12 Zoom Tips And Tricks to Maximize Your Video Conferences

Zoom has become a go-to video conferencing app since the global lockdown began. People are using it for work meetings, virtual classrooms, and even blind dates and marriages. But did you know that there are hidden features and options in Zoom that can enhance your video conferencing experience? In this article, we will explore some Zoom tips and tricks to help you make the most out of this popular app.

1. Touch up your appearance

Just like the “Beauty Face Mode” on smartphone cameras, Zoom offers a “Touch up my appearance” filter that smoothens out your skin and removes blemishes. To activate this feature, go to the Zoom app settings and select Video. Look for “Touch Up My Appearance” and check the box to turn it on. Note that this feature is currently available only on the Zoom Desktop Client for Mac or Windows and the Zoom Mobile App for iOS.

2. Virtual Background

With Zoom, you can change your background to any image or even a video. This is a fun feature that allows you to hide a messy room or add some creativity to your video calls. You can choose from the default background images provided by Zoom or upload your own. To set it up, go to the Zoom app settings, click on your profile, and choose Virtual Background. From there, you can select a default background or upload your own image. Note that the virtual background option is not available for Android.

3. Automatically turn off your mic and video

When you join a meeting on Zoom, your mic and camera are automatically turned on. While this may be convenient, it can also be disruptive if you join a meeting midway. To avoid disturbing other participants and the host, it's a good idea to always turn off your mic and video when you join a meeting. You can enable this option within the Meetings settings.

4. Lock Sharing

In large meetings, it can be difficult to control the chat section and prevent participants from sharing unwanted content. To avoid this, you can disable sharing altogether. Once the meeting has started, go to the More options menu, then Meeting Settings, and enable the Lock Share toggle. This will prevent anyone, including yourself, from sharing photos, screens, URLs, and other content. You can enable sharing again when necessary.

5. Put participants on hold

Zoom recently introduced waiting rooms for all meetings. You can use this feature to temporarily put participants on hold and have private discussions. To do this, go to the Participants tab and long-press on a participant's name. From the options, select “Put in Waiting Room.” You can later allow the participant back into the meeting room through the same Participants window.

6. Change host

By default, the person who creates a meeting is the host. If you need to leave early, make sure to transfer the host position to someone else. To do this, go to the Participants icon, select any participant, and choose “Make Host.” Note that the new host will have all the privileges, such as muting participants, kicking out people, and recording the meeting.

7. Record meetings

Recording important Zoom meetings can be useful for future reference or sharing knowledge. However, the free version of Zoom only allows the host to record meetings. You can ask the host to provide you with record permission if you want to record a meeting. The recording file can be accessed under the Recordings tab in the Meetings menu or on your local folders.

8. Control the audience

Zoom provides a personal meeting ID that anyone with the link can join. To ensure the privacy and security of your meetings, avoid using your personal meeting ID for public or private meetings. Password protect your meetings and consider hosting them from your laptop, as it offers more settings and options than mobile devices.

9. Use your phone as a webcam

If you have a broken or low-quality webcam, you can use your phone as a webcam for Zoom meetings. There are third-party apps available, such as IP Webcam Lite for Windows and Android, or IP Camera Lite for Mac and iOS, that allow you to connect your phone as an external webcam. This can improve the video quality of your meetings.

10. Integrate Slack

If you use Slack for communication, you can integrate it with Zoom to streamline your meeting invitations. Zoom offers an extension app for Slack that allows you to create and share meeting links directly within the Slack window. This saves time and makes it easier to invite participants to your Zoom meetings.

11. Cancel noise

To improve audio quality during Zoom meetings, you can use noise cancellation tools like Krisp. Krisp is an AI-based tool that filters out background noise from your microphone and speaker. It works with Zoom and other video conferencing apps, helping to create a clearer and more professional audio experience.

12. Bypass Zoom's attention tracking

If the host has enabled the attention tracking feature, you cannot minimize the Zoom app or put it in the background. However, there is a workaround for this. You can use an older version of the Zoom app, specifically version 3.6, which doesn't have the attention tracking feature. This allows you to use other apps or devices while attending the meeting without being detected.

Zoom offers a wide range of features and options to enhance your video conferencing experience. By following these tips and tricks, you can make the most out of this popular app and have more productive and engaging meetings.