ZOOM is on trending as a video meeting app. During the time of the global pandemic, COVID-19, almost all educational and business institutions are running from the home. Zoom has been a help to many of those students, schools, and business workers. Easy use and free access to Zoom has made everyone centered on it. Zoom allows 1k participants and 10k viewers at a time. Zoom is up and running and preferred by many business and educational organizations. Besides that, Zoom can and is used for personal video calls as well with friends and contacts.
It is not less than mandatory that everyone should be familiar with the Zoom interface. Especially during this time of the pandemic, where everything is going online. Well, here we will help you with the basic guide on how to use Zoom. This is how you can make use of Zoom. This guide includes everything you need to know before you join Zoom.
1. Download and Join Zoom
Zoom app is easy to use and download as well. You can download Zoom easily from an invitation link you have received. Downloading Zoom won’t take up much storage on your device.
You can download the Zoom cloud meeting app on any of your mobile devices and computers. For Android phones, download from Google Play Store, Apple App Store on iOS devices. Similarly, for PCs, download from the Zoom download page.
You need to create and sign in to a Zoom account in order to get more services up and running.
2. Host meeting
Let’s make it clear, to host a meeting on Zoom you need to sign in to a Zoom account. It is recommended to download the Zoom app for easy use and quick access.
- Right after you sign in to your Zoom account, you see a new interface with many services and options.
- Simply, click or tap on ‘Host’ to start a meeting at the present time. This will immediately start a meeting. Now you can invite others to join in with you.
Read this post to learn hosting a meeting with each step explained, in detail.
3. Schedule meeting
Scheduling a Zoom meeting is a little different than starting an immediate meeting. You have to set certain things regarding the meeting. You require to set a meeting password, and other settings, along with scheduling the date and time. However, the task is not so difficult. Learn how to schedule a Zoom meeting in advance, here’s how!
Before you step in, make sure you have a valid Zoom account. Because you have to sign in to Zoom to schedule a meeting.
1. Open the Zoom app on your device (mobile devices or computer). If not via the Zoom app, head to the Zoom sign-in page and sign in to your Zoom account via zoom.us.
2. On the new interface, after you log in, you can find the option called ‘Schedule’. Select the ‘Schedule’ option.
3. Now, you can see a form opens where you can schedule a meeting. Fill up the details asked as per your Zoom meeting requirement.
4. Add a topic for the meeting you want to schedule at the top. You can add an additional description of the meeting. Or you may just skip adding a description.
5. Set a date and time when you want to schedule the meeting. First, select the date by clicking on the calendar icon or pop-up. Then select the time as required. Don’t forget to select and specify PM or AM.
6. Set the meeting duration. This is important if the meeting may take more than 45 mins which is a default meeting duration. It is better to set a little longer duration so that your meeting won’t be terminated in the middle of the talk. Whatsoever you, the host, can end the meeting anytime.
7. On ‘Time Zone’, click the drop-down menu and select the time zone which you want to use.
8. Select the checkbox if you want this to be a recurring meeting. Otherwise, leave it blank. To set a meeting as recurring, set the given options as per requirement. You can set the recurrence on how often you want the meeting to repeat. You can also select the number of days and the end date of the recurrence.
9. Generate a meeting id. Select the first option ‘Generate Automatically’ to generate a unique meeting id. Or, you can select ‘Personal Meeting ID’ to use your personal meeting room id.
10. Set a password for the meeting. Select and check the box ‘Require meeting password’. Then type to create a meeting password.
Reminder: It is optional to set a meeting password. It is recommended to set the meeting password. Especially, if the meeting is secret or limited only to the invited participants. Although, setting password will make the meeting more secured.
11. Now, set either to turn the video on or off for both the host and participants. Click ‘On’ or ‘Off’ next to ‘Host’ to enable or disable the video for the host of the meeting. And, click ‘On’ or ‘Off’ next to ‘Participant’ to enable or disable the video for each of the participants of the meeting.
12. Select the audio options next to ‘Audio’. It is recommended to select ‘Telephone and Computer Audio’. So that, for easy audio access to everyone who joins in the meeting. The other audio options are ‘Telephone’, ‘Computer Audio’ and ‘3D Party Audio’.
13. The final one is to set other advanced meeting options. This is optional, so you may skip this step. Simply, click the checkbox to enable the advanced options that you want to enable. The advanced meeting options are as follows.
- Enable join before host: Enabling this option will allow attendees to enter the meeting before the host.
