Getting started with Zoom

Overview

Zoom is the primary video conferencing option for the campus community. 

• requires an internet or phone connection, computer, webcam and speakers/microphone or headset;
• works on Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome, iOS and Android;
• provides excellent video and audio quality, even over long distances, with extremely high stability and reliability;
• is designed to be intuitive, so users can be self-sufficient once they are familiar with its use;
• works well for one-on-one or multi-person meetings, up to 300 participants with unlimited time;
• allows for screen-sharing, recording from a webcam and hosting webinars; and
• does not require that participants other than the host have a Zoom account.

On this page:

• Download the Zoom app
• Log into Zoom
• Customize your Zoom profile
• Using Zoom
• Security recommendations
• Accessibility recommendations

Download the Zoom app

You do not need to install the Zoom app to access your Zoom account, schedule, or join meetings. These features are all available when you log into your Zoom account at mtholyoke.zoom.us in a web browser. However, if you prefer to use the app, it is available on Windows and Mac computers as well as on mobile devices, and can be downloaded from the Zoom download center. Or, if you’re using an MHC-owned Mac computer, you can download Zoom from the Self Service application.

Log in to Zoom

No need to create an account - Your Zoom account is already set up with your @mtholyoke.edu email address!  Follow the instructions below to log in and get started. 

For the smoothest first time login experience, we recommend logging out of any Google accounts that you're logged into in your browser besides your MHC Google account. Should you see any unexpected errors, please contact the Technology Help Desk with a screenshot.

Sign in on the Zoom computer app:

1. Launch the Zoom desktop application
2. Select SSO 

3. Enter mtholyoke as the company domain and choose Continue
4. Log into your MHC Google account or if you're already logged in select your MHC Google account when prompted 
5. Choose Open zoom.us.app to complete logging in

Sign in at mtholyoke.zoom.us:

1. In a web browser go to mtholyoke.zoom.us
2. Choose Sign In at the top right corner
3. Sign in to your MHC Google account using your MHC email address and password

Sign in on the Zoom mobile app:

1. Open the Zoom mobile app
2. Choose Sign in
3. Choose Continue with SSO
4. Enter mtholyoke as the company domain and choose Continue
5. Log into your MHC Google account or if you're already logged in select your MHC Google account when prompted 
6. Choose Launch Zoom
7. If prompted, choose OK

Customize your Zoom profile

• Add a profile picture
• Adjust how your name displays
• Add and share pronouns

Using Zoom

In addition to the instructions below, users may also access free & interactive live training offered by Zoom.

Scheduling Zoom meetings

Zoom offers multiple methods to schedule meetings both within the Zoom application and in your web browser. Visit the Zoom article on scheduling meetings for the most up to date information.

Interested in scheduling Zoom meetings directly from your web browser? 

• Scheduling from the Chrome Google Calendar extension
• Scheduling from the Firefox Google Calendar extension
• Scheduling using the G Suite Google Calendar add-in

Joining Zoom meetings

You can join a Zoom meeting through an email invite, an instant messaging invite, from the browser, from the Zoom desktop and mobile application, or from a landline or mobile phone. Visit the Zoom article on joining Zoom meetings for detailed instructions by joining method.

If you’re the meeting host, visit the Zoom article on starting or joining Zoom meetings as host.

You can also prepare for an upcoming Zoom meeting by setting up a test Zoom call.

Invite people to Zoom meetings

There are many ways to invite people to join your Zoom meeting.

Features & settings adjustments while setting up the meeting

The following settings allow you to tailor your Zoom meeting to your needs at the time of meeting creation. These features are usually managed by the meeting host.

• Add registration (Zoom Webinar only)

  • This feature will set up a registration page for your meeting and then create an individual link for each participant. You also have the option to approve or cancel participants' registration. More information about Zoom registration.

• Use a meeting passcode

  • Meeting passcodes are not required, but can add a layer of security to a meeting. 
  • To keep your meeting secure, the best practice is to make sure “Embed passcode in invite link for one-click join” is turned off. While this creates one more step for participants, it protects the meeting from uninvited guests.
  • This will require you to have the passcode sent within the invitation. We recommend this option if you are hosting a public-facing event.

• Enable the waiting room

  • The waiting room feature allows the host to control when a participant joins the meeting. Meeting hosts can admit attendees one by one, or hold all attendees in the waiting room and admit everyone at once.
  • mtholyoke.edu email addresses will be added to an "allow list" so anyone with an MHC account will bypass the waiting room. 
  • Hosts can also add participants with Five College accounts to their own “allow list” to make it easier for Five College participants to join.

