Zoom Video Conferencing

The basic (free) plan allows users to host group meetings up to 40 minutes in length with 100 or fewer participants. Meetings with the host and one other participant do not have a time limitation.  Sign up for a free basic account using your UM email address at https://zoom.us/signup.  If you are interested in purchasing a Zoom Educational license please contact the Solution Center, solutioncenter@montevallo.edu.

New to Zoom?

View informational video resources on Zoom’s website. These videos showcase everything from how to start a meeting to screen sharing and meeting controls.

Zoom Backgrounds

University Marketing & Communications has created Zoom virtual backgrounds so that you can bring the Bricks to your home office or classroom. Enable your Zoom virtual background in the Zoom Account Settings.

Create Secure Meetings

Avoid “ZoomBombing” – unwanted participants and content. When creating meetings, establish a password for the meeting or a waiting room. IS&T recommends turning off file transfer and annotation when these features are not in use. Remember that you can mute and remove unwanted or disruptive participants if necessary. Meeting hosts can prevent removed participants from rejoining.

Securing Your Zoom Meetings

• Generate a unique meeting ID for each meeting. Avoid using your Personal Meeting ID.
• When scheduling a new meeting, secure the meeting with a password or enable a waiting room for the meeting.
  • Waiting Rooms: You can require waiting room for all participants. Meeting hosts can enable Waiting Rooms in the “Settings” menu of your Zoom profile.
  • Passwords: Passwords can be set at the individual meeting level or can be enabled for all meetings. Meeting Password settings.

Review Default Settings

Below are a list of recommended security settings. Before starting a Zoom session, establish secure settings to begin hosting secure meetings. Once signed into your account, click on the Settings tab to review all settings. A blue button (toggled to the right) means the setting is on. A gray button (toggled to the left) means it is off.

• Host video – Off
• Participants video – Off
• Audio Type – Telephone and Computer Audio
• Join before host – Off
• User Personal Meeting ID (PMI) when scheduling a meeting – Off
• Require a password when scheduling new meetings – On
• Mute participants upon entry – On
• Private chat – Off
• Auto saving chats – On
• File transfer – Off
• Allow host to put attendee on hold – On
• Screen sharing – Who can share? Host only
• Disable desktop/screenshare for users – On
• Annotation – Off
• Whiteboard – Off
• Remote control – Off
• Virtual background – Off
• Identify guest participants in the meeting – On
• Auto-answer group in chat – Off
• Attention tracking – On
• Waiting room – (for small classes) On
• Allow live streaming meetings – Off

Update Zoom

Keep your software secure by regularly performing software upgrades.  By updating to the latest version, you will receive security patches and updates to ensure the security of your computer and also your meetings. Visit the Zoom website for instructions on how to update.

Additional Information

Please see the links below for additional tips and tricks for securely using Zoom, security updates and the Zoom Help Center and tutorials.
Zoom BlogZoom DownloadZoom Help CenterZoom Product UpdatesZoom Video Tutorials