Zoom: Getting Started

Summary

This article walks you through getting set up in Zoom, installing Zoom, starting a meeting, and hosting a meeting.

Content

Getting Set Up:

Logging In: go to your institution's Zoom page (plymouthstate.zoom.us, unh.zoom.us, or keene.zoom.us) and sign in by entering your username and password.  See more details in the article on How to Sign Into Zoom

After successfully being signed in, you will be taken to your "My Profile" page.

Highlights of this page are:

After configuring your profile, we recommend going to the My Meeting Settings tab to configure your preferences based on how you would like to conduct meetings.

Now we need to get the actual Zoom software installed on your PC/Mac. Fastest way to do this Go to the My Meetings Tab and click "Start" to the far right of your Personal Meeting Room.

Once you click the Start button, your browser will begin the installation of the Zoom client and you will join your own Personal Meeting Room. Once successfully installed and the Meeting is started, you should be looking at yourself via your webcam. Feel free to click on End Meeting at the lower right-hand side of the Zoom interface.

You now have the Zoom client for Meetings installed. Best practice is to have Zoom start when your computer boots up.

  • On Windows, go to the Zoom client and click on "Settings" at the top right. Click on General and then check the box that says "Start Zoom when I start Windows".
  • On Mac, right-click the Zoom app in the Dock, select Options > Open at Login.

For iOS and Android devices, please visit the App Store or Google Play to install the Zoom mobile apps.

For fast meeting scheduling download the Outlook Plug In or Browser Plug in-- simply schedule a Zoom meeting directly from Outlook or Google Calendar

Starting A Meeting: Zoom offers you several ways to start both impromptu and your scheduled meetings.

  • From the web portal (both)
  • From the downloaded Zoom Application (both)
  • From your mobile device (both)
  • Your Calendar (if available plug-in is installed)
  • Browsers (both -- Google & Firefox)

Hosting A Meeting: The basics

  • Mute your mic if others are presenting/speaking
  • Mute all the participants if you are hosting a larger meeting (done via the participant's icon)
  • Have the content you intend to share prepared ahead of time
  • Close applications that have pop-up notifications if you intend to share your full desktop
  • Use "Gallery View" for smaller group/team meetings
  • Share specific Applications to control displayed content
  • Need to make a change to your next slide? Use Pause to freeze the screen seen by participants and Resume when your update is complete.
  • Use "New Share" to seamlessly transition between shared applications.
  • Use the Annotation tools to grab and direct attention

Hosting A Meeting: Things to Consider

We strongly recommend testing your Audio and Video settings prior to hosting an important meeting. The below can be configured both before and during a meeting if needed.

  1. Make sure to choose the correct audio input and output sources and levels
  1. Make sure to choose the correct camera for the meeting if more than one option is available

Turn the camera on! - And encourage others to do so in the meetings you host.

  • Lighting should come from in front of you to avoid casting shadows on your face.
  • Think about your background. Can you make it interesting but not distracting?

Make Eye Contact

  • Try to look at your webcam versus the screen
  • Use the gestures and mannerisms that you would typically use in person.
  • When viewing the video feed of others, try moving that feed to a monitor position just below your webcam to make this easier.

Here are some great resources from our Knowledge Base to take a deeper dive into using Zoom.

Need Additional Help?

Please fill out the Zoom Web Conferencing help form with as much detail as possible, or contact the Technology Help Desk on your local campus.

 

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