Peloton touchscreens on the bike, bike +, rowing machine and treadmill have cameras, which you can use to take a selfie to update the Peloton profile picture. Besides that, the Peloton camera couples with a microphone that enables members in the same class to have a video chat and ride together.
Sadly, Peloton has announced that it is removing the video chat feature from Jun 27, 2022. So Peloton members will no longer be able to make video calls on their Peloton bike, BIke+, Rower, or Tread during Peloton classes.
Most users say that they found the camera and microphone poor. For this reason, very few people used the feature, which was approximated to be 0.1% of all Peloton users. That’s why Peloton stopped this system.
Peloton Camera Specifications
| Peloton bike | 5 megapixels front-facing camera |
| Peloton bike + | 8 megapixels front-facing camera and feature a camera cover slide |
| Peloton tread | 8 megapixels front-facing camera and feature a camera cover slide |
| Peloton Rower | 8MP front-facing camera with privacy cover |
Why Does Peloton Have a Camera?
Technically, Peloton features a camera for two main reasons;
- For a Peloton profile picture selfie
- For Peloton video chats
So, Peloton does not use the camera, so you can’t chat with instructors or so the instructors can’t see you. On the contrary, the camera is just for personal reasons.
Peloton Camera and Privacy
It is worth noting that during the class, the Peloton camera is always off by default. Users and instructors cannot see you unless you activate it to have a video chat during the class. Also, if a friend requests that they have a video chat with you, you will get a notification on whether or not you want to enable the camera for the chat.
Nevertheless, with today’s rising technology comes a new threat, hackers spying on people using their device cameras. Unfortunately, not even Peloton is impervious of this threat, and you probably already know from the article McAfee released on all Android devices being targeted. They specifically went ahead to detail how Peloton, an Android device, is neither safe.
So, if you are worried that your Peloton device might be used against you, your fears are valid. And like you, Peloton went ahead to improve their security features after this release and added a physical slide camera cover on later models, that is, the bike + and the treadmill.
However, the slide cover is not available on the standard Peloton bike. The good news is that you can always get a cover for it, just like this Cloudvalley micro webcam cover. It is so small that it looks like part of the touchscreen, yet enough for your camera. Also, you can slide it aside to use the camera, then right back when the camera is not in use.
With the privacy covers in place, the camera will not be used by anyone on you, whether or not you are in class.
How Do I Know If My Peloton Camera is On?
Peloton has designed the camera in such a way that it is always of as long as you don’t explicitly activate it.
However, you can always check if the camera is on by clicking on the settings icon at the bottom right, where there are three dots. Click on the dots and select the ‘social’ tab. Here, you will see if the camera option is checked or not. If it is checked, then the camera is on. If you want to turn it off, click on the check box alongside the camera to remove the check mark.
Can Peloton see you?
No, Peloton cannot see you, so relax if you feel unsafe with the camera on your bike, bike +, rower or treadmill. If it makes you feel better, always slide the privacy slide on the camera whenever you don’t use it, even in classes.
Does Peloton Record You?
No, it doesn’t. Peloton respects the privacy of its members; hence will never use its camera to record you.
Can Peloton Instructors See You?
Luckily, not even the Peloton instructors can see when you take their class. You can relax and take the class as you are, even if it is right after bed or when you are in a bad mood.
So, what do instructors see on their screens? Usually, they see a Leaderboard with all the riders in the class, just like you. They will also see their metrics, time, and some class notes guiding them through the class. The only extras they see are overall and average metrics for all the members in the class.
Can Others See You on Peloton
No, they can’t. When you take a Peloton class, all you see about others is their Leaderboard name and a few common stuff such as gender and state if they included it.
When you put your camera on for a chat, the only person you can see is the person you are chatting with. The others can neither see nor hear you. Besides, now that Peloton has removed the video chat feature, you don’t have to worry about this part.
Can people in a live Peloton class see you?
No, they can’t. You ride together, and they see your Leaderboard name, just as you see them from your end. They can high-five you, and that’s all. Before, if you were friends, they could request a video chat. And even after the request, you had to accept it and enable the camera from your end for them to see you.
How to Use Peloton Camera?
As mentioned earlier, you can use the Peloton camera for a selfie, which helps you update your profile picture for Peloton or a video chat.
How to Use the Peloton Camera to Take a Profile Picture Selfie
- First, click on your profile name, which appears on the left-bottom corner of the screen when the touchscreen is on.
- On the profile page, click on ‘change picture’, which appears on your profile picture. This will give you an option to ‘take a new photo,’ which you will select. The other option is to upload a photo, which you can import from your Facebook.
- Next, the camera will light up for you to take the photo, which you will use for your new profile picture. You can cancel the photo if you don’yt like it as often as you wish for a perfect profile photo.
Once you are through the selfie-taking, you can slide back the cover or use dark tape on the Peloton bike to enhance your privacy.
The Video Chat Camera
Unfortunately, the video chat camera is no longer working on Peloton.
However, Peloton on Facebook said it brought down the feature to give way to innovative new features. The upcoming ‘Invite Friends’ feature will allow Peloton users to connect during exercise.
Did the Peloton Video Chat Work for All Peloton Classes?
No, it did not. The video chat was only effective for tread Bootcamp, walking and running on the treadmill, bike Bootcamp and cycling. Other Peloton categories such as yoga, meditation, strength, cardio, outdoor and stretching were not included.
How Did the Video Chat Work on Peloton?
Basically, the video chat feature on Peloton was meant for users in the same class and with similar equipment. This is to say that Peloton tread members could not get video chat with their Peloton bike friends.
Moreover, you had to be friends with the person you wanted to video chat with for it to work. The best part about this was ensuring that the only people who would request a chat were people you knew or were friends with.
Here is a quick guide on how the video chat feature worked before Peloton brought it down;
- Click on the settings at the bottom right corner of the touchscreen during a class.
- Next, tap on the social tab, which will bring ‘enable camera’ among others. Click on the check box on the right side to enable the camera.
- Then, go through the Leaderboard to find your friend. When you do, click on their name and press talk, which will send a chat request to your friend. If they accept the request, you can start a video chat.
Why Did Peloton Remove the Video Chat Feature?
There is no apparent reason why Peloton removed the video chat feature, especially since it has not officially announced it. They only gave on Facebook because it would give way to more innovative and new features.
However, it may also have to do with users complaining a lot about the quality, and few used it anyway.
Final Thoughts
Peloton initially had a camera for video chats and profile picture selfies. However, now that they have removed the video chat feature, the camera is only suitable for profile selfies.
There are mixed reactions to Peloton removing the feature, so we can only hope that the upcoming features are a better option.
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