The Ultimate Zoom Guide for Participants in 2021

Choosing the right device ?

So, you’ve been invited to join a meeting or event on Zoom and you’re wondering what you should do first.

For just a social chat with some friends, you can probably join with any device, as you’re not going to be using a lot of the advanced features. But if you’re attending a workshop or more immersive experience, then you want to pick one of the devices from the top of this list.

Which device is most Zoom-friendly?

Download the Zoom App here ?

If this is your first time using Zoom, make sure you download the app on your computer from the Zoom website.

This will give you the best experience compared to using the browser, a tablet or a smartphone.

And if you like, you can try joining this test meeting to make sure everything works before your meeting. This is a safe space where you can try out all the Zoom features by yourself.

How do I update my Zoom App? ℹ️

If you haven’t updated your app in a while, you might be missing out on some new features. Watch this tutorial with a step-by-step walkthrough of how to update.

How do I know if I have the most up-to-date version of Zoom?

You will either see a message that reads “You are up to date” (Hallelujah!)

OR it will say there is an “Update Available” and will lead you through the steps to install.

How to JOIN the Zoom Meeting!

Option A: Click the Meeting link to join ?

Click on the Meeting link and you will see either:

There is also an option to “Join from your browser” – but don’t do it! Using the Zoom app provides the best functionality, with access to the most features.

Can I call in by phone? ?

Not every meeting has this enabled, so review your Meeting invitation or ask your event organizer.

If it is enabled, you can click here to get a local phone number to call in and then make sure to have your Meeting ID and Passcode ready to enter on your keypad.

Welcome to the “Waiting Room” ?

~ Where are the old, tattered copies of Reader’s Digest? ~

After successfully joining the Zoom event (congrats!), you might automatically enter the “Waiting Room.”

Not all hosts enable the “Waiting Room,” but when they do, . . .

No worries – the host is probably just setting up and will let you in when they are ready.

If you arrive early, savor a few deep breaths (you FOUND the Zoom link buried in your inbox – wooohooo!) and take a gander at any event info, posted for your viewing edification! (Feel free to pipe in your own schmaltzy waiting room music, to round out the experience.)

Now that you are all set and raring to go, what’s next?

Connect your Microphone and Audio ?

~ The sound of your voice is like music to our ears! ~

1. Once admitted by the host, you will see the “Join Audio” button on the bottom left.
2. Click and it will ask if you want to join via  “Computer Audio” or “Phone Call.” For the best quality, click “Join with Computer Audio.” If your connection is bad that day, choose to join via phone and follow the instructions on the screen.
3. Before you speak, click the “Unmute” button to make sure you aren’t on Mute – sadly, our lip-reading skills aren’t what they used to be. Do this by toggling the button in the lower left of your screen.
4. If you can’t unmute yourself (because the host disabled that feature), click the “Raise Hand” button or share your question or comment via “Chat.”

Connect your Webcam and Video ?

~ Dahlink! You. Look. Mmmmmmmmahvelous! ~

The “Start Video” button is located next to the Audio “Unmute” button in the lower left of your screen and the On/Off toggle operates the same.

If your computer has more than one video camera (fancy pants!), click the little arrow next to the “Start Video” button and select which camera you want to use.

Um, I’m still invisible / Can’t hear anything …

Try restarting and rejoining Zoom.

Or, better yet, just . . . (we ALL know what’s coming next) . . . REBOOT your whole darn computer and then rejoin Zoom. According to virtual facilitation gurus everywhere, 9 out of 10 times, this fixes the issue. Just hope you aren’t that poor 10th person.

If you can, let your meeting host know in “Chat” that you will be right back, so they can let you back into the meeting.

Mute/Unmute ?

It’s a good idea to stay muted, to minimize background noise. Especially if it’s garbage collection day, police choppers are flushing out an escaped felon, or little Billy has a new bicycle horn. Thanks for keeping the cacophony to yourself.

Sometimes it makes sense to UNmute, however. For instance – if the presenter is leading a lively, group discussion or you are interacting with a small group in a breakout room. Or after the speaker busts out a joke or humorous anecdote – please unmute and laugh, even just a little snicker. There is nothing more awkward than dead air. (Well, YES there certainly is, but we are staying on task here.)

Pro Tip: Should you want to quickly unmute yourself to interject a brief, spontaneous nugget, simply press the spacebar and hold while speaking. Releasing the spacebar automatically mutes you again.

Video On/Off ?

Do your presenter a solid and leave your video ON as much as possible. Spare them the lonesome task of speaking into the faceless void – they really DO want to connect with YOU. Plus, it helps you connect with your fellow participants.

Turn your video OFF, however, if you need to run to the restroom or refill your drink, or if there is something you don’t want others to see. (For instance, your nudist housemate needs more guacamole from the fridge. It happens.)

Participants ?

Click “Participants” and a panel of options will appear in a bar on the right side of your screen. This is where you can see the list of attendees and change things like your name.

Pro Tip: If you are in “Full Screen” this bar will pop up in the middle of your screen. You can drag it out of the way, but save yourself some hassle and exit “Full Screen” before clicking on “Participants.”

