Most of you have been busy zooming for ages! But in case you haven’t here’s a quick lesson on how to use Zoom for the first time…
Zoom is a video-conferencing app that enables you to connect with people over the internet.
You are able to see and hear others in the same session as you and interact in a normal conversation with them.
Getting started with Zoom
Zoom works across multiple devices, including mobiles, tablets, laptops and computers.
If you are using a computer, you will need to make sure you have a webcam.
You will need the Zoom app. You can either download the app before you start your first session, or you will be prompted to download the app a little further on in the steps.
To download the app before you start go to the place on your device where you normally download apps. For Apple devices, ie iPhone or iPad this is the App Store.
For all other devices you download apps from the Google Play Store.
Search for the word Zoom in your store and a few options will come up. You need to select the Zoom cloud meetings option.
Download the app and complete any prompts that your store asks, you should now have the Zoom app on your device.
On a computer, go to the website Zoom.us and click ‘Sign up, its free button’ in the top righthand corner. After you enter your e-mail account and password upon signing up for Zoom, you’ll be taken through the process of actually getting the client software.
Note: If you’re an individual or you have little need for frequent video conferences, the free Zoom Basic package gives you the ability to chat with up to 100 participants and hold unlimited one-on-one meetings. Be aware, however, that you’re limited to 40 minutes in group meetings.
What happens next?
The organiser of the Zoom session will send a link to you. This link will give you access to the session. The link will look something like this: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6628591615
They will also send you a Meeting ID which will look something like this: Meeting ID: 662 859 1715
And a meeting a meeting Password which will look something like this: Password: 8BEfyX
A few minutes before the meeting is due to start click on the link you have been provided with.
The next screen should show an option to Join a Meeting and you need to click it. You may then be asked to type in the Meeting ID and then the Password which you will have been given by the session organiser.
You are nearly there now!
The next screen will ask if you want to join with video this will allow you to see others in the session and for them to see you, this can be turned on and off during the session if you wish.
You will then be asked if you want to join with audio this will allow you to hear others in the session and for them to hear you, again this can be turned on an off during the session if you wish.
You should now have gained access to your session.
During the zoom session
At the bottom of the screen there are some icons:
The video camera allows you to turn video on or off
The microphone allows you to turn sound on or off
The speech bubble icon allows you to send chat (text) messages to other users within a meeting, a private message to an individual user, or you can send a message to an entire group. The host, you can choose who the participants can chat with or to disable chat entirely.
Changing the video layout:
In the top right corner of the screen click on the Speaker View or Gallery View button to change the view of the meeting participants.
Speaker view displays one large picture of the person currently speaking, with smaller pictures of everyone else across the top of the screen that you can scroll through.
Gallery view displays smaller pictures of up to 25 people across your screen.
For more information – video tutorials and user guides – visit the Zoom Help Centre
We hope you enjoy connecting with other artists!