Zoom Tips: 10 Unique Tricks You Can't Miss

1. Optimize interface and Zoom settings

1.1. Edit virtual background

Editing a virtual background not only helps you cover up messy corners in the room but also shows professionalism in online meetings. Choose simple backgrounds, neutral colors or images related to the meeting topic. For example, when presenting a design project, you can choose a plain white wall or a subtle abstract background. This helps participants focus on the main content without being distracted by surrounding details.

1.2. Detailed instructions on how to change virtual background in zoom

Step 1: Find the Video icon:

During the meeting, move your mouse to the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Click the small arrow icon next to the Stop Video button.

Step 2: Choose background

A settings window will appear with a list of available backgrounds. You can select an image from Zoom or click the plus sign (+) to upload a personal background from your computer.

If you want to use a video as background, select Virtual Background and upload your favorite video.

Step 3: Apply and Test

Check the background image in the preview pane to make sure it looks correct and natural. Tap Close to return to the meeting with the new background applied.

2. Take advantage of screen sharing

2.1. Share high quality content

Image quality plays an important role in communicating information effectively. If you want to share presentations, documents or images in the best quality on Zoom, take advantage of the HD feature. To enable this feature, simply go to Zoom settings and find the " Video" section . Here, make sure the " HD " option is enabled and adjust the screen resolution accordingly."

2.2. Take notes directly on the screen

Zoom's live screen annotation feature is a great tool for making presentations more interactive. You can use it to draw, write, or highlight important points on your shared screen. This makes it easier for participants to follow and understand what you're trying to convey. For example, you can draw an arrow pointing to a specific part of a chart or write a short caption to explain a complex concept.

Detailed instructions for taking notes directly on the screen

Step 1: Turn on screen sharing:

During the meeting, click the Share Screen button on the toolbar and select the content you want to share.
Step 2: Enable note taking

Once your screen is shared, click More on the Zoom control bar. Select Annotations to open the annotation tool.

Step 3: Use note-taking tools:

Use brushes, text, shapes, or highlighters to highlight important content.
You can change the color and thickness of the stroke to suit your needs.
Step 4: Delete or save the note:

Use the Clear tool to delete all or part of a note.
If you need to save, click Save to export the note as an image file.

3. Optimize time with automated meetings

Do you regularly hold recurring meetings and want to save time scheduling them? Zoom's recurring meeting scheduling feature will be a great help for you. Instead of having to create a new meeting each time, you only need to set it up once, and subsequent meetings will be automatically created according to the set schedule.

Detailed instructions on how to create a recurring meeting schedule on zoom

Step 1: Access the meeting scheduling feature:

Open the Zoom app, tap the Schedule button on the main interface.
Step 2: Set up meeting information:

Enter a title, start time, and duration for the meeting.
Check the Recurring Meeting option.
Step 3: Select the repeat schedule:

Set parameters such as daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your needs.
Step 4: Complete and share:

Click Save to save the meeting schedule.
Share the meeting ID and password with participants.

4. Auto Mute: Fix the noisy meeting situation

To ensure the best audio quality and create a professional working environment, Zoom offers an automatic mute feature for all participants. This feature is especially useful in large meetings where noise from multiple devices can cause interference and affect everyone's concentration. When the automatic mute feature is enabled, all new participants entering the meeting will automatically be muted. Only when the host or co-host allows them to unmute to speak. This helps to minimize noise caused by background noise, external noise, or unmuted devices.

Detailed instructions on how to automatically mute on zoom

Mute when scheduling meetings:

When creating a meeting, go to Settings and turn on the Mute Participants Upon Entry option.
This ensures everyone is automatically muted when they join.
Mute in meeting:

During the meeting, click Participants on the toolbar.
Click Mute All. A dialog box will appear, click Yes to confirm.
Enable mute when needed:

To unmute participants themselves, check the Allow Participants to Unmute Themselves option.

5. Automatic or manual grouping: Optimize group discussions

To facilitate effective small group discussions, Zoom offers Breakout Rooms. You can freely choose how to divide the group, either automatically or manually. Please refer to the article How to Split Rooms in Zoom on Computer: Solutions for Effective Group Meetings to learn how to effectively use this feature.

6. Security and Privacy

6.1. Enable Waiting Room: Tightly control participants

In a Zoom meeting, especially important meetings or meetings with many participants, controlling who can enter the meeting room is extremely necessary. When you enable the Waiting Room feature, all participants entering the meeting will not be automatically brought to the main meeting room but will have to wait in a virtual space called the Waiting Room. Here, the host will have time to review the list of people waiting and decide who to let into the meeting room.

Detailed instructions on how to enable the Waiting Room feature:

Step 1: Click Settings in the left panel.

Step 2: In the In Meeting (Advanced) section, find the Waiting Room option , switch the status to On to enable this feature.  After activating this feature, the organizer can view the list of people waiting, click Admit to allow them to join or Remove to decline.

