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Discover Zoom Tips

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Here are some ideas to enhance your Zoom experience.

Zoom has several types of settings. You change some settings in the desktop client Preferences; others you change online on a Zoom web page; and several may be changed on the meeting interface during a meeting.

Profile Settings (Zoom Web Page)

Personalize your appearance in Zoom with an image or photo and include your preferred name and pronouns using your online Profile.

1. Launch the Zoom desktop client and open the Preferences pane.

Screen shot of Zoom menu with Preferences selected

 

2. On the Preference pane menu, select Profile and then click the Edit My Profile button.

Screen shot of Zoom Preferences menu pane with Profile selected and Edit My Profile indicated

 

3. On the Zoom Profile web page, under the picture icon click the Change link and follow the instructions to upload a photo or another image that represents you.

Screen shot of Zoom Profile page with Change text indicated

 

If desired, change the text under First Name to your preferred name and add your pronouns after your last name. Click the Edit link to the right of your name.

Screen shot of Zoom Profile page with Edit indicated

 

Change the text in the boxes to match your preferred name and add your pronouns. Then click the Save Changes button.

Screen shot of Zoom Profile page with name text boxes and Save Changes button indicated

 

4. Close the web page. Your profile changes should appear when you next use Zoom.

Preferences (Zoom Client)

Select a Skin Tone

You can select a skin tone for the Hand-Clap and Thumbs-Up icons that appear when you use Reactions during a meeting. 

1. Launch the Zoom desktop client and open the Preferences pane. Click General and then select the desired skin tone from the options under Reaction Skin Tone.

Screen shot of Zoom Preferences General pane with Reaction Skin Tone indicated

 

That's it! Your selected skin tone should appear during your next Zoom meeting.

Use a Virtual Background

You can customize the background appearing behind your image when using your video. Note: If you experience problems, such as freezing video, during Zoom meetings, not using a virtual background may help.

1. Launch the Zoom desktop client and open the Preferences pane. Click Background & Filters and then select one of the backgrounds provided or upload one of your own by clicking the Plus icon on the right side of the pane.

Screen shot of Zoom Preferences Backgrounds and Filters with Plus icon indicated

 

2. Close the Preferences pane.

That's all. Your virtual background will display during your next meeting.

In-Meeting Settings (Meeting Interface)

If you are distracted by seeing a video of yourself during Zoom meetings, you can hide your video pane without turning off your video feed that others see.

1. During a Zoom meeting, on the pane displaying your video, move your mouse over the right corner and click the ellipsis that appears or right-click on the pane and select Hide Myself.

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2. To restore your video, on any visible participants' video pane, move your mouse over the right corner and click the ellipsis that appears or right-click on the pane and select Show Myself.