This service is for faculty, staff, and students.
Some Zoom users may notice that their camera moves, zooms in, or follows speakers automatically (seemingly on its own) during a meeting. This behavior is caused by a newer Zoom feature called Auto Framing.
Auto Framing is designed to automatically adjust the camera view to focus on whoever is speaking. In practice, it may appear jerky, unpredictable, or distracting, especially when multiple people are in the camera frame. While it does not usually stop a meeting from functioning, users often find the current feature's experience poor and would prefer to turn auto framing off.
What Is Auto Framing?
Auto Framing is a Zoom camera feature that:
- Listens for audio (who is speaking)
- Automatically zooms in on that person
- Follows the speaker if they move within the camera’s field of view
This feature may activate if a user agrees to a prompt shown by the Zoom app. Some users may not realize they enabled it, as the prompt can be easy to miss.
Common Symptoms
You may be affected by Auto Framing if:
- The camera zooms in or out on its own
- The camera follows people as they move
- The camera behaves erratically when more than one person is speaking
- The movement looks “jumpy” or unstable
These symptoms are consistent with known Auto Framing behavior and are not caused by hardware failure or user error.
How to Turn Off Auto Framing (Quick Fix)
Auto Framing can be turned off during a Zoom meeting in just a few clicks.
- Join or start a Zoom meeting
- Locate the Camera icon in the lower‑left corner
- Click the ^ (up arrow) next to the Camera icon
- Find Auto Framing
- Toggle the switch OFF
The change takes effect immediately.
To report a problem or receive additional troubleshooting, please contact the Tech Desk.