How to use Zoom on a laptop
Contents
- 1 How to use Zoom on a laptop
- 2 Prerequisites for using or setting up Zoom on a laptop
- 3 How to set up Zoom on a laptop
- 4 How to use an integrated webcam
- 5 How to use integrated audio devices
- 6 How to use external earphones or headset
- 7 How to suppress background noise
- 8 How to use keyboard shortcuts
- 9 How to use video quality enhancements
How to use Zoom on a laptop
Learn how to set up Zoom meetings on a laptop by following the tips in this article. In this post, we are going to talk about important tips and tricks for laptop users who are without external devices such as a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
Prerequisites for using or setting up Zoom on a laptop
- You should make sure your laptop meets the Zoom’s requirements before you use it on a laptop running Windows, Linux, or macOS.
- Please make sure you have the latest version of Chrome browser installed if you plan on using Zoom on ChromeOS or Zoom for Chrome PWA.
How to set up Zoom on a laptop
The Zoom desktop client can be downloaded and installed on your laptop (Windows, Linux, Mac OS) by following the steps included in the support article.
Zoom is available as a PWA client on Google Play for Chromebooks (laptops running Chrome OS), so if you are using Zoom on Google Chromebooks you have to install the Zoom client.
How to use an integrated webcam
With virtually all laptops that have an integrated webcam, users of Zoom can use the software without the need of an external webcam.
By following this step by step guide, you can check your integrated webcam and switch to it if necessary.
- Please make sure that you are signed into Zoom’s desktop client before proceeding.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen. In the case where you do not have a profile picture, you can press the initials of your last name.
- Click on Settings.
- Click on the Video tab and make sure that the preview of the video is working correctly.
- It may be that you cannot see your video. You can choose Integrated Camera, or similar options like Built-In Camera or Internal Camera, from the Camera drop-down menu.
You can also test your integrated camera by joining a test meeting.
How to use integrated audio devices
It is most common to find laptops with built-in audio devices (e.g., speakers and microphones) so that Zoom can be used without the use of external accessories.
For more information on how to test audio in Zoom, please refer to the support article. It is important to ensure that you select one of these devices during the testing process if you are unable to successfully test your speakers or microphone:
- You will need to select the option stating your laptop model such as MacBook Pro Speakers or MacBook Pro Microphone depending on the model of your laptop.
- For Windows, choose the options that are located under the name of the audio driver installed on your computer. This is most likely Realtek in most cases.
- When using Linux: choose the option that says Built-In or Internal.
How to use external earphones or headset
Using Zoom to record on a laptop includes the option to select audio setups such as the following:
An USB or Bluetooth headset can be connected in the following ways:
- You can use either a USB headset or a desktop headset depending on the type of equipment you are using. If you are using a desktop headset with speakers and a microphone, the settings can be set to both functions. You should be able to select the device that you wish to work with in the audio settings by selecting options that contain the brand name of your device, for instance, Logitech or Sennheiser.
- Connecting an earphone with a microphone to an audio jack that supports 3.5mm connectors:
- With earphones that contain a built-in microphone and are connected to a laptop that has the 3.5 mm audio jack supported by your laptop, you can use the headphones as both your speaker and microphone. Select the speaker option that indicates the audio driver name when selecting your device from the audio settings. The audio driver name will usually be Realtek.
- Note:
- Looking for a headset or microphone icon near the 3.5mm audio jack will indicate whether it is supported. Laptops with this feature are the most common.
If you want to verify that your device is working correctly, follow the instructions in the support article on how to test audio in Zoom. You can try using an integrated device if your microphone and/or speakers do not work.
How to suppress background noise
It’s possible that when you use the integrated microphone of your laptop or an earphone that has a built-in microphone, you will notice that it’s sensitive to background noises such as typing on your keyboard and barking dogs. Using the noise suppression setting, it is possible to improve audio quality by removing distracting sounds picked up by participants’ microphones and removing distracting noises that are picked up by those microphones.
How to use keyboard shortcuts
Consider using keyboard shortcuts if you don’t have an external mouse when using your laptop during a Zoom meeting if you aren’t using an external mouse. If you are editing chat messages by using shortcuts as well.
How to use video quality enhancements
Video quality can be poor on some integrated webcams. You can improve the video and picture quality of the meeting by making sure HD is enabled, that the video is adapted for low light, and that your appearance is perfect by following the instructions.
Frequently Asked Question
