How to Use Zoom: 10 Tips and Tricks for Better Video Meetings

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing service that enables people to keep connected with colleagues, friends, and family. It has been getting popular day after day, and you’ll be astonished to hear that nearly 300 million people use the app right now.

Though there are millions of Zoom users, very few people can use it properly. Many Zoom users don’t even know what features it has, and how to use Zoom for better video meetings.

In this write-up, we have come up with the top 10 tips and tricks regarding better video meetings at Zoom. Hopefully, after reading out the article, you will get Zoom more convenient and a cut above video meetings.

How To Use Zoom for Better Video Meetings: 10 Effective Tips & Tricks

How to Use Zoom: 10 Tips and Tricks for Better Video Meetings

Most people think buying a quality laptop with a high-resolution camera, and strong internet connection is enough to have better video meetings. Indeed, having a reliable internet connection and a quality laptop for zoom video conferencing is a must. Still, you have to know at least some basics of the Zoom app while you are in video meetings. In this segment, we have demonstrated some basic tips and tricks that will make you different from other participants. Let’s check them out.

1. Use Virtual Background

There is a huge collection of virtual backgrounds available on Zoom that can be used for different purposes. Suppose, you don’t want to show the interior of your apartment’s inside, consider using a virtual background. On the other hand, if the background is disarranged and untidy, then adding a virtual background will be a wise decision. Here is how to change the background,

Click on the “Settings” under your profile image
Select “Background & Filters”
Choose a “Virtual Background”
Select an image/video, or you can upload your own

2. Makeup Yourself To Have a Prettier Look

Would you like to give yourself the best look at any important meeting? You don’t need to take on actual makeup for a long time because it will waste your time, as you can now do it during your meeting. There is a feature in Zoom named “Touch Up My Appearance,” which is a filter that gives your face a smooth look. You can apply some filters, and you’ll look natural, and some filters will change your entire look and turn you into a porcelain doll. These types of filters should be avoided for a business meeting.

The instructions are here on how to make yourself prettier.

Click the “Settings”
Select “Video”
Tick mark on the box beside “Touch Up My Appearance.”

3. Mute Someone

You have to know how to mute someone to get a better video meeting. There is always a person who has a phone call and receives it during a Zoom meeting or has kids screaming in the background. To get rid of the problems, you can mute the person’s mic with just a few clicks and stop the excessive noise. However, we would like to remind you that this feature is available for the host only. Participants don’t have this option to use, it can be turned off on their own.

Instructions to Mute Someone

Start Meeting
Select “Manage Participants”
Keep your mouse on the participant’s name
Click the “Mute” option

4. Change Your Name

Changing your name is simple in Zoom. You don’t need to stick with the name that you are provided by the app now. This helps you look more professional by changing your name to something official. You can give your surname as well when you have a family meeting. Here is how you can change your name in Zoom.

Click on the “Participants”
Keep the cursor on your Name. Click on “More”
Press “Rename”
Give a new name
Select “Rename”

5. Tun Gallery View On

The default video layout of Zoom is “Active Speaker” which shows the person who is speaking in the main window, and the other participants are listed above. To see all the people who participate in the meeting, change the layout to “Gallery View.” Zoom shows a maximum of 49 participants on a single page. If there are more people, you have to click on the “Arrow” on the right side. To change the layout, follow the instructions below.

Participate in a meeting
Click on the “View”
Select “Gallery”
Press the “Arrow” sign on the right if the participants are more than 49. To back to the previous page, use the left “Arrow”

6. Hide Participants Without Video

When you enable Gallery View, you can see all the participants of the meeting. You’ll see some people in the meeting have their cameras turned on and some are not. In that case, you can hide the person whose camera is turned off to clear out a bunch of black windows containing the only name. If you would like to use the features, check out the steps below.

Run Zoom app and host a meeting
Click on the “Settings”
Select “Video”
Tick mark the box beside “Hide Non-Video Participants”

7. Share a Single Part of Your Screen

You may need to share a screen when you give a presentation at a Zoom meeting. The main problem is, that other participants will be able to see on your screen what apps you have installed, the tabs you have open on your laptop, and other data you want to keep secret. It has a solution and you will be up to sharing only a part of your screen. For instance, you can share the content from the browser but can keep the bottom part and the upper part hidden from the participants. Follow the instructions to share a single part of your screen.

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Participate in a meeting
Click “Share Screen”
Press on the “Advanced”
Choose “Portion of Screen” and click “Share”
Resize the screen as you want

8. Turn off the Camera or Mic Before Zoom Meeting

Keep your camera and mic off until it is necessary to use. Especially, don’t turn your mic or camera on before you join a meeting that will create unnecessary background noise and impact your personality and professionalism. If you would like to turn off your video or mic, the steps given below can be applied.

Run Zoom app
Go to “Settings”
Select “Video”
Check the box beside “Turn off My Video When Joining Meeting”
Click “Audio”
Tick mark the box beside “Mute My Microphone When Joining a Meeting”

9. Raise Your Hand

If you would like to speak in a meeting, you can raise your hand and signal the host. After that, the host will give a chance to talk or ask something. This is one of the best features that prevent multiple people from talking simultaneously. How can you raise your hand in the Zoom meeting? The process has been given below.

Join Meeting
Press the “Reaction” button
Select “Raise Hand”

10. Record Zoom Meeting To The Cloud

You can now record your Zoom meeting to watch later. For that, you have to record the meeting in the zoom cloud. This service is available on the paid version, so you can’t use it if you have a free account. Here is the step-by-step guideline to record meetings in the Zoom cloud.

Join a meeting
Select the “Record” option below
Click on the “Record to the Cloud,” and the recording will start
Press “Stop Recording” at the end of the meeting to stop it
Visit “Recordings” to see the recorded video

Final Thought

Zoom is one of the best apps that provides cloud-based video servicing. It holds lots of features that give users the feeling of having a meeting physically. But, very few people can utilize the features properly and get a better video meeting experience.

In this article, we have tried our best to describe the features and show how to use them. Hopefully, you will find the Zoom app easier and enjoy the features you’ll need most. However, if you have any questions regarding the Zoom app, you can put your comments in the comment section.

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