UW-Madison Zoom - Getting started

Zoom is an enterprise cloud platform for video, voice, online meetings, screen sharing, chat, and webinars. This enterprise web conferencing and distance learning application runs across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems.

Because the UW-Madison Zoom service uses an Education license, we have access to more features compared to a free basic Zoom account. Below are quick highlights on the differences:

This document explains how to start using the UW-Madison Zoom service.

Eligibility

Eligible

  • UW-Madison Faculty
  • UW-Madison Staff
  • UW-Madison Students

Ineligible

  • Former faculty/staff
  • Alumni
  • Emeriti
  • Retirees with IT Services
  • Retirees without IT services

Note: Individuals who are ineligible for Zoom will not have the option to create a consumer Zoom account (https://zoom.us) using their @wisc.edu email address.

Sign in to your UW-Madison Zoom account

Zoom Web Portal:

  1. Go to https://uwmadison.zoom.us.
  2. Click on Sign in.
  3. If you are redirected to UW-Madison NetID login page, please enter your NetID and password credentials.
  4. Upon sign in you will be taken to your Profile page. Highlights on this page include:
    • Setting your profile picture.
    • Editing your Personal Meeting ID (PMI)/Personal Link.
      • This is your personal dedicated virtual meeting space. You can use it at any time or schedule future meetings.
  5. Important - confirm you are signed into your UW-Madison Zoom account:
    • Click on your avatar - located at top right corner
    • Confirm it shows the following: your name, your email address (in the form of netid@wisc.edu), and the word Licensed. If it does not, please sign-out and repeat the sign-in process from above.
  6. After configuring your profile, we recommend going to the Meeting Settings tab to configure your preferences based on how you would like to conduct meetings. Learn more.

Zoom Desktop Client:

  1. If applicable, download the Zoom Client for Meetings desktop client.
  2. Start/run Zoom desktop client.
  3. Click on your avatar and select Sign Out.
  4. On the Zoom sign in page (you may need to restart Zoom desktop client), click the Sign In with SSO option.
  5. If prompted to enter your domain, enter: uwmadison.
  6. If prompted, enter your netid@wisc.edu email address, then click Continue.
  7. If prompted, enter your NetID credentials on the UW-Madison NetID login page. Important: If you are currently signed in with this same UW-Madison Zoom account on another device, you will be signed out there.
  8. If prompted, select the option to start using Zoom via the desktop client.
  9. We recommend going to the Settings (within your avatar menu) to configure your preferences based on how you would like to conduct meetings. Learn more.

If you would like the Zoom desktop client to automatically run when your computer starts up, you can follow the steps below:

  • Windows: 
    • Open the Zoom desktop client.
    • Click on your profile picture at the top right and click Settings.
    • Click on General and then check the box that says, “Start Zoom when I start Windows”.
  • Mac: 
    • Right-click on the Zoom app in the dock.
    • Select Options, then click on Open at Login.

Zoom Mobile Client

  1. Download/install the Zoom mobile client for your device.
  2. Run/open the Zoom mobile client.
  3. On the "Sign In" screen, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select SIGN IN WITH - SSO option.
  4. If prompted to enter your domain, enter: uwmadison and click Continue.
  5. If prompted, enter your NetID credentials on the UW-Madison NetID login page.

Schedule a Zoom Meeting

Zoom offers several ways to schedule meetings.

Zoom Web portal or desktop client - see Zoom instructions.

Outlook web/desktop clients - see instructions.

Learn more: Scheduling with Zoom.

Schedule a Zoom Recurring Meeting

Zoom allows you to schedule meetings with multiple occurrences, so that each occurrence uses the same meeting ID and settings. You can schedule these meetings in daily, weekly, and monthly increments. You can also set a recurring meeting to be used at any time.

Zoom Web portal or desktop client - see Zoom instructions.

Learn more: Scheduling with Zoom.

Start a Meeting

To start a meeting, you can use any Zoom client or click on the "Join Zoom Meeting" link within a calendar invitation or email which is included in your Outlook client (or any client that contains the Zoom meeting link). Learn more.

In-Meeting Controls

Audio

When starting/joining a meeting, you can join the audio by phone or computer.

  • Computer:
    • Choose Join Audio by Computer to connect your computer's mic and speakers to the Zoom Meeting.
    • Test your Audio sources by using the Test Computer Audio link when joining.
  • Phone call: 
    • Choose Phone Call and dial the number provided.
    • Enter in the Meeting ID and make sure to input the Participant ID.

Clicking on the Mic icon will let you mute and unmute your audio once connected.

Video

  • Access Video settings before or during a meeting by clicking on the Settings icon in the Zoom desktop application.
  • On the Video tab, you can preview and change your camera source via the down arrow.
  • Clicking on the Video icon will let you start and stop your video feed.

Invite Participants

During a meeting, click Invite to send meeting information to more participants by email, Zoom chat, phone, or room system.

Manage Participants

When hosting a Zoom meeting, you have additional controls available to help manage your participants. Attendees can only view the other participants.

Share Screen

  • Click Share Screen.
  • Choose to share your: desktop, specific application, whiteboard, or camera feed.
  • All participants in your meeting can share their screen.
  • During screen sharing you and your attendees can use the Annotation tools for drawing, pointing, highlighting, etc.

Chat

  • Click Chat to start an in-meeting message with participants in the meeting.
  • The dropdown on the chat window will allow you to message Everyone, or a specific participant.

Record

As a host, you can record the meeting to either the Zoom cloud or your local machine.

  1. Click on the Record icon in the toolbar.
  2. Choose to record to the Cloud or Local machine.
  3. Recording will process once the meeting ends.

Zoom Best Practices

Before the Meeting:

  • Test your Audio and Video.
  • Make sure to choose the correct audio and video sources.
  • Have the content and applications that you intend to share open and prepared ahead of time.
  • Close applications that have pop ups.

Hosting A Meeting:

  • Mute your mic if others are presenting/speaking.
  • Use Gallery View for smaller group/team meetings.
  • Share your screen.
  • Share specific Applications to control displayed content.
  • Use New Share to seamlessly transition between shared applications.
  • Use the Annotation tools to grab and direct attention.
  • If you are hosting simultaneous meetings, your audio controls will be reflected across all the meetings.

Hosting a Webinar:

  • A webinar license is required for the owner of the webinar - see UW-Madison Zoom - View and Request Add-on Licenses.
  • Duration matters - set the exact time of the event
    • Do not pad the times - participants will see the actual times
  • Generate the event ID automatically - do not use your personal ID
  • If registration is required:
    • Always add a description - this will be included in the email registrants receive

Turn the camera on:

  • Put your webcam at eye level or higher – experiment for best angles.
  • Make Eye Contact. Try to look at your webcam instead of the screen.

Below are additional resources from Zoom:

Training Resources

Technical Support

Please contact the DoIT Help Desk for technical assistance.

Additional resources