How to Use Zoom: A Beginner's Guide

If someone has invited you to a Zoom meeting, you may be wondering what to click, how to turn on your camera, or how to make sure people can hear you. Zoom can look busy the first time you open it, but you only need a few basic controls to take part.

Zoom is a video meeting service that lets people talk over the internet using a computer, tablet, or phone. You can join most meetings without creating a Zoom account, and you do not need a camera if you would rather take part using audio only.

What you’ll need

• A computer, tablet, or smartphone connected to the internet.
• A microphone and speakers or headphones if you want to speak and listen.
• A webcam or built-in camera if you want other people to see you.
• The meeting invitation link or meeting ID and passcode, if one was provided.

Step 1: Open Zoom or join from an invitation

You can join a meeting by clicking its invitation link or by entering its meeting ID in Zoom. The link is usually sent by email, calendar invitation, or message.

1. Open the meeting invitation.
2. Click the Join Zoom Meeting link, if one is provided.
3. If your device asks whether to open Zoom, choose the option to open the Zoom app.
4. If you do not have the app, you may be offered a way to join through your web browser. Follow the on-screen instructions.
5. If asked, enter the meeting passcode from the invitation.
6. Enter your name if Zoom asks how you would like to appear to other participants.

You can also open the Zoom app and select Join, then enter the meeting ID and your name. A meeting ID is a number that identifies the meeting. The host may also require a passcode.

Good to know: You do not usually need a Zoom account just to join someone else’s meeting. The host may have settings that require you to sign in, so follow the instructions in the invitation if that happens.

Step 2: Check your microphone and camera

Before you enter the meeting, Zoom may show a preview screen. This gives you a chance to check your camera and choose whether to join with video.

1. If you see a video preview, check that the picture looks as you expect.
2. Choose Join with Video if you want others to see you, or Join without Video if you prefer to keep your camera off.
3. If Zoom asks about audio, choose Join with Computer Audio or the equivalent option to use your device’s microphone and speakers.
4. If you are using headphones, make sure they are connected before joining.
5. If prompted, allow Zoom to use your microphone and camera.

You can take part without a webcam. You can also keep your microphone muted until you are ready to speak.

Tip: If you are joining from a shared room, check what your camera will show before turning it on. You can keep video off and still listen and speak.

Step 3: Learn the main meeting controls

Once you are in the meeting, Zoom displays a toolbar with buttons for the most common actions. On a computer, the toolbar is usually along the bottom of the meeting window. On a phone or tablet, the controls may be arranged differently or hidden until you tap the screen.

1. Select Mute to turn off your microphone. Select Unmute when you want to speak.
2. Select Stop Video to turn off your camera. Select Start Video to turn it on again.
3. Select Participants to see who is in the meeting, if that option is available.
4. Select Chat to send a written message to the host or other participants, depending on the meeting settings.
5. Select Leave when you want to exit the meeting.

The host may control some options. For example, a host may mute participants, turn off chat, or prevent participants from sharing their screens.

Careful: When you are not speaking, muting your microphone can reduce background noise. Remember that unmuting lets everyone in the meeting hear sounds picked up by your microphone.

Step 4: Use Chat to send a message

Chat is useful if you want to share a short comment, ask a question without interrupting, or send a web address.

1. Select Chat on the meeting toolbar.
2. A chat panel should open.
3. Type your message in the message box.
4. Check who will receive it. Depending on the host’s settings, you may be able to send a message to everyone or to a specific participant.
5. Press Enter or select the send icon.

Not every meeting allows private messages or file sharing. If you cannot send a message, the host may have disabled that feature.

Step 5: Share your screen when you need to show something

Screen sharing lets other people see content from your computer or device. You might use it to show a document, a photograph, or a presentation.

1. Select Share or Share Screen on the meeting toolbar.
2. Choose what you want to share, such as a particular application window or your entire screen.
3. Check that you have selected the correct window or screen.
4. Select Share to begin.
5. When you have finished, select Stop Share.

If you are showing a document, sharing just that app window can help keep other things on your desktop private. Close or hide anything you do not want participants to see before you begin.

Tip: If you are new to screen sharing, practise with a trusted person before an important meeting. It is easier to learn the controls when you are not in a hurry.

Step 6: Schedule your own Zoom meeting

You can host a meeting by starting one straight away or scheduling it for later. To schedule a meeting in the Zoom desktop app, you generally need to sign in to your Zoom account.

1. Open the Zoom app and sign in.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. Select Schedule.
4. Enter a meeting topic, date, and time.
5. Review the available security, video, and audio options.
6. Select Save.
7. Copy the invitation details or use the available calendar invitation option to send them to the people you want to invite.

The layout can differ between the desktop app, mobile app, and web portal. If you do not see Schedule on the Home tab, check the Calendar or Meetings area, or use the scheduling option in your Zoom account online.

For more details, see Zoom’s official guide to scheduling meetings.

Step 7: Leave the meeting safely

When the conversation is over, you can leave without shutting down your computer or closing all your apps.

1. Find Leave on the meeting toolbar.
2. Select Leave Meeting if a confirmation menu appears.
3. Wait until the meeting window closes.
4. If you are the host, Zoom may show an option to end the meeting for everyone instead. Choose carefully.

If you are a participant, leaving the meeting does not end it for everyone else. The host can continue the meeting after you go.

Troubleshooting: Common Zoom problems

People cannot hear me.

Check that you are not muted. Select the small arrow beside the microphone control, if shown, and make sure Zoom is using the correct microphone. Also check that your device has allowed Zoom to use the microphone.

I cannot hear anyone else.

Turn up your device’s volume and check that Zoom is using the right speakers or headphones. If you use Bluetooth headphones, make sure they are connected to the device.

My camera is not working.

Check that the camera is not covered and that Start Video is selected. Close other apps that may be using the camera, and check your computer or phone’s privacy settings if Zoom does not have camera permission.

The meeting link does not open.

Try opening the Zoom app first and selecting Join, then enter the meeting ID from the invitation. You can also ask the host to send the invitation again.

The controls have disappeared.

Move your mouse over the meeting window on a computer, or tap the screen on a phone or tablet. The toolbar may hide itself when it is not being used.

For more help, visit Zoom’s official support center.

Feel more comfortable using Zoom

You do not need to master every Zoom feature to enjoy a meeting. Start by joining with the invitation link, checking your audio, and learning how to mute and unmute. Once those basics feel familiar, you can explore Chat, screen sharing, and scheduling at your own pace.