General
How do I sign in?
- Download the Zoom application
- Click the Sign In with SSO button
- Enter "cuboulder" and click continue
- A browser window will open prompting you for your Federated Identity Service identikey and password credentials. Click Continue.
- This will automatically create your account and log you in.
Do I need a Pro account to use Zoom?
No. A Zoom account isn’t required to attend a meeting. Users do need a Zoom account to host a meeting. A Pro account (which all actively affiliated faculty and staff and students currently enrolled in classes have access to) allows a user to host a group meeting with fewer limitations than free accounts.
How many meetings can I hold with Zoom?
A Zoom Pro user can host meetings with up to 300 participants for an unlimited amount of time and connect to traditional videoconferencing systems.
Do participants need a Zoom account to join a meeting?
No. Anyone can join a meeting using the Zoom mobile apps or desktop applications for Windows and Mac. This means you can hold meetings with students, co-workers, or even people who aren’t affiliated with CU without them having to create an account.
Can Zoom connect to a videoconferencing system?
Yes, Zoom can be used to connect to a traditional standards-based videoconferencing systems. This requires a Zoom Pro account. Instructions can be found by clicking Invite from within a meeting. Please contact the IT Service Center with any questions.
I use the Zoom Outlook Plugin but it's not working correctly. How can I fix it?
Microsoft and Apple have announced they will stop supporting the legacy Zoom Plug-in for Outlook in May 2021. OIT recommends users uninstall the Zoom Plug-in and install Microsoft’s Zoom Add-in for Outlook.
Can I use Zoom on a mobile device, such as a smartphone?
Yes. There are official free apps available for iOS and Android. The apps support many of Zoom’s features, including hosting meetings and viewing screen sharing. Zoom also includes built-in support for calling in to a meeting over telephone.
How do I record a meeting in Zoom?
Zoom meetings can be recorded from the desktop versions of the application (Mac OSX, Windows). To do so:
- Click the Record button in the main video window. By default, only a host can record a meeting. A host can allow other meeting participants to record through the Participants pop-up menu.
- Click Participants, then hover over a user’s name and click More and then Allow Record to let that user record the meeting.
Use our tutorials to learn more about how to record a meeting and Save to the Cloud or Save to your Computer.
*Note: You will have to keep Zoom open after the meeting is over to allow it to process and save the video file. A progress bar will appear after you leave the meeting to show you how long this will take.
Where can I find the files if I record a meeting?
By default, all recordings will be placed in a Zoom folder found in the following file path on these devices where "<user name>" is your username on the device:
PC: C:\Users\<User Name>\Documents\Zoom
Mac: /Users/<User Name>/Documents/Zoom
Use our tutorials to learn how to record a meeting and Save to the Cloud or Save to your Computer or visit Zoom's support area learn more information about local recordings.
What is OIT’s Zoom cloud recording retention policy?
All recordings saved to the Zoom cloud that are older than 365 days (one calendar year) will be deleted. OIT strongly recommends routine review and archiving of Zoom recordings to make sure you keep what you need. Learn how to run a report to view your recordings over a period of time. Please note that once content has been removed it can not be recovered.
OIT recommends users take personal responsibility for routine archiving of content. Once content has been removed it can not be recovered. If you require long-term storage, there are several file storage options supported by OIT. For more information on downloading cloud recordings, please refer to Zoom's Managing Cloud Recordings information.
How can I view all of my cloud recordings in a consolidated format?
Zoom allows you to run reports that list recorded sessions in a list that makes it easy to review and download recordings you'd like to save. Visit our Run a Report of Previous Zoom Recordings tutorial to learn how.
What if my meeting contains confidential or sensitive information?
OIT recommends that you do not record any meetings containing confidential or sensitive information. Zoom includes built-in encryption capabilities, which should be enabled for any such meetings.
How can my Zoom meetings be encrypted?
Zoom includes an option to encrypt meetings end-to-end using 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption. OIT recommends enabling AES if your meeting contains confidential or sensitive information of any kind. For more details on AES and Zoom, please visit Zoom's What is End-to-End Encryption page.
How can I get the best audio experience?
Whenever possible, mute your microphone. OIT also recommends wearing headphones to eliminate feedback issues.
What kind of network connection should I use with Zoom?
Always try to use the best network connection available to participate in a Zoom meeting. In general, wired network connections do work better than wireless connections. Likewise, Wi-Fi is generally preferable to a cellular connection when using a mobile device.
When I enable a waiting room, users are bypassing and going straight into the meeting. Why?
By default, any CU Boulder account owners signed in to Zoom through CU Boulder’s Federated Identity Service will bypass the waiting room and go directly into the main session. You can change this setting by logging in to Zoom and changing the default setting under Waiting Room Options.
