Getting started on Windows and macOS in Zoom App
Overview
Using Zoom, you can conduct video conferences, simple online meetings, and send group messages to one person. Multiple platforms can be used to share videos, audio, and screens using our solution. Discover how to use the Zoom client on your Mac or Windows device with the information in this article.
Prerequisites
- Windows or macOS desktop clients for Zoom
This article covers:
- Sign in and join
- Home
- Chat
- Phone
- Meetings
- Contacts
- In-meeting controls
- More resources
Sign in and join
Click Join a Meeting after launching Zoom to join the meeting without signing in. Once logged in, you can schedule meetings or start new ones. Just click the Sign In button.
You can sign in via Facebook, Google, or Zoom. SSO is also available. Sign up for a free account if you don’t already have one. If you do not remember your password and have a Zoom account, click Forgot.
Home
The Home tab, which is the first tab that you will see after signing in, contains the following options:
- New Meeting: You will be taken to the instant meeting screen. Using the downward arrow, you can enable video or use the Personal Meeting ID (PMI) to convene an immediate meeting.
- Join: It is possible to join an active meeting.
- Schedule: It is possible to set up a meeting at a later date.
- Share Screen: Using your sharing key or meeting ID, you can share your screen in a Zoom Room.
- Date and time with background image: Click the camera icon in the photo to change the background.
- Upcoming meeting: This displays the date and time of the next meeting. When trying to sync upcoming meetings with a third-party calendar
- service, you should do so via a third-party service.
- Click your profile picture for these options:
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- Leave a personal message.
- Settings:
- Access your account settings.
- The status of your account can be changed to Available, Away, and Do Not Disturb.
- My Profile:
- To edit your profile, please go to the Zoom web portal.
- Try Top Features:
- Takes you to a web page that details some of the most helpful Zoom features.
- Help
- About Zoom:
- The client offers information about the version of Zoom you currently have installed as well as other pertinent information about your company.
- Help Center:
- Links to Zoom’s online help center.
- Please report any problems you encounter. Contact Zoom if you encounter any problems.
- Check for Updates:
- Check the Zoom version to ensure it is the latest version available.
- Switch to Portrait View:
- If you prefer to view the Zoom window in a narrower window, you can switch it to a portrait view.
- Switch Account:
- This helps with quickly switching from one account to another.
- Click here to log out
- Of your free account and upgrade.
Chat
If you want to see a private conversation with a contact, or group discussions in a chat channel, click the Chat tab.
In the left-side panel, you will find the following items:
- Jump to search box:
- Enter the name of the contact or channel you’re looking for.
- < > :
- Taking you back to a previous chat window, or to the previous channel you used.
- Starred Messages:
- A list of messages that have been marked as favorites.
- Contact Requests:
- Find a list of recent contacts you have requested.
- Here are all the files:
- In Chat, you can see any files you have shared, any files you have access to in Chat, as well as any whiteboards saved from previous meetings.
- You can open your chat room by clicking your name.
- Add icon (next to Recent):
- Join a group chat that is already available or create a new channel for a group chat with one of your contacts.
- Under Recent:
- Simply click on a contact to view the history of your chat and talk to them further. All contacts have an icon next to their names that indicates their current status.
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- You can view a channel’s chat history and send messages to other members by selecting a channel (indicated by a group icon before the name).
In order to use these features in the chat window, you should first choose one of the contacts or channels from the left-hand panel.
- Star icon :
- If the contact or channel is added to the starred list, it will be readily accessible to you from there, as it will be a starred item. There will be a list on your personal chat space and in the Recent section of your chat room where you will be able to access noticed contacts or channels quickly and easily.
- Video icon :
- The contact can be contacted via video call. The channel tool will start a meeting with you and all the members of your chosen channel if you select it. To select whether you wish to hold the meeting with video or not, click the * next to the icon.
- Phone icon:
- To engage the contact in a phone conversation. You can only reach the contact by using the Zoom Phone app.
- Click on the following icon to display the new window:
- Displays a new window with the selected chat.
- Info icon :
- See the contact’s options. Additionally, it allows you to browse files, images, starred messages, and more in the current chat.
- Message box:
- You can compose messages and send them to the channel or contact you are currently in. As well as sending screenshots, documents, code snippets, audio messages, and animated GIFs, you can attach files in the cloud as well.
Phone
You can use the Phone tab in Zoom Phone in order to make and receive phone calls, view your call history, and listen to your voicemails.
Note: In order to use Zoom Phone, you will need a license.
- History tab:
- Delete call recordings and history.
- Voicemail tab:
- Access voicemail messages and listen to them.
- Lines tab:
- Use this tab to view each of your lines.
- SMS tab:
- The message tab is where you can view the message(s) you have sent and received.
- Dial pad:
- Enter a phone number manually or go through your contacts to find one through which to make an outbound call.
Discover how to use the features of Zoom Phone.
Meetings
For viewing, scheduling, editing, and deleting upcoming meetings, click Meetings in the Meetings tab.
Afterward, in the left-hand panel, you can choose from the following options:
- Add icon :
- New meeting schedule.
- Refresh icon:
- If your scheduled meeting does not appear in the meeting list, please try refreshing the meeting list.
- Start:
- To begin your scheduled meeting, click on the icon that is positioned next to the meeting.
- Copy Invitation:
- It is possible for you to manually insert the invitation text from the scheduled meeting into an email, instant message, etc., by copying the meeting invitation text. If you would like to view the meeting invitation you are copying, click Show Meeting Invitation.
- Edit:
- Make any necessary changes as to how the meeting will go.
- Delete:
- Make sure the meeting is permanently deleted.
- Join from a Room:
- During the meeting you should also be able to connect the Zoom Room locally to your local meeting.
Contacts
View and manage your contacts by selecting the Contacts tab.
- Contacts tab:
- All your contact data is displayed in a list, including starred contacts, external contacts, and auto responder contacts. Zoom Rooms are also listed if your organization has them.
- Channels tab:
- Here you will find the channel directory (used for group text messages). At the top of the list are channels that have been starred.
- Add icon:
- Show channel and contact options. We include options for adding contacts, creating contact groups, creating channels, joining channels, and adding apps from our Marketplace.
In-meeting controls
During a meeting, you will receive a message at the top of the screen telling you how to access the meeting controls (move your mouse in the Zoom window to see the meeting controls) once the meeting has been started.
Find out how to control your meetings as the host, co-host, or a participant. Additionally, when joining a scheduled meeting, you can also join a test meeting to get a feel for how the meeting controls work.
More resources
- View the videos on how to get started
- In our webinars and Zoom meetings
- By joining a trial meeting