Introduction
Zoom is a versatile video conferencing tool that unifies cloud video conferencing, simple online meetings, group messaging, and a software-defined conference room solution into one easy-to-use platform. You can host and join Zoom video conferences from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
The Zoom Help Center has full instructions on using Zoom. The instructions below are specific to Virginia Tech. To see other Zoom topics, please see Video Conferencing - Holding Zoom Conferences on a PC or Mobile Device.
This article covers troubleshooting different issues when using Virginia Tech Zoom.
Contents
Instructions
Problems Getting Started
I can't join my meeting
If you're connecting from a computer or mobile device, be sure you've installed the Zoom client or app and that it's up to date. See Checking the Zoom version number.
If you're getting the following messages:
- Host has joined. We've let them know you're here: The host has enabled a waiting room; you'll remain on hold until the host admits you into the meeting room.
- Waiting for host to start the meeting: The setting enable join before host is not set, and the host has not yet joined the meeting. Hosts automatically receive email asking them to join. You will be prompted to join the meeting a short time after the host joins. If you are the host, sign in to start the meeting.
- Enter meeting passcode: The meeting requires a passcode; enter the passcode provided by the meeting host. If you do not know the passcode, contact the meeting host for assistance.
- Some videoconferencing equipment don't allow letters in Zoom passcodes. If you're using videoconferencing equipment, and the passcode contains alphabetical characters, contact the host.
- Sign in to join this meeting: The host is requiring all participants to sign into a Zoom account to join the meeting.
- If you sign in and receive another message: This meeting is for authorized participants only. Sign in using an email address that is authorized to join this meeting: The host has restricted the meeting to VT users only. If you are affiliated with VT, sign in with your Virginia Tech account. If you're external to Virginia Tech, the host will need to follow instructions at Scheduling Zoom Meetings with Guests to edit the meeting to allow non-VT guests to join.
- This meeting does not allow phone dial-in: The host only enabled VoIP. You must join the meeting from a computer or mobile device.
- Room connector is not enabled for this meeting: If you are using videoconferencing equipment to join a meeting hosted by a free Zoom account or an account that doesn't have the room connector enabled, you will receive this error. Connect to the meeting using a desktop or mobile device instead.
- Not meeting host. (3,003): If you received a link to a Zoom meeting in the format http://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/123456789, change /meeting/ in the URL to /j/ and try to connect again. For example, http://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/123456789 should instead be http://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/123456789.
Zoom won't connect or takes a long time to connect
This is a symptom of poor connectivity or a degraded Zoom service.
It you are the only one affected:
- Leave (click Leave) and rejoin the meeting.
- Check your Internet bandwidth using Speedtest. The minimum bandwidth for Zoom is 600kbps (up/down). The recommended bandwidth is 1.5 Mbps (up/down).
- Update the Zoom Client.
- Contact Zoom Support.
If everyone in the meeting is affected:
- Check Zoom Status. If Zoom Meetings are not Operational, wait until the service is restored and meet then.
- Contact Zoom Support.
I can't update Zoom
- Make sure you're working in the Zoom client (Zoom on your computer), not the Zoom portal (website at virginiatech.zoom.us).
- Follow the instructions to update Zoom: Updating Zoom to the latest version
- If Zoom still won't update, uninstall it then install the Zoom client again. If you don't have admin privileges on your computer, contact your department IT for assistance.
- Contact Zoom Support.
My Zoom account has the wrong email address
Zoom accounts are created with your preferred Virginia Tech email address as set in OneCampus. If you would like Zoom to use a different email address:
- Log out of Zoom from all devices.
- Change your preferred email address in OneCampus. See: Adding, Creating, and Using Email Aliases.
- It may take some time, but the next time you log into Zoom, you'll see your new preferred email addresses.
My Zoom account's sign-in email address is a string of characters
Zoom accounts use your preferred Virginia Tech email address. If you log into Zoom but do not see your Virginia Tech email address or account settings:
- Go to 4Help and click Get Help. Provide a screenshot of the email address (string of characters) and ask for a Zoom admin to repair your Zoom account.
- Once your account is repaired, go to the Virginia Tech Zoom Web Portal and log in.
Problems During Meetings
Meeting was interrupted
Meeting audio and video quality is poor
These are symptoms of poor connectivity or a degraded Zoom service.
If you are the only one affected:
- Reduce your bandwidth usage:
- If you're using a virtual background, disable it. Go to Settings > Virtual Background and click None. See: Changing your Virtual Background image.
- Uncheck HD video. Go to Settings > Video and uncheck Enable HD. See: Changing settings in the desktop client or mobile app.
- Stop your video. In meeting controls, click Stop Video. See: Participant controls in a meeting.
- If you're connecting via VPN, choose Virginia Tech traffic over SSL VPN instead of All Traffic over SSL VPN. See: Downloading, Installing, and Connecting to Ivanti Secure Access Client App on Android or iOS Devices.
- Check your Internet bandwidth using Speedtest. The minimum bandwidth for Zoom is 600kbps (up/down). The recommended bandwidth is 1.5 Mbps (up/down).
- Leave (click Leave) and rejoin the meeting.
