Zoom is easy to use. This is why it has “zoomed” to the top of the popularity charts so quickly, and why so many people prefer it over the competition for their online meetings.
If you are unfamiliar with Zoom, these instructions can help get you started.
Joining a meeting
1) Click the Join Zoom Meeting link in the invitation you receive. (You can find other ways to join meetings at the bottom of this post.)
2) If you have not used Zoom before, when you click Join Zoom Meeting you will get a window that lets you download the Zoom desktop application. Follow the instructions to launch the application. (The instructions differ depending on which internet browser you are using.)
3) When the meeting starts, click Join with Computer Audio. Before you join, you can optionally test your speaker and microphone to ensure they are working.
During the meeting
You can choose two different views of the meeting — Gallery View and Speaker View. Speaker View highlights the speaker and Gallery View shows all participants equally. You can switch between these views by moving your mouse to the top right of the Meeting window and clicking the button there. It will either say “Speaker View” or show a 9-box “waffle” icon for Gallery View.
Move your mouse to the bottom of your Zoom window screen to see the tool bar.
On a tablet or smartphone, touch the screen; you may need to touch the More icon (the three dots) to see all the controls.
- The Microphone icon on the left mutes and unmutes your microphone. Be sure to unmute yourself if you want to speak.
- The Video icon turns your computer’s video camera off and on.
- The Chat icon opens the chat window. At the bottom of the Chat window, you can type a text message to “Everyone” or send a private message to an individual you select from the “Everyone” drop-down list.
Other ways to join a meeting
- Directly from the Zoom app: open the Zoom app on your computer, tablet, or phone, and join with the meeting ID and optional password from your invitation.
- If unable to download the Zoom App: click the link that says “Join from your browser.” You may need to give your browser permission to access your computer’s camera and microphone.
- On a tablet or smartphone: Download the Zoom app from the app store if you do not already have it. Touch Meet & Chat at the bottom of your screen, then touch Join at the top of your screen. Enter the meeting ID from the invitation. You may need to touch in the middle of your screen to view the menu bar.
- From the Zoom website: Click Join a meeting, then enter the meeting ID.
