- Amid the coronavirus pandemic, virtual meetings have become a necessity for everyone.
- A large number of professionals are now opting for online sources of communication in the lockdown who earlier used to meet their clients offline.
- Also, almost all the educational institutions have started online video conferencing to connect to their students in this difficult time so that their studies won’t get affected.
- Zoom has emerged as one of the most popular video conferencing platform.
Uses of Zoom
- Zoom provides a cross platform support which is a major reason for its popularity.
- Zoom provides the ability to join through the web browser as well as mobile device.
- It allows screen share with 100 participants and that number can grow further to up to 500 members using the Large Meeting add-on.
How to Join Meeting in Zoom
Without Signing – in
1. Launch the Zoom app on your computer.
2. Now, press the Join a Meeting button from the default screen.
3. A pop-up screen will appear that will ask you to enter the Meeting ID or the Personal Link Name to join in a meeting.
4. You can also change your name from that screen and enable or disable the options to connect to your audio and show your video.
5. You’ll now need to press the Join button from the screen to join the meeting.
With Signing – in
Signing into zoom will provide you access to more features.
Here are the steps to join a meeting by signing in
1. Launch the Zoom app on your computer.
2. Now, click on the Sign In button to sign in with your existing account. You can also sign up by pressing the Sign up Free link available on the Sign In screen.
3. Alternatively, you can use your existing Single sign-on (SSO) credentials or use an existing Google or Facebook account.
4. Once signed in, you can join an existing Zoom meeting by clicking on the Join button from the home screen.
5. A pop-up will appear on your screen that will ask you to enter the Meeting ID or Personal Link Name.
6. You can also add your name on that screen that will be visible to the host of that meeting and other participants.
7. You can turn off the video or audio by clicking on the provided checkboxes.
The app will now connect you with the meeting.
How to Host a Meeting in Zoom
1. Launch the Zoom app on your computer.
2. Now, click on the Sign In button in case you haven’t signed in yet.
3. You’ll get the home screen from where you’ll need to tap the New Meeting button. You’ll also have the option to disable the video by clicking the downward icon beneath the New Meeting button.
4. After you’ll click the button, Zoom will load a screen that will provide you with details such as Meeting Topic, Host Name, Password, Numeric Password for telephone and room systems, Invitation URL, and Participant ID.
5. You can also invite others from that same screen.
6. Similarly, the option to share your screen, chat, turning off video and audio, record will also be provided.
7. Once you’re done with your meeting, you can click the End Meeting button to conclude it.
8. A dialogue box will pop-up on the screen from where you can click the End Meeting for All to terminate it for all participants.
9. You can also leave the meeting at your end and make someone else as a host by pressing the Leave Meeting button from the pop-up dialogue.
10. This will continue the conversation among the participants, while you’ll be able to log out.
How to Schedule a Meeting in Zoom
1. Launch the Zoom app on your computer.
2. Sign in to the app using your existing credentials or make a new account.
3. Now, you’ll get the home screen from where you need to click the Schedule button to schedule a meeting.
4. The app will show you a pop-up screen that will let you enter the topic of your scheduled meeting, select an appropriate date and time, create a password and select options to enable or disable the meeting for telephone or computer users.
5. Once you’ll fill in all the details, you’ll have the option to set an iCal, Google Calendar, or other calendar invites.
6. Now, you need to press the Schedule button to schedule your meeting.
7. Meetings that you’ve scheduled will be visible on the homescreen of your Zoom app.
8. You can also check all the upcoming meetings or access the recordings of your existing meetings by going to the Meetings tab.
How to Change Background in Zoom
Change your Zoom background on the desktop app
1. In the Zoom app, click your profile in the top right corner, and click Settings.
2. On the menu to the left, click Virtual Background.
3. You’ll see a few default background options provided by Zoom, including an outer space scene or blades of grass. You can choose one of those by clicking on it, and it will automatically change your screen as well. There’s also an option for if you have a green screen and want to use that.
4. If you want to upload a photo to use as your background, on the same Virtual Background Page, click the + icon next to where it says Choose Virtual Background. A box will pop up allowing you to upload a photo from your computer. Click on the one you want, and it will appear alongside the other pictures as an option for you to choose from.
5. To get rid of any photos you upload, tap the X in their top left corner.
Change your Zoom background on the mobile app
1. When you log into your account and join a meeting, tap the three dots at the bottom right of the screen to open the More menu.
2. Tap Virtual Background.
3. Select a background from the default options, or upload your own.
