Zoom has fixed a widely reported bug in its macOS client in which users of macOS Monterey systems were allowed to continue using the recording indicator that displayed orange, even after the meeting ended, requiring users to update the video conferencing app to get rid of the bug.
A report circulated Friday that Zoom on MacOS Monterey has a bug related to microphone access. Some users have seen that the orange light in macOS remains visible after the call ends.
This dot is an indicator to the user that the camera or microphone may still be streaming and recording, and an orange dot will appear if the microphone is in use. It is intended as a security and privacy feature, preventing users from being secretly logged.
As it turns out, this bug has been around for a while, and in fact, Zoom has fixed it as part of an update to the macOS client version 5.9.3 in late January.
“The macOS 5.9.3 release of the Zoom client on January 25, 2022 fixes a bug involving the inability to properly terminate microphone usage after a meeting,” a Zoom spokesperson told Reuters. “Zoom has determined that this bug did not cause audio data to be passed back to Zoom’s platform. As always, we recommend that users ensure their Zoom clients are updated to the latest version.”
The orange dot has been a problem for Mac users before, with live performers complaining in December that the dot was visible in the corners of projected screens. This becomes a problem for live performances, as it may be difficult to connect to a Mac and display video to large external monitors and projectors, as the audience will see this point.
It’s also not the only privacy-related issue Zoom has had to deal with macOS users. In March 2020, it was revealed that Zoom was working on Apple’s security features, which, along with other issues, prompted the company to suspend new feature development for 90 days to fix them.