• Set up alternative hosts

  • When scheduling a meeting, you can designate another Mount Holyoke community member to be the alternative host. The alternative host can start the meeting on your behalf if you’re going to be late to or miss a meeting. 
  • This is different from adding a co-host, which you can only do during a meeting (not before). Unlike alternative hosts, co-hosts do not need to be Mount Holyoke community members. More information about Zoom roles here.

• Join before host (not recommended)

  • Join before host allows anyone with the link to your meeting to join whether or not you’ve started the meeting. This also takes away your ability to end the meeting for all. More information about the joining before host feature. 

• Turn on live transcript

  • Live transcript allows Zoom meeting attendees and hosts to turn on machine generated auto captions in real time, which individual attendees can choose to display either at the bottom of the screen, in a separate window, or not at all. Hosts may enable this feature by turning on the auto caption option in the meeting settings.
  • As live transcripts are machine created, accuracy will not be perfect, and will likely not be at the accuracy level required for accommodations to meet accessibility needs.
  • To turn on live transcript
    1. Log into your Mount Holyoke Zoom account at mtholyoke.zoom.us
    2. Under "In Meeting- Advanced", toggle "Closed captioning" on
    3. Check the box for "Enable live transcription service to show transcript on the side panel in-meeting".
    4. Choose Save.
    5. Optionally: toggle on or off "Save Captions" to allow participants to save closed captions or transcripts (if you do enable this, let participants know that other attendees can save the transcript text). 
    6. During your meeting: click on "Live Transcript" on your Zoom toolbar at the bottom of your screen and click "Enable Auto-Transcription"

Features & settings adjustments during the meeting

• Use breakout rooms

  • Breakout rooms enable you to split your Zoom meeting up into up to 50 smaller meetings for a portion of the meeting. This is often useful for small group discussions. Learn more about how to use breakout rooms.

• Add co-hosts

  • The co-host feature allows the host to share hosting privileges with another user, allowing the co-host to manage the administrative side of the meeting, such as managing participants or starting/stopping the recording.
  • The host is the only user who can assign a co-host. There is no limitation on the number of co-hosts you can have in a meeting or webinar.

Security recommendations

One of the most important steps you can take to stay secure on Zoom is to keep Zoom up-to-date.  This Zoom page provides guidance about how to check for available updates.  If prompted by Zoom to run an update, please do so. 

If your Zoom meeting is going to be open to the public and widely shared, here are some settings to improve the security of your session. 

• If you don’t want your participants to be able to share their screen, select Host only under Screen sharing
• If you want more control over who is allowed to join your meeting,
  • For all meetings:
    • Turn on Only authenticated users can join meetings in your Zoom settings
  • To turn on this setting for a specific meeting: 
    1. Open Zoom and choose Schedule 
    2. Once you’ve entered the details of your meeting, open Advanced options
    3. Check the box Only authenticated users can join
    4. Choose whether you’re requiring a Zoom login, a MHC login, or a 5College login from the dropdown menu.
    5. Select Schedule

Accessibility recommendations

Although Zoom is a very advanced video conference system as regards accessibility, some users may still need alternatives to fully participate in Zoom activities. Each meeting organizer or their designee is responsible for providing accommodations for Zoom users with disabilities. 

Recommendations:

• Place a standard statement in every meeting invite, such as: “Although Zoom is a very advanced video conference system as regards accessibility, some users may still need alternatives to fully participate in Zoom activities. If you need an accommodation, please inform your meeting organizer as soon as possible.” Include the meeting organizer’s contact information.

• Place the Zoom accessibility features statement in every meeting invite.

• Share link to Zoom keyboard short cuts and Help Center when sending Zoom meeting invite or upon request.

• Sharing screen content: Incorporate description of shared content into the spoken presentation. Provide another means to access content and URLs shared on screen, such as posting an accessible presentation after the session.

• Annotation: Verbally describe the drawing or other visuals shown.

• Record meeting for distribution (create video) and captioning: Captions are required if the video will be publicly available, used in a future term for a course or if class or meeting participants need this accommodation. For course accommodations, please contact Disability Services. For other captioning needs, please contact Media Services.

• Conducting a poll: Offer multiple response methods, e.g. participate in poll, type response in chat room, or speak over audio/telephone.

• Chat room content: Include chat room discussion in verbal meeting discussion. This benefits participants using telephone connections, who have no access to chat rooms, or participants using captions or who have difficulty attending to presenter and chat simultaneously. Save and share chat transcript: At the bottom of the chat window, click on “save chat.” Chat saves as transcript in notepad under Zoom folder. As host, distribute transcript to participants. Stay on chat for a few minutes after session ends for those who may want to save the chat.

• Breakout Rooms: Accessibility actions apply to breakout rooms. To use breakout rooms, enable the setting in advanced features.