Zoom Quick Start Guide
Here is a quick guide to get you started. There are plenty of online help or videos on YouTube to assist you further.
- Zoom is an online internet-based video conferencing software.
- You do not need to pay to use this application.
- The Guild has purchased Zoom account, you just need to install Zoom on your device
What do you need to join a Zoom session?
- Desktop or Laptop computer, tablet or smartphone (download Zoom app from app store or, if on a computer you can just go to Zoom.us and download it from there for free)
- Preferably a web camera (not mandatory)
- A microphone of some sort: cell phones have them but you’ll probably want a bigger screen; most new laptops and computers have both camera and microphone; for older computers you can add both microphone and camera for about $40 to 50 at the moment.
- Internet connection (WiFi or wired)
- An email invitation and password if required
If you were given an Invite:
- Click on link in the email, or go to the Guild’s website (Login first thing if it’s a member-only event). Click on the event in the list on the bottom of almost any page or, on the upper menu, go to “Glass”> Event Calendar. The link should be up at least two days before the event.
- You may need to click on “open.zoom.us”, especially the first time you use it.
- Click “Join with Computer Audio”
Other Tips
- If you see: “Waiting for Host to Start this Meeting,” just wait for them to join. We suggest hosts start the meeting about 10 minutes early to give everyone time to get connected.
- If a password is asked for, it will be in the email from the meeting organizer or you can request it using the form (About>Contact Us>Request Zoom Link tab)
- Adjust your camera to center your face on the screen so people can see you properly.
- Your microphone and camera ON/OFF icons are in the bottom left corner of the screen.
- Click on Participants at the bottom center of the screen to see others in the meeting.
- Please keep yourself on Mute unless speaking. Be respectful when others are talking.
- The CHAT button at the bottom of the screen allows you type a message to participants
- If you are muted, hold down the space bar to temporarily unmute and when finished release the spacebar to remain muted
- If you don’t want to spend the meeting seeing yourself (which can be tiring), the 3 dots in the upper right of your image have a menu. Choose “hide self view”.
Security Suggestion
- We will be having a password so you will need to login to the website and go to the “Calendar” to find the link. If it is a member-only event, you must be logged in to see/click the link, which should contain the password.
- We are often recording so you may wish to change your name to just your first name and perhaps post a picture instead of being “live” in the video.

- In the lower bar below screen click on the “Participants” icon
- The “Participants” panel will open
- Click on the “More” button and rename or replace picture