How to Install Zoom on Debian

Zoom provides video conferencing, screen sharing, and meeting recording for remote collaboration. Whether you need to join team meetings, host webinars, or connect with clients, this guide walks through installing Zoom on Debian. By the end, you will have a working Zoom client ready for video calls, with options for both manual package installation and Flatpak.

Choose Your Zoom Installation Method

Two installation methods are available for Zoom on Debian. The following table compares each approach to help you decide which fits your needs.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Official .deb Package	Zoom Download Center	Latest	Manual re-download	Users who want the newest version directly from Zoom
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest	Automatic via Flatpak	Users who prefer sandboxed apps with easy updates

For most users, the official .deb package is recommended because it provides direct access to the latest version from Zoom and integrates natively with Debian. However, if you prefer sandboxed applications with automatic updates, the Flatpak method offers a convenient alternative.

Install Zoom with the Official .deb Package

Update Debian Before Installation

First, update your package lists and upgrade existing packages to ensure a smooth installation:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Install Required Dependencies

Zoom requires several graphics and X11 libraries that may not be present on minimal installations. Additionally, wget is needed to download the package but is not installed by default on Debian minimal images. Install all required dependencies with:

sudo apt install wget libegl1 libxcb-cursor0 libxcb-xtest0

These packages provide the EGL graphics library and X11 cursor/testing extensions that power Zoom’s graphical interface.

Download and Install the Zoom Package

Since the Debian repositories do not include Zoom, you need to download the official package directly from Zoom’s servers. Run the following wget command to fetch the latest .deb package:

wget https://zoom.us/client/latest/zoom_amd64.deb

Next, install the downloaded package using APT, which automatically resolves any additional dependencies:

sudo apt install ./zoom_amd64.deb

Verify the Installation

After installation completes, verify that Zoom is installed correctly by checking the package status:

dpkg -l zoom

Expected output:

ii  zoom           6.x.x    amd64        Zoom Cloud Meetings

The ii status indicates the package is correctly installed. You can also launch Zoom from the terminal to confirm it works:

zoom

If the installation succeeded, the Zoom sign-in window will appear.

Install Zoom via Flatpak from Flathub

Flatpak provides a sandboxed installation of Zoom with automatic updates. However, unlike some Linux distributions, Debian does not ship with Flatpak pre-installed.

If Flatpak is not installed on your system, follow our Flatpak installation guide for Debian to set up the Flatpak framework and add the Flathub repository. This typically takes under five minutes.

Add the Flathub Repository

After installing Flatpak, add the Flathub repository which hosts the Zoom package:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Install Zoom from Flathub

With Flathub configured, install Zoom using the following command:

sudo flatpak install flathub us.zoom.Zoom -y

The -y flag automatically confirms the installation prompt. As a result, Flatpak downloads Zoom along with any required runtimes without further prompts.

Verify the Flatpak Installation

Confirm that Zoom was installed successfully by listing your Flatpak applications:

flatpak list --app | grep -i zoom

Expected output:

Zoom	us.zoom.Zoom	stable	system

Launch Zoom

Once Zoom is installed, you can launch it using either the terminal or your desktop environment’s application menu.

Launch Zoom from Terminal

For the .deb package installation, launch Zoom directly:

zoom

Alternatively, if you installed Zoom via Flatpak, use the Flatpak run command:

flatpak run us.zoom.Zoom

Launch Zoom from Applications Menu

Most desktop users prefer launching Zoom from the graphical interface. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Open the “Activities” menu by clicking on the top-left corner or pressing the Super key.
2. Type “Zoom” in the search field or click “Show Applications.”
3. Click on the Zoom icon to launch the application.

Troubleshoot Common Zoom Issues

While Zoom generally works well on Debian, you may encounter audio or video issues. This section covers the most common problems and their solutions.

Microphone or Audio Not Working

If other participants cannot hear you, or your microphone is not detected, check your system audio settings. First, install the PulseAudio volume control utility if you do not have it:

sudo apt install pavucontrol

Next, open pavucontrol and navigate to the “Input Devices” tab. Ensure your microphone is not muted and the volume is set appropriately. Then, switch to the “Recording” tab while Zoom is running to verify that Zoom is using the correct input device.

Within Zoom itself, click the arrow next to the microphone icon during a meeting and select the correct audio input device. If issues persist, try unchecking “Automatically adjust microphone volume” in Zoom’s Audio settings.

Camera Not Detected

When your webcam does not appear in Zoom, start by verifying that Linux recognizes the device:

ls /dev/video*

Output like /dev/video0 confirms that Linux detects your camera. Otherwise, verify that you connected the camera properly. For USB cameras, try unplugging and reconnecting the device to reset the connection.

When the camera appears in the system but Zoom cannot access it, another application may be using the device. Close any other video applications, then restart Zoom to release the camera lock.

Screen Sharing Issues on Wayland

Debian 13 (Trixie) and newer use Wayland by default, which can cause screen sharing limitations in Zoom. If you experience issues sharing your screen, you have two options:

Switch to X11: Log out and select “GNOME on Xorg” from the login screen’s gear icon before logging back in. This approach switches to the X11 display server where screen sharing works fully.

Alternatively, use Flatpak: The Flatpak version of Zoom offers better Wayland support through XDG Desktop Portal integration, making it the preferred choice for Wayland users.

Manage Zoom

Update Zoom

Keeping Zoom updated ensures you have the latest features and security patches. The update process depends on your installation method.

Update Flatpak installation:

sudo flatpak update

This command checks all your installed Flatpak applications for updates and applies them automatically.

Update .deb package installation:

For the manual .deb installation, re-download the latest package from the Zoom Download Center and install it over your existing version:

wget https://zoom.us/client/latest/zoom_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./zoom_amd64.deb

Consequently, APT detects your existing installation and upgrades it to the new version seamlessly.

Remove Zoom

If you no longer need Zoom, uninstall it using the appropriate command for your installation method.

Remove APT Installation

To remove the .deb package installation along with its dependencies:

sudo apt remove zoom
sudo apt autoremove

The autoremove command cleans up orphaned packages that APT originally installed as dependencies.

Remove Zoom User Data (Optional)

Warning: The following commands permanently delete your Zoom configuration, meeting history, custom virtual backgrounds, and any local recordings stored in the default location. Back up your ~/Documents/Zoom/ folder first if you have recordings you want to keep.

To completely remove Zoom’s user data and configuration files:

rm -rf ~/.zoom ~/.config/zoomus.conf

Verify Removal

Confirm that Zoom has been removed from your system:

which zoom

An empty response confirms that the system removed Zoom successfully and it no longer exists in your PATH.

Remove Flatpak Installation

To uninstall the Flatpak version and delete its application data:

sudo flatpak uninstall --delete-data us.zoom.Zoom -y

The --delete-data flag removes Zoom’s sandboxed configuration and cached files stored in ~/.var/app/us.zoom.Zoom/.

Conclusion

You now have Zoom installed on your Debian system, ready for video conferencing and remote collaboration. The .deb package method provides direct access to the latest version from Zoom, while Flatpak offers sandboxed updates and better Wayland compatibility. Keep your installation current using the update commands above to ensure you have access to the latest features and security improvements.

For other communication tools on Debian, consider exploring Slack for team messaging or Discord for community conversations. If you need remote desktop access instead of video conferencing, check our guides on TeamViewer or AnyDesk.