Zoom Landing Page

On this page:

Overview

Zoom is the audio, web and whiteboarding conferencing tool that offers a set of services that provides audio, video, and text options. Accessed via the web, mobile device or desktop client, participants may hold a virtual meeting or webinar, share files or use screen sharing to show presentations, applications, or other web sites. It is available to all MIT community members with an MIT Kerberos ID and the ability to authenticate with [Touchstone].

If you signed up for a free Zoom account with your MIT email address, you will be asked to switch to the MIT license and login with [Touchstone Authentication]. If you prefer not to use the MIT license, update your email address on the account to a non-MIT email address (Gmail, Yahoo, Verizon or others). For details, see: Account Consolidation with Managed Domain

If you have a paid Zoom account registered under your mit.edu email address, you may encounter login difficulties when trying to access Zoom. If you believe you may be affected by this issue, please send email to servicedesk@mit.edu. If you know your paid Zoom account number, please include that in your correspondence as well.

Zoom Phones

With a Zoom Phone you can make and receive calls within the same Zoom client that is already used widely at MIT for meetings, classes, collaboration, and conferences in addition to on existing desk phones.

The Zoom phone platform provides you with a more integrated communication experience. Conversations can be moved from a call into a meeting, or from a meeting to a call, and calls can be easily switched from one device running the Zoom client to another.

See: Zoom Phone Service

Zoom Rooms

Zoom Rooms integrate in-person meeting spaces with video conferencing solutions, enabling in-person and remote participants to interact in real-time.

See: Zoom Rooms at MIT

How to Obtain/Access

System Requirements

System Requirements for PC, MacOS and Linux
Browser Requirements and Feature Support Comparison
Bandwidth Requirements
Using Zoom internationally
If you have issues connecting to Zoom from your location, try using MIT's remote access VPN to connect to the service.

Web Client/Portal

The Zoom web client supports some meeting functionality, all setting and profile customization. It works best on Google Chrome, but most features also available on Firefox and Safari. Limited meeting functionality is available on Internet Explorer. Login using MIT [Touchstone Authentication]. You can also configure your account settings and profile at the account portal.

Login at: https://mit.zoom.us [istdraft:Touchstone Authentication]
- You may be prompted to download and install the desktop client. Select "Start from your browser" to use the web client.
The Zoom Web Client
Edit your profile and settings at: https://mit.zoom.us/profile

Desktop Application

The zoom desktop application supports all of Zoom's meeting features and many settings/profile customizations.

Download and install the Zoom Desktop Client for your system.
Open the Zoom application.
Result: Zoom opens and you are given the option to sign in or start a meeting.
Click Sign In
Result: The Sign In options window opens.
Click Sign in with SSO
Result: You are prompted to enter your company domain for SSO (single sign-on).
In Company Domain, enter: MIT
Result: You are prompted to authenticate with MIT Touchstone.
Authenticate with [MIT Touchstone].
Result: You are logged in and Zoom opens. You're ready to start, join or schedule meetings.
Click your profile image in the top-right to edit your profile and settings.
You may be prompted to enable microphone access in your settings. Do so if you will be using your microphone for Zoom meetings.

Zoom Mobile App

Zoom is available for iOS and Android Phones and Tablets. Login using your MIT Kerberos ID and [Touchstone Authentication].

Company Domain: MIT

Zoom in the Apple App Store
Zoom in the Google Play Store
[istdraft:Configure Zoom for iPad]

Can I use Zoom on multiple devices?

You can be signed in to Zoom on one computer, one tablet, and one phone at a time. If you sign into an additional device while logged into another device of the same type, you will be logged out automatically on the first device.

Zoom does not permit sharing accounts with multiple individuals their Terms of Service. [Reference: Zoom's Webpage]

Documentation/Training

Getting Started

Scheduling Meetings

Scheduling a meeting is like booking a virtual conference room. Meetings can be scheduled from the Zoom web portal or the Zoom applications.

In order to utilize features such as adding an alternate host or assigning a scheduling privilege, the prospective alternate host or user with the scheduling privilege must have logged-in to mit.zoom.us at least once in the past.

Participants are sent invitations.
It has a unique URL for the meeting.
You can designate somebody else to be host/start the meeting.
You can set up repeating meetings.
Zoom requires that all meetings have a Passcode or a Waiting Room enabled.

