Zoom Accessibility and Usability Information

This document summarizes the accessibility and usability barriers identified during testing as well as how to get help.

Zoom is a web conferencing software that (like all web conferencing software) requires download of a local app to connect to meetings.

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Accessibility & usability barriers 

The following information is provided to help people with disabilities know what potential barriers may exist when navigating web conferencing options. 

Zoom’s user experience is divided into four interfaces, the:

  • Sign in
  • Desktop app
  • Join a meeting
  • Web experience

Zoom "Sign-in" barriers

  • Magnification barriers may make it difficult for users with low vision to perceive icons.
  • Low-contrast barriers may make it difficult for users to read content on the page.
  • The focus styling, which shows where users navigating via keyboard are on the page, is sometimes not visible or hard to see making it difficult to operate Zoom via keyboard navigation. This may impact users who have a motor disability and so can not navigate via mouse or trackpad.

Zoom App barriers

  • The interface cannot be magnified with browser magnification settings (Ctrl + or Zoom) or navigated with a keyboard, which may impact users with low vision who magnify the screen to read and those with motor disabilities who use a keyboard to navigate.

Zoom "Join a meeting" barriers

  • Magnification barriers, which cause content to be blocked by static headers, may make it difficult for users with low vision to join a Zoom meeting.

Zoom Web experience barriers (Profile, Meetings, Quizzes, Polls, Security, Settings)

  • Low contrast barriers may make it difficult for users who are colorblind or have low vision to read content that is magnified and for those with motor disabilities who use a keyboard to navigate and take action within the website.
  • Keyboard navigation barriers may prevent those who navigate with a keyboard on a magnified screen access the content they need. Either visual indication is lost or content is entirely skipped.
  • Screen reader barriers may prevent users from interacting with content displayed in a table.

Avoid using virtual backgrounds 

Avoid using virtual backgrounds during a web conferencing event as the effects are visually less accessible to users. Virtual backgrounds can also cause increased CPU workload for the user running the background, which can disrupt their participation in the meeting.