- Mute participants upon entry: Enabling this option will turn the audio off for participants when they enter the meeting.
- Enable waiting room: Enabling this option will create a virtual room where the participants can wait till the host allows them into the meeting.
- Only authenticated users can join: Enabling this option allows only the authenticated users can join the meeting.
- Record the meeting automatically on the local computer: Enabling this option saves the video recording of the meeting to your computer or mobile device.
14. Finally, check and confirm all the details and click on ‘Save’. Now your meeting has been scheduled successfully.
It seems to be a lengthy process to schedule a Zoom meeting. But, Trust me! Once you know about these keys, it won’t take you any long time to schedule a meeting via Zoom.
If you need to make some changes to the scheduled meeting, you can edit it anytime before the meeting starts. Simply, tap on the meeting that you want to edit in the list of meetings under the category ‘Meetings’.
4. Invite Participants Before the Meeting Starts
You can send a meeting invitation literally to anyone. Since you have scheduled your meeting on Zoom. You can now invite those whom you expect to attend and join the meeting.
Invite to a Scheduled Zoom Meeting (Send Invitation)
Learn how you can invite people to your scheduled Zoom meeting below. Here is the instruction for simple methods for sending invitations. Send an invitation to the expected attendees for your Zoom meeting.
Right after you have scheduled a meeting, a new interface will appear on your device screen as below. That will show you some details concerning your scheduled Zoom meeting.
Method 1: (Invite via Google, Outlook, Yahoo)
- From here, you can add it to Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar and/ or Yahoo Calendar. To do so, simply click on the respective options.
- From those specific programs or apps, you can share the invite with your participants.
Method 2: (Copy and Paste the Invitation)
- You can simply click on the ‘Copy the Invitation’ option on the right side. This will open a pop-up on your screen. That box contains the details of the meeting, inclusive of meeting id and password.
- Click on ‘Copy Meeting Invitation’ and the details will be copied to the clipboard.
- Now, paste it to the email and mail it to your participants. You may also paste it into your message box and send it as a message as well.
This is how you can invite the participants to join a scheduled meeting and on Zoom. You can do it successfully using the zoom website i.e Zoom.us or Zoom apps.
5. Join a Zoom Meeting
In order to join a meeting, you need not sign in to a Zoom account. It is not mandatory. Thus, you can join Zoom meeting even if you don’t have a Zoom account.
- You will probably receive a meeting link or meeting id, password in the invitation to join a Zoom meeting.
- If you have received a link, then click on it. This will take you to the Zoom interface. Or in case you know the meeting id and password, open the Zoom app on your device.
- Then, enter the meeting password (if required) and click on ‘Join’.
- You may have to wait if the host has enabled the waiting room feature. Then you will be let in after the host allows you in.
If you want to learn in detail, here is post, with stepwise instructions in brief.
6. Invite Participants to the Ongoing Meeting
You can invite participants to join the ongoing meeting on Zoom. You can invite anyone either you are a host of the meeting or a participant. Whereas, for a scheduled meeting the host has o send the invitation initially. Follow the below instruction to invite other participants. So that they can join an ongoing meeting on Zoom.
1. Open the Zoom app on your device and connect to a meeting. Learn from above if you don’t know how to join or host a meeting.
2. Once connected to a meeting, tap on the screen (for mobile only) to view all the control options.
3. Tap on ‘Participants’ (for mobile only). It may differ depending upon the devices. This will show you a list of people who are attending the meeting at the current time and some options.
4. Click or tap on ‘Invite’ at the bottom line of your screen. This will open a new interface from where you can send invite messages.
5. Now, select a messaging method. Depending on devices the options may vary. basically you can send an invite through contact, message, email, or send URL as well.
- Invite Contacts: Invite people from your contact list. To do so, click ‘Contacts’ and select the list of contacts.
- Send Email: Click on ‘Email’ and select email service to send an invite via email. It will open an email with an invite message already composed. Then send the email to any email addresses to invite them.
- Send Message: Tap on ‘Send Message’ to open an already composed message. This is available on an iPhone and iPad. For computers, compose your message in the box at the center. You have to enter contacts or email address in the field next to ‘To:’. Then send it by clicking the ‘Invite’ or ‘Send’ button.
- Send a URL or Copy Invitation: This is an alternative and easy method. You just have to click on ‘Copy URL’ or ‘Copy Invitation’ at the bottom. And paste the URL or invitation in an email, message, or web post and send it.
