HIGHLIGHTS
• Zoom allows multiple features for your video meetings.
• You can use Gallery view and virtual backgrounds on Zoom.
• You can also touch up your appearance in Zoom video meetings.
In case you have been living under the rock, Zoom is rapidly getting adoption worldwide by the gross. It is a video meeting app that was previously limited to businesses but the lockdown across countries has brought Zoom to the mainstream, being used by thousands of people. Although security analysts and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have concerns on Zoom's security, the app is heading towards making more money nonetheless. If you are also one of those who are relying on Zoom for daily communication with clients, teammates, and even friends and family, here are some tips and tricks that you should know for easier navigation.
1. Virtual backgrounds
Gone are the days when virtual meetings were avoided because you thought your location will reveal an unprofessional background. You can use multiple backgrounds for your video meetings to have fun with your family and mimic a professional set-up for important meetings with your boss and clients. Go to the Zoom app and then Settings. You will see the 'Virtual Background' option in the settings. Upload the photo of whichever background you want to put and use it in your video meetings.
2. Spacebar actions
Maybe you know this but if you don't, spacebar has a nifty function in Zoom. Imagine a situation when someone in your family is shrieking at the top of their lungs, and you know that might come across as something embarrassing. You would want to mute your sound in the video chat but clicking buttons is way too time-consuming. Do it using the spacebar now. Just hit the spacebar button to quickly mute or unmute your microphone.
3. Screen sharing
For video meetings, screen sharing is an essential activity but you can also use screen sharing for things such as watching a movie on your laptop with your friends on video chat. To enable screen sharing, navigate to the toolbar available at the bottom of the screen when a video chat is underway. Here, you will see an option to share your desktop or the current screen with chat participants. The Stop Share button will end screen sharing.
4. Beauty filters
Virtual beautification is the thing of the past few years and Zoom is not shying away from providing you with filters for it. Moreover, it is essential for when you woke up just one minute before your important meeting starts. You are confident about how you will look in the meeting. Zoom's Touch Up My Appearance feature takes care of that. Under the Video Settings, you will see the option where you can enable and disable it as per your choice.
5. Gallery view
For when there are multiple participants in a video meeting, you can use the Gallery view to see the live thumbnail of each participant's camera feed. You can turn it on by navigating to the top right corner and click on Gallery view. If there are more than 49 participants, a second screen will be added to house their screens.