What internet speed do you need for Zoom?

Zoom recommends 3.8 Mbps up and 3.0 Mbps down for a 1080p HD call, and 1.2 Mbps each way for a 720p one-to-one call. Nearly any broadband plan clears that. When Zoom struggles, the cause is usually the upload side, weak Wi-Fi, or another device filling the line, not the plan's headline speed.

Upload is the number to check

Your camera and microphone go up the connection. Everyone else comes down it. For HD calls, Zoom asks for more upload than download: 3.8 Mbps up against 3.0 Mbps down at 1080p. Plenty of plans sell a big download with a small upload. A connection that tests at 200 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up has room for one 1080p call, but not much more. What 10 Mbps upload handles shows how quickly calls, backups and cameras add up.

Zoom adjusts quality to your network automatically. If your upload can't sustain 1080p, you'll usually drop to a softer picture before the call breaks up.

Gallery view, screen sharing and audio

• Gallery view. Seeing many faces costs download. Zoom lists 2.0 Mbps for receiving 25 tiles and 4.0 Mbps for 49.
• Screen sharing. Sharing on its own uses only 50–75 kbps, or 50–150 kbps with a video thumbnail. If a call freezes the moment you share, raw bandwidth is rarely why.
• Audio only. Zoom lists 60–80 kbps for VoIP audio. Turning your camera off is the quickest way to rescue a call on a poor connection.
• Webinar attendees. Watching a webinar is download only. Zoom lists about 2–3 Mbps for panelists' 1080p video.
• Zoom Phone. Voice calls use 60–100 kbps.

Planning for more than one person

The figures are per call, so add them up for everyone on a call at the same time. Two people on 1080p group calls need about 7.6 Mbps up and 6 Mbps down. Three need about 11.4 up and 9 down. Keep some headroom on top. A quarter of the line free is a reasonable rule of thumb, because a full upload is exactly what makes calls stutter.

Watch for other uploads. Cloud photo backup, a file sync or a camera upload can take the whole upstream and push ping up for everyone. That's bufferbloat, and it's why a call can fall apart on a connection that tests fine.

How to check your connection for Zoom

1. Run SpeedMetric's speed test on the computer you take calls on, from where you sit. Check that the upload clears 3.8 Mbps per HD call in the home.
2. Look at ping and jitter. Low, steady numbers matter for calls as much as Mbps.
3. If calls only break up while something else is running, the problem is delay under load. SpeedMetric shows idle ping and jitter. It doesn't measure latency under load or packet loss. During a meeting, the Statistics tab in the Zoom desktop app's settings shows latency, jitter and packet loss for that call.

When Zoom freezes on a fast connection

• Wi-Fi. Upload over Wi-Fi is often the weak link. A cable to the router, or sitting closer, fixes many calls. See why Wi-Fi is slower than Ethernet.
• Packet loss. Lost packets show up as frozen video and robotic audio even when Mbps is high. Packet loss, jitter and lag explains how to find it.
• VPN. Company VPNs can add delay. Ask whether Zoom traffic is allowed to bypass it.
• Too many video feeds. Switching from gallery to speaker view lowers download use on a crowded call.