This is how you can send an invitation to other people to join the existing meeting on Zoom.
7. Chat or Send File while in Meeting
A zoom feature allows everyone in a meeting to send a message to everyone or a specific person while attending the meeting. Both host and other attendees can use this feature, called ‘Chat’. You can even send files as well. Follow the instructions below to learn how you can send message and files in between the Zoom meeting.
1. Open Zoom and connect to a meeting. If you don’t know how then you can learn from the above.
2. After you are connected to a meeting, tap on the screen (for mobile only) to view all the control options.
3. Click or tap on ‘Chat’. Then a chat box will appear on the screen. There you can type your message and send it instantly. The message can be viewed by everyone present in the meeting.
4. To send a message to specific attendees, tap on the drop-down menu beside the tag ‘Everyone’. It is located just above the message box, beside ‘To:’. From the drop-down menu select the names of whom you want to send your message.
5. To share a file, click on ‘File’ on the right side. Then select the method or app from which you want to share the file. Perhaps, you can share your file from your computer.
It’s quite easy to send any message to anyone attending the meeting. Additionally, you can even share files with a click.
8. Turn Audio/ Video On or Off During a Meeting
You can previously set these options while scheduling a meeting. Anyway, you can change it later while being in the meeting as well. Anyone attending the meeting can turn on / off the audio and video. However, the host has a big hand first over it. Learn how you can turn the audio or video during a meeting from the instructions below.
1. Open Zoom and connect to a meeting. If you don’t know how then you can learn it from above.
2. Once you are connected to a meeting, tap on the screen (for mobile only) to view all the control options.
3. To join or mute audio: Click on the microphone icon or the drop-down menu beside it.
- On the menu or pop-up, select ‘Join with Audio’. This will allow you to listen to the audio. Other users can also hear you unless you mute yourself.
- If you want to mute yourself, tap the microphone and select ‘Mute’.
4. To start or stop video: Click on the video camera icon or the drop-down menu beside it.
- To turn on your video, select ‘Start Video’. Everyone attending the meeting may see you through it.
- If you want to stop your video to show, tap the video camera and select ‘Stop Video’.
This way you can turn on or off your audio and video. But sometimes, a participant may not be able to do so if the host has set the settings already.
9. Share Your Screen
Sharing screen is the main feature provided by Zoom. This feature allows you to share your screen so that everyone connected to the meeting can see it. It makes online teaching and presentation effective and efficient. Here’s how to do so.
1. Open Zoom and connect to a meeting. You can either host or join an existing meeting. If you don’t know how then you can learn it from above.
2. When connected to a meeting, tap on the screen (for mobile only) to view all the control options.
3. Click or tap on ‘Share Screen’, ‘Share Content’ or ‘Share’. The option may vary according to the device you are using. It is located at the top of the screen on the iPhone and iPad. And it is at the bottom on PC and Android.
4. Select an app that you want to share. You can share your full desktop or individual application you have opened on your device.
5. You can also access the advanced sharing option by selecting ‘Advanced’ at the top. You can share files from any applications or specific locations by selecting ‘Files’.
6. If you are going to share any files with audio or video be sure to checkmark the options at the bottom corner. This is to enable your computer sound to be heard by other participants.
7. When you are ready, click ‘Share’. This will immediately start sharing your screen with everyone in the meeting.
8. Once you start sharing your screen, you can stop sharing any time you want. Click on ‘Stop Share’ to stop sharing. It is at the top of the screen on PC. Whereas, it is at the bottom-left corner on mobile devices.
In the same way, you can choose a whiteboard to draw or write on your screen. It is useful, especially for online classes.
10. End a Zoom Meeting
Once you start a meeting, you can end the meeting at any time when you are ready. But the fact is, the only host can get this option on his/ her screen. Thus not other participants can end the meeting, but they may leave any time as desired.
1. Open Zoom app and connect to a meeting.
2. Once connected to a meeting, tap on the screen (for mobile only) to view all the control options.
3. Click ‘End Meeting’ at the bottom of the screen. This will end the meeting for everyone. This option is available only to host.
4. If you are not a host, then you may find ‘Leave Meeting’ instead. Click on it to leave at any time. This will not make everyone leave thus, you will miss the further meeting.
Once you leave a meeting, you can still join in as a new participant. Once the host ends the meeting, everyone will be removed from the meeting automatically.