- Update the Zoom Client.
- Contact Zoom Support.
If everyone in the meeting is affected:
- Have participants stop their video. In meeting controls, click Stop Video. See: Participant controls in a meeting.
- Have the host end the meeting (click End > End Meeting for All). Then restart the meeting and have participants rejoin.
- Check Zoom Status. If Zoom Meetings are not Operational, wait until the service is restored and meet then.
- Contact Zoom Support.
I've joined my meeting, but no one else is here
If you've joined a meeting but don't see other participants:
- Confirm with the meeting host that the meeting has begun. If it has, ask for the meeting ID at the top of the host's Zoom window (e.g., Zoom Meeting ID: 123-456-7890) and compare that to the meeting ID at the top of yours. If they don't match, you've joined a different meeting. Join the right meeting.
- If you're the host, ensure that you haven't enabled a waiting room. If you have, you need to manually admit each participant before they can join your meeting.
I can't hear people. They can't hear me.
If you're unable to hear or talk to people in a meeting:
- Check the attendee controls at the bottom of your meeting window. If you see the Join Audio icon on the far left, click it.
- If you've already joined your audio, you'll instead see the mute/unmute icon.
- To check whether the issue is related to Zoom, see:
- Testing audio before Zoom Meetings
- Troubleshooting speaker or microphone issues on your mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android)
- Audio settings for iOS (iPhone, iPad)
- If your audio isn't working in the Zoom client outside of the meeting, try troubleshooting the device itself. Contact your local IT group or 4Help for help.
People can't see me
If you've joined a meeting successfully but others can't see you:
- Make sure your video isn't turned off by checking the Start Video icon in the attendee controls at the bottom of your meeting window.
- If you're connecting from a Lenovo device and your video isn't working, see Video not working on Lenovo devices.
- If your video isn't working in the Zoom client outside of the meeting, try troubleshooting the device itself. Contact your local IT group or 4Help for help.
My video is poor quality
- When sharing your screen, under More, the Optimize for full screen video clip setting reduces video quality. Restart the screen share with that setting unchecked.
- Check your connectivity. Bandwidth problems can cause poor quality video.
Problems With Recording
I can't record
- You cannot record from a mobile device.
- Only hosts can record. If you can't record, check to see whether you're the host by clicking the Participants icon in the attendee controls at the bottom of your meeting window.
I can't access or view my recordings
- If it's been longer than 30 days, go to My Media in Canvas to locate your recording. Zoom's version is removed after 30 days.
- There's a chance it was recorded locally instead of in the cloud. Check the computer you hosted the meeting on. Recordings are named double_click_to_convert_01.zoom.
- Go to Documents/Zoom on the computer.
- If you don't see it, see the Change location for Recording section of Enabling and starting local recordings to view recording location settings.
- You can't record to mobile devices, so recordings won't be saved there.
I accidentally deleted a recording
- Clicking Delete in the Zoom client removes the recording from the recorded meetings list in Zoom, but not from the device. Go to the Documents -> Zoom folder and look for the recording folder.
- If you've deleted the recording from your device, check its trash folder.
I have multiple recordings of the same Zoom meeting in My Media
Make sure your recording settings are for only one video per meeting.
- Log into the Virginia Tech Zoom Web Portal.
- Click Settings then go to Recordings tab.
- Make sure Record active speaker, gallery view and shared screen separately is not enabled.
- Changes are saved automatically.
Separate recordings are made if meetings record automatically and participants are allowed to join before you. So, turn off join before host.
- Log into the Virginia Tech Zoom Web Portal.
- Click Settings then go to Meetings tab.
- Under Schedule meeting, disable Join before host.
- Changes are saved automatically.
Troubleshooting failed conversion of local recordings
Zoom needs processing power, a valid file path, and disc space to convert the double_click_to_convert_01.zoom file to video and audio files.
If you can't convert the file, see: Troubleshooting local recording issues.
Non-Virginia Tech people can't watch my recording
There are three options:
- Share videos through a Media Gallery in Canvas.
- Don't share Zoom recordings, because they're removed after 30 days.
- If you share through My Media at video.vt.edu, publish the video as unlisted and share the link with non-Virginia Tech guests. Only faculty/staff can do this.
- Create a Canvas site and add your non-Virginia Tech guests.
- See Adding (non-Virginia Tech) guests in Adding/Removing People from Canvas Sites (for Instructors)
- If you do not want to add guests, make the site public. See: How do I customize visibility options for a course?
- Publish your recording to the site's Media Gallery. See Video Content Management - Publishing Videos in Canvas (Course Gallery).
Getting Help
For instructions on resolving common issues with Zoom, see: Video Conferencing - Troubleshooting Zoom.
- Go to 4Help, log in with your Virginia Tech Username (PID) and password, and click Get Help.
- Call 540-231-4357.
For problems using Zoom, contact Zoom Support:
- Search Zoom documentation in the Zoom Help Center.
- Chat live (24-7) with Zoom support. Go to Zoom Video Communications Technical Support and click Chatbot.
- Call Zoom support (24-7) at 888-799-9666 ext 2.
- Check the status of Zoom services.