Why Your Zoom Calls Are Lagging Right Now

Your Zoom calls are lagging right now—and it's not your internet. Peak hour network congestion, overloaded company WiFi, background apps eating CPU, and Zoom's hidden settings are silently destroying your meetings.

Zakhar Martanian
11 Min Read
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Credit: TED

Is your Zoom call frozen again? Are you tired of that infuriating “Your internet connection is unstable” message popping up just as you’re about to make a crucial point? If you’re struggling with Zoom calls lagging and disrupting your work or social life, you’re not alone. This guide is for anyone who needs reliable video conferencing and wants concrete steps to fix their slow connection and boost performance as of 2026.

Table of Contents

Why This Matters

In today’s remote-first world, a stable video call isn’t just a convenience; it’s a necessity. Choppy audio and frozen video lead to miscommunications, missed opportunities, and pure frustration. Imagine losing a client because your presentation keeps cutting out, or missing a key detail in a team meeting due to a dropped connection. Poor call quality wastes valuable time and can seriously impact your productivity and professional image. Getting your Zoom calls running smoothly means clearer communication, less stress, and more efficient collaboration.

Diagnose the Problem: Common Causes of Lag

Before we jump into solutions, let’s understand why your Zoom calls are lagging. The culprits usually fall into a few categories:

  • Your Internet Connection: The most common cause. Bandwidth issues, Wi-Fi interference, or an overloaded network at home.
  • Your Device’s Performance: An old computer, too many apps running, or insufficient RAM can make Zoom struggle.
  • Zoom’s Own Settings: High-definition video or certain features can demand more resources.
  • Background Applications: Other apps hogging your internet or CPU.
  • VPN Interference: While good for security, VPNs can sometimes add latency.

Let’s tackle these one by one.

Fix Your Lagging Zoom Calls: Step-by-Step Solutions

Here’s how to troubleshoot and improve your Zoom call quality, starting with the easiest fixes.

1. Optimize Your Internet Connection

Your internet is the lifeline of your Zoom call. Even if you have a fast plan, several factors can bottleneck it.

When to try it: Always start here. If your internet feels generally slow or other apps are also struggling.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Run a speed test: Go to Speedtest or a similar service. Check your download and upload speeds. For reliable Zoom, you generally need at least 3-4 Mbps for both download and upload for HD video, and more if others are sharing your connection.
  2. Reboot your router: Unplug your Wi-Fi router and modem for 30 seconds, then plug them back in. This often clears minor network glitches.
  3. Move closer to your router: If you’re on Wi-Fi, distance and obstacles (walls, furniture) degrade signal strength. Get as close as you can.
  4. Disconnect other devices: If family members are streaming 4K movies or downloading large files, ask them to pause during your call.
  5. Switch to a wired connection: If possible, connect your computer directly to your router with an Ethernet cable. This is the most stable and fastest option. If your laptop lacks an Ethernet port, consider an Ethernet Adapter.

What should happen if it works: Your speed test results should be consistent, and your Zoom call should feel smoother, with fewer freezes.

2. Adjust Zoom’s Internal Settings

Zoom itself offers options to reduce its resource demands.

When to try it: If your internet seems fine, but Zoom is still struggling, especially with video.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Lower video quality:
    • Open the Zoom client.
    • Click your profile picture, then select Settings.
    • Go to Video.
    • Uncheck the option for Enable HD if it’s selected. This will save significant bandwidth.
  2. Disable “Touch up my appearance” and other filters:
    • In Settings > Video, uncheck Touch up my appearance and Adjust for low light.
    • Go to Background & Filters and select None for virtual backgrounds, especially if your computer isn’t powerful.
  3. Mute your microphone and stop your video when not speaking:
    • During a call, click the Mute button and Stop Video button at the bottom of the screen. This drastically reduces the data you’re sending.

What should happen if it works: You might notice a slight decrease in visual fidelity, but your call should become more stable and less prone to freezing.

3. Close Unnecessary Background Applications

Your computer has a finite amount of processing power and memory. Other apps can steal these resources.

When to try it: If your computer fan is loud, or your device feels sluggish even outside of Zoom.