6.2. Only allow Host to share screen: Protect your meeting

In Zoom meetings, especially important or large meetings, controlling screen sharing rights is key. Allowing only the Host to share the screen not only helps maintain professionalism but also protects the meeting from inappropriate content or unnecessary interruptions. Limiting sharing rights ensures that any content displayed is carefully prepared and relevant to the meeting's objectives. At the same time, it also prevents unintentional or intentional sharing of irrelevant documents, helping all participants focus on the main content.

How to specify the Host to be the only person who can share the screen:

When scheduling a meeting: While scheduling a new meeting, you will find the option "Who can share screen?" Here, select "Host Only" .
During a meeting: If you forget to set it up beforehand, you can go to "Security" and select "Who can share screen?" and then select "Host Only".

7. Record the meeting

Zoom offers two options for recording meetings: recording locally on your device or recording in the cloud. Both are useful for storing and reviewing content after the meeting.

If you want complete control over your recording and don't want to rely on a network connection, choose local recording.

During the meeting, click the Record icon on the toolbar.
Select Record on this Computer to save video and audio files directly to your device.
After the meeting ends, the recording file will be automatically saved to the default folder on your computer.
If you need to review recordings frequently and don't want to take up computer space, choose cloud recording.

This feature is only available with Zoom Pro accounts and above.
When you tap Record , select Record to the Cloud to save the file to your Zoom account.
Once completed, you will receive an email with a link to download or share the file.

8. Take advantage of the chat feature

8.1. Automatically Save Chat Content

Want to make sure you don't miss anything shared during a Zoom meeting? Auto Saving Chats is here to help. With this feature, all chat messages during a meeting are automatically saved, making it easy to review later.

Instructions to enable Auto Saving Chats feature:

Step 1 : Access settings:

In the control panel, select Settings.
Look for In Meeting (Basic) in the settings list.
Step 2 : Enable Auto Saving Chats feature:

Find the Auto saving chats option and turn it to On.
When the meeting ends, Zoom will automatically save all chat content to the default folder on the Host's computer.

8.2. Using emojis and quick reactions:

Emojis and quick reactions have become an integral part of online communication, and Zoom is no exception. These little icons provide a fun and effective way to express emotion, agree, or request attention in online meetings, without disrupting the flow of the conversation. In some cases, an emoji can convey meaning much more clearly than words, making it easy for participants to express agreement, disagreement, or other emotions without having to say it.

Detailed instructions on how to enable emoji

Step 1 : Find the Reactions icon: 

In the meeting interface, click the Reactions button on the toolbar.
Step 2 : Select emoji or reaction icon:

Choose from popular emojis like clapping, raising hands, hearts, or thumbs up.
These icons will appear on your video screen or in the participant list.
Step 3 : Raise your hand to speak:

If you want to speak or ask a question, select Raise Hand. The host will receive a notification and invite you to speak when it is your turn.

9. Use office applications to share documents directly

Zoom allows you to seamlessly connect with popular office applications like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox. This feature allows you to share documents, spreadsheets, or presentations directly in a meeting without having to download and email them. Instead of wasting time searching for and uploading files, you can access the documents you need directly from the cloud. Everyone in the meeting can view, edit, and comment directly on the document being shared.

Detailed instructions for sharing documents on Zoom:

Step 1 : Start screen sharing:

During the meeting, click the Share Screen button on the toolbar.
Select the window that contains the document you want to present, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Google Docs.
Step 2 : Interact directly with the document:

When sharing, you can edit, mark, or highlight content for everyone to see.
Use the Annotations tool to make notes and explanations clearer.
Step 3 : Combine chat and discussion:

Use the chat feature to send files or receive feedback from participants.
Answer questions or make adjustments during the meeting.
Note : Before sharing, make sure your Zoom account is connected to the cloud accounts you want to use and that you have access to the document you want to share.

10. Use Shortcuts on Zoom: Increase Work Speed ​​and Optimize Efficiency

Using keyboard shortcuts on Zoom brings many significant benefits, helping you save time, increase work efficiency and create a more professional online meeting experience. Instead of having to search for icons on the screen, you just need to press a key combination to perform tasks such as turning on/off audio, video, sharing the screen, recording, etc. Once you get used to the shortcuts, you will not need to take your eyes off the screen to search for icons, helping you focus more on the meeting.

Some commonly used shortcuts on Zoom:

Turn sound on/off : Alt+A
Turn video on/off : Alt+V
Share screen : Alt+S
Record: Alt+R
Invite participants : Alt+I
Chat: Alt+H
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Conclude
Applying the 10 tips above will help you use Zoom intelligently, improving efficiency in work and study. Be flexible in testing and exploiting the features to optimize the online meeting experience. Need more detailed instructions or tips on using Zoom? Contact SaDesign immediately to receive the most professional and dedicated support.