I am no longer an active University of Colorado Boulder affiliate, and my Zoom account has reverted to Basic, can I purchase a Licensed (Pro) Zoom account using my @colorado.edu email address?
No, @colorado.edu email addresses are directly linked to the university's Zoom account and licensing is based on affiliation. To purchase a separate Licensed (Pro) Zoom account you will need to use a non-@colorado.edu personal email address (e.g. gmail.com, yahoo.com).
Using Zoom for Remote Teaching and Learning
May I require my students to keep their video and audio on during the class?
Yes. There is no general prohibition regarding requiring student participation that includes video and audio interaction, including if a class is also recorded. An instructor may make video and audio participation a condition of class participation. You should make your general expectations regarding Zoom participation clear at the beginning of the course and in your syllabus. At the start of each class you teach, you should remind your students of your expectations for the use of Zoom at the start of each class. During the class session, you may remind students to leave audio and video on. You may need to make a special arrangement with students who do not have adequate internet bandwidth to have their video on.
May I require my students to comport themselves on Zoom as they would in an in-person classroom (e.g., not appear on Zoom shirtless)?
Yes. The instructor can ask students to present themselves as if each individual were actually in the classroom. Classes on Zoom, like all other classes, are governed by the campus policy on Student Classroom and Course-Related Behavior.
Does recording class sessions violate student privacy (FERPA) regulations?
No. But you must follow these provisions.
- Make your plans and expectations for recording clear at the beginning of the course and in your syllabus.
- Provide notice at the start of each class you record. Students will also see that Zoom automatically provides notice when recordings are started, paused, and stopped.
- Only the course instructors and staff are authorized to record a class. CU Boulder has set Zoom to a default that allows only the host to record meetings, although the host may manually reassign recording capabilities. Further, you should make it clear to all your students that they are not authorized to record a class through any means.
- Do not distribute class recordings outside the audience of students, instructors, and other class staff (TAs, learning assistants, tech assistants) for that particular class. Access to a recording is limited to class participants and staff through an IdentiKey. Learn how to record a Zoom meeting and make it available to only class participants and staff. You can let your students know recorded Zoom meetings are encrypted and secure.
How can I ensure my Zoom meetings are secure?
Visit the Meeting Security section of our help page and use OIT's Secure Meetings Guide to prepare for more secure meetings.
How can I take attendance in Zoom?
Zoom allows meeting organizers to export a usage report showing all users who joined the meeting. Learn how to download this report from the Export Meeting Data & Attendance tutorial.
How do I use polls?
Please review Zoom’s Polling Feature documentation for more information on using this feature.
Can I pre-assign participants to breakout rooms?
Yes, visit Zoom's website to learn about Pre-assigning participants to breakout rooms.
How can I enhance Zoom’s software to better facilitate meetings related to music, music lessons, virtual performances, “jam sessions” and more?
Zoom has a feature called High-Fidelity Music Mode. To enable this feature, visit the Enable High-Fidelity Music Mode tutorial.
Additional Features
Can I use Zoom to hold a webinar?
A Zoom Pro account can host meetings with up to 300 participants. OIT has a limited number of webinar licenses through Zoom which enable up to 1000 attendees to join a meeting, 50 of which can be participants (for example, if there are 50 participants there can only be 950 attendees). Additionally, OIT has a limited number of Large Meeting licenses that allow meetings with up to 500 participants. Both of these options are distributed on an temporary, as-needed basis. Please fill out the Add-on features request form to request a Large Meeting license.
Can I use Zoom to hold a larger meeting?
A Zoom Pro account can hold meetings with up to 300 participants. OIT has a limited number of Large Meeting licenses that allow meetings with up to 500 participants which are distributed on an temporary, as-needed basis. Please fill out the Add-on features request form to reserve a time for your large meeting. If you need this functionality on a more frequent or consistent basis, contact the IT Service Center, and we will help you find a solution that meets your needs.
How can I receive a dedicated CU Boulder Zoom Webinar License (for use over a prolonged period)?
By default, due to the limited number of licenses available, Zoom Webinar licenses are intended for use over a short duration of time and periodically are revoked based on the end date provided by customers to help ensure equal utilization by others.
Can Zoom be integrated with other services or software?
CU Boulder’s Zoom Web Conferencing Service is currently integrated with the following:
Is there a way to add preferred pronouns to my Zoom profile?
Yes, Zoom now has an option for adding your pronouns to your profile. Previously, many Zoom users amended their name fields to reflect pronouns. While you can still do this, OIT recommends using the pronoun field Zoom provides, as it gives users a bit more flexibility for sharing pronouns during meetings.
