Tips for fixing Logitech C925e conflicts when another app is already using the camera

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Applies to: Logitech C925e Business Webcam
Last updated: 24 November 2025

Problem

You try to start your Logitech C925e in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or another app and see a black screen, an error such as “camera in use,” or the wrong video feed. Often this happens because another program has already grabbed the webcam in the background. You need a clear way to find out which app is using the camera, close it, and prevent these conflicts from happening again.

Solution

Most camera conflicts occur when more than one app tries to access the Logitech C925e at the same time. Common culprits include multiple meeting apps, browser tabs with video calls, built in camera tools, or virtual camera software. By checking which apps are running, closing anything that might be using the webcam, and setting up good habits for how you launch calls, you can greatly reduce “camera already in use” errors and get a reliable C925e feed in your main meeting app.

Step by step instructions

1. Recognise the signs of a camera conflict

  1. You see a message such as “Cannot start video,” “Camera already in use,” or similar in your meeting app.
  2. The preview window is black, even though the C925e is selected as the camera.
  3. The small LED on the C925e stays on even when you think no app is using it.
  4. One app (for example, Teams) shows video correctly while another (such as Zoom) cannot access the camera.

If any of these sound familiar, another app is probably holding on to the C925e.

2. Close obvious camera-using apps

  1. Save your work in any open programs.
  2. Close all video-related applications, including:
    • Zoom
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Skype
    • Google Meet (browser tabs)
    • Webex, Discord or other meeting tools
    • The Windows Camera app or Photo Booth / FaceTime on macOS
  3. After closing an app, wait a few seconds to allow it to release the camera.
  4. Watch the C925e’s LED. If it stays on with all visible apps closed, a background process may still be using the camera.

3. Use Task Manager or Activity Monitor to stop background processes

On Windows

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click More details if you only see a simple list.
  3. On the Processes tab, look for any lingering entries for Zoom, Teams, Skype, browsers you used for video calls, or other conferencing tools.
  4. Select each one and click End task.
  5. Also look for virtual camera or streaming tools (for example, OBS Studio, virtual camera drivers) and end them temporarily if you suspect they are causing conflicts.

On macOS

  1. Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities.
  2. In the search box, type names of apps that might be using the camera (Zoom, Teams, Skype, browser names).
  3. Select any that are still running and click the X button to quit them.
  4. Confirm that the C925e LED turns off when all video apps are fully closed.

4. Restart your main meeting app with only one camera client open

  1. Decide which app you want to use right now (for example, Zoom).
  2. Make sure all other meeting apps and video tools are closed.
  3. Open just that one app.
  4. In its Settings or Preferences, select Logitech C925e as the camera.
  5. Use the built in preview or test call feature to confirm you now see video.
  6. If it works, leave other camera-using apps closed during the call to avoid new conflicts.

5. Check browser tabs and extensions

  1. If you use Google Meet, Teams or Zoom in a browser, remember that each tab can try to use the camera.
  2. Close any unused tabs that might have active meetings, call lobbies or pages with live video.
  3. In Chrome or Edge, check for extensions that offer picture-in-picture, recording or virtual background features and disable them temporarily if you suspect they are interfering.
  4. After closing extra tabs and extensions, reload your main meeting tab and test the C925e again.

6. Check for virtual camera or effects software

Virtual cameras and effects tools can sit between your Logitech C925e and your meeting apps, sometimes causing conflicts.

  1. Look for software you have installed that creates a “virtual camera,” such as streaming tools, background replacement apps or camera filters.
  2. In your meeting app’s camera list, if you see extra camera choices like “Virtual Camera,” switch back to Logitech C925e directly for testing.
  3. Close or disable virtual camera apps and restart your meeting app.
  4. If conflicts stop occurring after you close a particular tool, keep it closed during calls or reconfigure it to work more cleanly with the C925e.

7. Restart the computer to clear stuck camera sessions

If the camera still appears busy with everything closed, a full restart can reset things.

  1. Save any open documents and close all apps.
  2. Restart your Windows PC or Mac, rather than just logging out.
  3. Once the system comes back up, do not open any meeting apps yet.
  4. Open one simple camera app (Windows Camera or FaceTime) and select Logitech C925e. Confirm that video works.
  5. Close the test app, then open your main meeting app and test again.

Optional methods or tools

  • Use one “primary” app for most meetings
    • If you can, standardise on a main app (for example, Teams at work) and only open alternatives when you truly need them.
    • Fewer apps competing for the C925e means fewer conflicts.
  • Dedicated browser for meetings
    • Some users pick one browser solely for meetings (for example, Chrome for Google Meet) and keep all other browsing separate.
    • This makes it easier to know where the camera is being used and avoids surprise video sessions in background tabs.
  • Simple monitoring tools
    • On some systems, security tools or privacy utilities can show you when the camera is active.
    • Use these indicators to quickly see whether something is still using the Logitech C925e when you think everything is closed.

Best practices or tips

  • Avoid joining the same meeting from multiple apps or devices on the same computer. Stick to one client per call.
  • Close one meeting app fully before opening another, especially if you regularly switch between Zoom, Teams and Google Meet.
  • If you must keep several apps open for chat or scheduling, disable auto start video in those apps so they do not grab the camera without you noticing.
  • Periodically check your installed software and uninstall older camera utilities you no longer use. Reducing clutter helps prevent hidden conflicts.
  • Learn where to quickly end tasks or quit apps on your operating system so you can free up the camera fast when an error appears just before an important meeting.

Conflicts between the Logitech C925e and multiple video apps are frustrating, but they usually have a simple cause: more than one program trying to use the camera at once. Once you know how to spot which apps might be holding the webcam, you can shut them down cleanly, restart your preferred client and get the C925e working again in seconds. Focusing on a single meeting app at a time, and closing unused browser tabs or virtual camera tools, significantly cuts down on “camera in use” errors.

Over the long term, a few small habits keep your webcam experience smooth. Choosing a primary meeting platform, avoiding unnecessary camera add ons, and restarting your computer occasionally all help the C925e behave predictably. When problems do crop up, following the checklist in this guide gives you a reliable way to free the webcam and get back to your call without resorting to panic or hardware replacements.

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