Schedule and Start a Meeting

Meetings can be scheduled and started from either the web portal or the desktop client. Most scheduler settings are synced from the Settings page in your website portal account. Some settings can be enable/disabled on a per meeting when scheduling. 

Since user accounts are administered and managed by their district, settings and options could differ per district. Learn more about any settings or options not mentioned in this article by going to Zoom's Support Site. 

Web Portal

 Sign in to your Zoom account to schedule meetings and manage your account.

1. Click on Meetings in the left navigation menu.
2. Click on Schedule a Meeting on the right.
3. Add a topic; click the + Description link underneath the topic to add a description for the meeting.
4. Choose a date, time and duration.
5. If you enable Recurring, additional options will appear. When registration is also selected, the Recurring section will allow you to choose how often the attendee must register before joining a session.
6. When Registration is enabled the registration link will appear after the meeting is saved.
7. Choose to Generate Automatically a unique meeting ID or use your Personal Meeting ID.
8. If you have a meeting template saved, select the template.
9. Select a Whiteboard if one will be shared during meeting.
10. Select the meeting options for Security, Video, Audio.
11. Next to Options click on Show to apply additional settings such as:
    • Allow participants to join anytime
    • Q&A 
    • Mute participants upon entry
    • Breakout Room pre-assign
    • Request permission to unmute participants
    • Automatically record meeting in the cloud or on local computer
    • Enable focus mode when meeings starts
    • Approve or block entry to users from specific regions/countries
    • Designate an Alternative Host
12. Enable interpretation if needed, including language interpretation and sign language.
13. Click the Save button. 

After clicking on Save, the meeting details will appear. Copy and share the invitation, the registration link, or the 'join link' to share with others. 

Additionally, if Registration was enabled, after the meeting is saved, click on the meeting topic to view the Registration tab to edit the registration options and view who has registered:

Scheduled meetings can be started, edited, or deleted from the Meetings page in the web portal or from the desktop app. Deleted meetings can be recovered from the Upcoming Meetings page on the web portal within one week of the deletion.

Desktop Client

The desktop client also know as the desktop app, allows scheduling and starting meetings from an app; it is a connection to your Zoom web portal account, with most features and functions available. 

Schedule a meeting from the desktop client:

1. Click Schedule on the Home tab.
2. Add topic. There is no option to add a description.
3. Choose a date, time, duration, and whether the meeting is recurring.
4. Select the type of Meeting ID, Security, Video, and Audio settings.
5. Optional - Choose your calendar for posting and sending invitations.
6. Click drop-down arrow next to Advanced Options to apply additional settings.
7. Enable Interpretation if needed. 
8. Click the Save button.

*Enabling registration is only available in the web portal. Meetings can be edited in the web portal including enabling registration or add a meeting description.

What to know about your Personal Meeting ID (PMI)

Your Personal Meeting ID, also known as PMI, is a persistent link and Meeting ID available 24/7/365.

We recommend reserving your PMI for meeting with colleagues; the link is open to anyone who previously used the link, such as students. Use of the PMI when scheduliing in Canvas is not recommended.

Start a Meeting from the Web Portal

1. Click on Meetings in the left navigation menu. The default page will list your Upcoming meetings.
2. Hover over the title of your scheduled meeting.
3. Click on Start to the right of the meeting title.

You can also click on the title of the scheduled meeting and start it from within the meeting details. Look for the blue Start button at the bottom of the page.

Start a Meeting from the Desktop Client

1. Open your desktop client.
2. Click on Home in the top menu options.
3. The next upcoming meetings appear on the right.
4. Click Start.

Instant Meetings

Zoom meetings can be started immediately, without the need to pre-schedule a date, time, etc. Once you start an instant meeting, a Zoom meeting window opens, and you can share the meeting ID with others.

To start an instant meeting in the web portal:

1. Click on Host in the top right corner when logged into your account.
2. Select to start the meeting with your video on or off, or start a screen share only meeting.

To start an instant meeting using your desktop client:

1. Click on the Home tab.
2. Click on New Meeting. Or click the caret to the right to select option to start with or without video and/or use your Personal Meeting ID.