Among the main networks used for online meetings, including the ones developed by Microsoft and Google, Zoom has managed to stay on top as the most popular. This doesn’t mean, however, that the application will work perfectly every time. As with any other application, it experiences occasional errors and the most common one is when it gets stuck in connecting when you’re trying to join a meeting.
There’s nothing more frustrating than an unexpected error that prevents us from connecting to a scheduled meeting. We’ve compiled troubleshooting that will help you get through this error with ease, no matter the OS you’re using.
Zoom Stuck on Connecting – Mac
When the screen of your Zoom App is stuck in connecting, it means that there is a network or server issue you need to address to solve it. Checking your internet connection and refreshing the app will be the right place to start.
Power cycling the router is usually the first thing you could try. Turn off the router, wait for roughly 30 seconds, then turn it on. Power cycling preserves most network settings and can solve momentary network lapses. A frequent need for power cycling could be a sign of a wrongly-configured network.
If your network works fine, check if Zoom isn’t experiencing any server issues via Zoom Status. If their service is unavailable, it’s likely that meeting participants will have the same problem.
If the error persists and the servers are up and running, here are some more advanced alternatives that may solve the problem.
You can disable your PC’s firewall, which might be preventing Zoom from connecting through certain ports. Here’s how:
- Go to “System Preferences.”
- Select the “Security and Privacy” option.
- Click on the “Firewall” tab.
- Select the “Turn off Firewall” option.
If your DNS server got an error, your device might be trying to connect to a different IP address. You can reset your DNS settings by following the instructions below:
- Go to “System Preferences”.
- Click on “Network.”
- Tap on your connection and select the “advanced” option.
- Click on DNS, and you’ll find a “+” sign.
- Enter new DNS settings. Some public DNS you may use are “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” for IPv4 or “2001:4860:4860::8888” and “2001:4860:4860::8844” for IPv6.
- Save the results.
If none of these solutions work, reinstall the app and log in with your credentials to reset your settings.
Zoom Stuck on Connecting – Windows
If you are a Windows user and are stuck in trying to connect to a Zoom meeting, there are several possible solutions you can try.
Most of the time, this error occurs cause your internet connection is experiencing momentary issues. Follow the instructions below to check the status of your connection:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Tap on “Network and Internet.” You’ll be able to see your connection’s status.
- For additional verification there are safe websites like Speedtest.net you can use.
Another common possibility for this error in Zoom is the network experiencing server issues. If that’s the case, you can check if the platform has reported any problems. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to Zoom Status.
- Check that the network is not experiencing any issues.
To preserve the security of your device, the Firewall will sometimes prevent certain software and online platforms from accessing your private network. To allow Zoom access manually, follow the steps below:
- On the taskbar in your computer search for “Windows Defender.”
- Select “Allow apps to communicate through Windows Defender.”
- Locate the Zoom app on the list.
- Check both “Private” and “Public” boxes on the entry.
- If Zoom isn’t on the list, select “Allow another app.”
- Browse for Zoom via the dialog.
- Select “Add,” then check “Private” and “Public” boxes in the dialog and save.
In some cases, Zoom’s cache is outdated. Windows stores temporary files to improve the speed of frequent tasks, but over time, they can become corrupt and interfere with apps. Here’s how to delete the temporary cache:
- Click on the Windows Key and search for “Disk Cleanup.”
- Open the app by clicking the “Enter” key.
- Tap on the dropdown icon and from the list displayed select “C: drive.”
- Check the box next to “Temporary files.”
- Tap “Clean up system files.”
- Click on “Ok.”
- Reboot your computer and start the Zoom app again.
Zoom Stuck on Connecting – Chromebook
If your Zoom is stuck while trying to connect on your Chromebook, remember that VoIP requires a steady connection. For that reason, the first step will always be to check your internet connection. If that doesn’t work, here you’ll find some troubleshooting you can try.
Resetting the settings on your Chromebook may erase and fix some configurations that are interfering with the Zoom app. Here ¡s how to do it:
- Open Chrome and click on “More” at the right top corner.
- Tap on “Settings.”
- Click on the three-horizontal line at the top-left corner of the screen.
- Choose “Reset Settings”.
Deleting apps with high CPU or memory usage may free enough space for Zoom to run faster. Uninstall unnecessary apps by following the steps below:
- Select “More tools” from the Chrome menu.
- Click on “Task manager.”
- To uninstall an app, right-click on it.
- Tap “Uninstall.”
As part of rebooting all the settings in your Chromebook, you can try removing your profile. You’ll need to create a new user to log in, so this is typically a last resort. Do the following:
- Log out of the Chromebook.
- On the sign-in screen, select the profile you’re going to remove.
- Click on the arrow pointing down you’ll see next to the name.
- Choose the “Remove this user” option.
Zoom Stuck on Connecting – Android
The Zoom app may also get stuck while connecting when you’re using it on your Android. Here are some possible solutions for this error if it occurs on your phone with Android OS:
- Restart your phone.
- Check and reset the internet connection.
- Look for updates or reinstall the app if necessary.
If none of the previous steps work, you can try clearing cache data. Here is a guide on how to do it in a few simple steps:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Depending on the device you have, you’ll find an option called “Device Care.”
- Tap on “Memory.”
- You’ll find a “Clean now” option. It might take a minute depending on the amount of storage you have to clean.
Zoom Stuck on Connecting – iPhone
If the Zoom app gets stuck in connecting on your iPhone, you can start by closing and reopening the app, as well as restating your phone. If the problem isn’t solved after that, here you’ll find several troubleshooting you can try.
Check your internet connection by quickly resetting it via Airplane mode:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Turn “Airplane Mode” on and then off.
This is the easiest way to fix any problems your internet connection might have.
You may also need to restart your network by forgetting it and rejoining. Here is how to do it:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Tap on “Wi-Fi.”
- Click on the “i” you’ll find next to the connection.
- Select “Forget this Network.”
- To rejoin, you’ll have to select it from the list of networks and enter the password.
You should also check if there is an update available for the app:
- Open the App Store.
- Go to your profile by clicking on the top right corner.
- Find the Zoom app and update it.
If every one of the steps above fails, you can also check Zoom Status to verify there is no network problem reported by the app, or contact Zoom support.
As a last resort, delete the Zoom app and reinstall it by following the steps below:
- Press the Zoom app icon till the option shows up and click “Remove App.”
- A pop-up message will show up. Confirm you want to delete the app.
- Go to the App Store to download it again.
- Log in and check if the problem was fixed.
Zooming In
We hope this guide was useful to get your Zoom app working flawlessly again.
Did you solve your issue another way? Let us know in the comment section below.