Scheduling Meetings
Enable a Waiting Room for Zoom Meetings
Scheduling Privilege (Delegates)
Alternative Host
Enabling and Adding a Co-host
Enabling MIT Touchstone for Zoom Meetings
Meeting and Webinar Passwords
Zoom's Scheduling Meetings Help Articles
[istdraft:Scheduling a Zoom Meeting from within Canvas]

Securing Meetings

Protect your virtual interactions and minimize disruption, intentional or unintentional, to your Zoom meetings and online classes by managing access and features to ensure a positive and productive teaching, learning, and working environment.

Hosting Meetings

How do I Start or Join a Scheduled Meeting as the Host?
How do I Invite Others to Join a Meeting?
How Do I Host a Video Meeting?
Host and Co-host Controls in Meetings
Managing Participants in a Meeting
Pass Host Controls and Leave the Meeting
Polling for Meetings
In-Meeting Controls - Basics
Sharing Computer Sound During Screen Sharing
Enabling End-to-End Encryption for Meetings (note that enabling this feature disables many features otherwise present in Zoom Meetings, including Cloud Recording, Join Before Host, and app integration)
How to optimize Zoom webinars for people using an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter

Attending Meetings

Zoom offers two kinds of meetings, meet now and scheduled meetings. Meet now is an impromptu meeting that you can start at any time and invite attendees to join immediately. Scheduled meetings are for a set time, invitees are sent invitations in advance, and they can be set to recur on a regular basis.

Multiple Meetings

Can I Host Concurrent Meetings? - No
Join Multiple Meetings Simultaneously on Desktop - Check the Meeting settings in your account.

Sharing

How do I start a Screen Share Meeting
Sharing Your Screen
Sharing a Whiteboard
Zoom's Screen Sharing Help Articles
Use a document camera such as the IPEZO VZ-R to display documents and other objects.
Step-by-step guide to setting up IPEVO document cameras with Zoom

Recording Meetings

We recommend saving any videos made in Zoom there, in the "Zoom Cloud". MIT's Zoom service has a legal agreement ensuring data privacy. You can then share a link to that video via Stellar/LMOD, email or other sites.

Zoom Webinars

Meetings are designed to be a collaborative event with all participants being able to screen share, turn on their video and audio, and see who else is in attendance. Webinars are designed so that the host and any designated panelists can share their video, audio and screen. Webinars allow view-only attendees. They have the ability to interact via Q&A, chat, and answering polling questions. The host can also unmute the attendees.

Compare the features of meetings vs. webinars here.

MIT’s Zoom license allows for a limited number of webinars. If you require this feature, please send email to servicedesk@mit.edu indicating how many people you would like to attend the webinar, and your request will be evaluated.

Webinars are virtual lectures. The presenter hosts and attendees can be required to register in advance. On-demand webinars allow you to schedule a webinar with registration and record the webinar automatically in the cloud. After the webinar, registration will stay open and anyone who registers will receive a link to the cloud recording.

Captioning & Live Transcription

Closed caption allows the host, another attendee assigned by the host, or third-party closed captioning service to add closed captioning in a meeting. If you are unable to provide captioning, Zoom also provides AI-powered live transcription for MIT Zoom. Live transcription currently only supports English.

Zoom AI Companion

Zoom recently introduced an artificial intelligence-powered assistant, Zoom AI Companion, as a component of several platform features used widely at MIT.
The AI Companion is available for MIT users to choose to activate for its Meeting Summary, AI Companion Questions, Smart Recording, and Whiteboard Content Generation features.

More information on the use and features of Zoom AI Companion can be found below.

Zoom Outlook, Panopto and other app Plug-ins

Zoom and Panopto
The Download Center has many plug-ins you can use with other apps.
Integrating Zoom with Exchange

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Zoom Security
Testing Computer or Device Audio
How do I test my video?
Error Codes and Messages for Meetings and Webinars
What is the maximum number of participants for a Zoom meeting?
Zoom's Frequently Asked Questions
Zoom's Troubleshooting Articles
Check Zoom's Service Status page
Managing Your Bandwidth
[Why does my Zoom profile picture keep reappearing after I delete it?]
[Why can people sometimes join Zoom meetings I've already ended?]
Managing Your Bandwidth
I'm the host of a Zoom meeting, why can't I edit it from the Zoom calendar?
What is the rentention period on a Zoom cloud recording?