Rename Yourself ✏️

Do you really want to be addressed as “MacBook 34SL9” or “John’s iPhone” for the duration of the event? True, it’s got a certain ring to it . . . but NO, the answer is no, you do not. Your facilitator and fellow participants would like to use your warm and fuzzy human name to greet you, especially in breakout rooms.

Chat ?

You’ve probably already used this – a LOT! (Good job staying engaged and connected!)

Click to open the “Chat” window on the right side of your screen and choose who you would like to send a message to – either “Everyone” or someone in particular (unless this option has been disabled by the host).

BEWARE!: If you are sending both public and private messages, be careful to double-check WHO you are about to send a message to, before hitting the Return key. This is fertile “ooopsy!” territory.

Reactions ?

Here you’ll find an entire array of emojis for nonverbal communication. When you click on an emoji, it shows up in the top left corner of your thumbnail image for 10 seconds. (The exceptions to this rule: the “Raise Hand” emoji remains until the “Lower Hand” emoji has been clicked, and the “Yes/No,” “Slower/Faster” emojis remain until they are clicked again.)

Sharing emojis is a great way to interact with the facilitator and other participants. Go ahead and click “applause” for a job well-done, post a “heart” to share the love, or indicate your surprise with the “Wow!” face.

Craving MORE information on the Reactions options? We just happen to have an entire blog and video tutorial dedicated to your curiosity. 

Raise Hand ?

If you’ve got a burning question to ask during a Q & A session, click “Raise Hand” which is also nested under the “Reactions” button. It’s not quite as satisfying as thrusting your arm high into the air (Ooooh, ooooooh, pick me!), but it gets the job done.

Leave Meeting ?

If at any time you need to “pull the ripcord” to leave, you’ll find this option tucked away in the bottom far right corner of your screen.

Things come up – the batteries in ALL of your smoke detectors expire simultaneously and commence squealing in unison, your child staggers in with a bloody appendage, or that 12 cheese habanero burrito remarkably isn’t sitting too well. We get it, life happens. If possible, just let the host know, via “Chat”, that you need to leave.

NOTE: You actually have to click twice to leave the meeting. First, to initiate leaving, and then to confirm “YES, the previous click was NOT in error – I really, truly, quite sincerely and with great confidence want to leave!” (This 2-step plan makes it more difficult to leave accidentally, which is a very good thing!)

When a presenter is sharing slides ?

How the heck am I supposed to read this detailed slide?!

When the presenter is sharing a slide, sometimes you might want the slide to take up most of the screen, if there are a lot of details to see. Other times, you might want to shrink the slide down and see more of the presenter or other participants.

In between the slides and the presenter, there is a double vertical line “handle” that you can use to drag and resize the two sections of your screen until it’s just right. Yay for screen customization options!

Speaker View vs. Gallery View ?

Hey, where did everybody go?!

In the upper right-hand corner of your screen is a “View” button. Use this to toggle between “Speaker” View and “Gallery” View.

Annotations ✍️

This is a cool feature where you can draw, write and annotate on the presenter’s slides via Zoom’s shared whiteboard. If the host has enabled annotations, here’s how to access them and play along!

You’re about to attend an event – maybe it’s an unconference, networking, or social event – where YOU get to choose your OWN Breakout Room!

It can be a bit tricky – thank heaven we are here to teach you how to take over the controls with confidence!

What is a Breakout Room? ?

Great question! Breakout rooms are sessions that are split off from the main Zoom meeting, which allow participants to meet in smaller groups, and are completely isolated in terms of audio and video from the main session. “Huh?!” Ok, time to bring out the Zoom decoder ring!

Think of it like a house party.

Everyone is hanging out in the living room at first, but then peeps start wandering into the kitchen or out onto the patio, to chill and talk in smaller groups. But everyone meets back in the living room to say goodbye. Breakout rooms are kinda like that!

How do I join a Breakout Room? ➡️

Most of the time the host will automatically assign you to a Breakout Room, so you don’t have to do anything but enjoy the ride.

Once the host clicks the magic button you will immediately be teleported to the room that has been assigned to you. (NOTE: Sometimes a pop-up message appears, asking you to click first, in order to join.)

But when the host allows you to move freely between the rooms (for an Unconference or Open Space Technology, for example), follow the instructions below:

How to choose my own Breakout Room? ?

You’re in the DRIVER’S seat now!

How do I SWITCH Breakout Rooms? ?

If you want to switch to another room, simply click on the “Breakout Rooms” button again and two options appear:

How do I LEAVE the Breakout Room? ?

The “Leave Room” button is located in the bottom right corner of your screen and sends you back to the main room.

NOTE: Just make sure NOT to accidentally click the “Leave MEETING” button, which boots your booty out and will have you knocking on the “Waiting Room” door once again. (I’m sure your host will let you back in, though!)

If the “Leave Room” option has been disabled, stay in the Breakout Room until the time is up and the host will automatically bring you back to the Main Room.