Step-by-step instructions (Windows):

  1. Open Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
  2. Go to the Processes tab: Sort by CPU, Memory, or Network usage.
  3. Identify resource hogs: Look for applications consuming a lot of resources that you don’t need right now.
  4. End tasks: Select the unnecessary app and click End task. Be careful not to close essential system processes.

Step-by-step instructions (macOS):

  1. Open Activity Monitor: Go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
  2. Review resource usage: Sort by CPU, Memory, or Network.
  3. Quit applications: Select the app and click the X button in the toolbar.

What should happen if it works: Your computer should feel snappier, and Zoom should have more resources to run smoothly.

4. Update Zoom and Your Operating System

Software bugs and inefficiencies are common. Developers constantly release updates to fix these.

When to try it: If none of the above has worked, or you haven’t updated in a while.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Update Zoom:
    • Open the Zoom client.
    • Click your profile picture, then select Check for Updates.
    • Install any available updates.
  2. Update your operating system:
    • Windows: Go to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates.
    • macOS: Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.

What should happen if it works: Updates often include performance improvements and bug fixes that can directly address lag.

5. Check Your VPN (If You Use One)

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt your traffic and route it through a remote server, which can add latency.

When to try it: If you always use a VPN and suspect it’s impacting your call quality.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Temporarily disable your VPN: Disconnect from your VPN service before joining a Zoom call.
  2. Test call quality: See if the lag improves.
  3. Reconnect later: If the VPN was the issue, consider if you truly need it for that specific call. Some VPNs offer “split tunneling” which lets you route specific apps (like Zoom) outside the VPN.

What should happen if it works: If your VPN was the culprit, your connection should stabilize significantly. Consider a faster VPN service like NordVPN if you need one regularly.

Alternatives and Pro Tips

Alternatives to Consider

  • Wired Connection: As mentioned, an Ethernet cable is king for stability. If your router is far, consider Powerline adapters.
  • Upgrade Your Wi-Fi Setup: If you have a large home, a mesh Wi-Fi system like WIFI MESH SYSTEM can provide better coverage and reduce dead zones.
  • Other Video Conferencing Tools: If Zoom consistently fails, try Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Webex. Sometimes, a different service might work better with your specific network configuration.

Pro Tips for Power Users

  • Quality of Service (QoS) on Your Router: Some advanced routers allow you to prioritize network traffic for specific devices or applications. Configure QoS to give Zoom priority over other activities on your network. Consult your router’s manual for specifics.
  • Use External Hardware: A dedicated webcam like WEBCAM and a USB microphone like MICROPHONE can offload processing from your computer’s built-in components and often provide superior quality, reducing the strain on your system.
  • Monitor System Resources: Keep an eye on your CPU and RAM usage during calls using Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS) to identify any unexpected spikes or background processes.

Limitations

While these tips will solve most instances of Zoom calls lagging, there are some limitations:

  • ISP Issues: If your internet service provider (ISP) is experiencing an outage or severe congestion in your area, there’s little you can do on your end. Check your ISP’s status page.
  • Aging Hardware: An extremely old computer with minimal RAM and a slow processor might simply not be able to handle modern video conferencing, even with all optimizations. At some point, an upgrade becomes necessary.
  • Remote Participant Issues: Sometimes, the lag isn’t on your end but on the other person’s. You can only control your own connection.

The Bottom Line

Don’t let Zoom calls lagging ruin your day. Start by checking your internet connection and rebooting your router – it solves more problems than you’d think. Then, dive into Zoom’s settings to reduce its resource demands. Always close unnecessary background apps and keep your software updated. If you’re consistently struggling, a wired connection or even a mesh Wi-Fi system could be a game-changer.

  • For quick fixes: Reboot your router and adjust Zoom’s video settings.
  • For persistent issues: Consider a wired Ethernet connection or upgrading your Wi-Fi hardware.
  • For ultimate stability: Invest in a reliable Ethernet Adapter or a mesh system like WIFI MESH SYSTEM.

Try these steps, and let us know in the comments which one finally brought peace to your video calls!

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