If nothing has fixed Zoom for you, you may have a problem with your internet connection. One major issue can be when you have too many devices using up your network bandwidth eventually slowing down your internet so you can't use it. This can be a pivotal issue for video conferencing apps like Zoom which rely on a lot of bandwidth. However, it can be more complicated than that. Contact your ISP to gain further help. 

Zoom Error Messages

PayPal can display standard HTTP status code errors such as 500 Internal Server Error, 403 Forbidden and 404 Not Found, but it can also display specific error codes exclusive to Zoom. Here's the key one to know.

  • Error code 5000-5004 or 104101-104118: This error code means there's a problem with connecting to Zoom's servers. It can mean your firewall or antivirus software is blocking the servers, so you need to disable them. Sometimes, it can also simply mean the service is down. 

If you're still having issues with Zoom, try waiting it out. When Zoom is in heavy demand, it can run into issues and throw up errors when it's simply overloaded. In particular, if you have a meeting starting on the hour, there can be a problem. Try to start meetings a few minutes after the hour to avoid the global 'rush' so you don't have any errors. 

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