Become a Zoom Pro: 7 Features You May Not Know

1) Touch up my appearance

After the recent shift to working and studying from home, it’s fair to say that many of us haven’t been putting as much effort into dressing up as we used to. Luckily, for those who might be a little worried about their appearance, especially for those morning meetings, Zoom has a feature called Touch up my appearance. Touch up my appearance is an instant video filter that provides a natural look by smoothing fine lines and eye bags, allowing you to look your best even if you didn't get a great night's sleep.

To enable this feature, go to Settings and click on the Video tab. From here find the option labeled Touch up my appearance and check the box next to it.

2) Mute and unmute using the spacebar

One of the most overlooked features of Zoom is the ability to mute and unmute yourself by pressing the space bar. This is a very handy feature to know and can be a real time-saver, saving you from having to navigate to the mute button every time you want to mute or unmute yourself.

3) React with an emoji

Have you ever been muted but still want a way to express your opinion to the speaker? Zoom’s built-in emoji reactions can be a great solution allowing you to share your thoughts on the topic while muted.

To react during a meeting, click on the Reaction button at the bottom of the screen and select the emoji you want to use. The emoji will be visible for all participants for 5 seconds before disappearing.

4) Keyboard shortcuts

Want a faster way to navigate through Zoom? Learning some of Zoom’s handy keyboard shortcuts can be a big time-saver, especially for those who use Zoom on a regular basis. From taking a screenshot to switching between speaker and galley view, Zoom has a shortcut for almost any situation.

Here are some of the most useful shortcuts:

• Start/Stop Video (Alt - V)
• Mute/Unmute My Audio (Alt - A)
• End Meeting (Alt - Q)

For a full list of shortcuts go to Settings and click on the Keyboard Shortcuts tab.

5) Record transcripts

The recording transcripts feature within Zoom will automatically transcribe the audio from your meeting. This can be great for those who forgot to take notes during a meeting and also allows you to search for keywords and access the video feed for that moment.

6) Hide non-video participants

While in some meetings, especially larger ones, it can be easy for your screen to become cluttered with participants. This can make it difficult to focus on the important participants in the meeting such as the presenters or speakers. A quick and easy way to declutter your screen is to turn off non-video participants. This will tell Zoom to only show you the participants who have their video turned on, although you will still be able to hear participants who do not have their video turned on.

To enable this feature, go to Settings and click on the Video tab. From here find the option labeled Hide non-video participants and check the box next to it.

7) Change your background

Tired of having the same old background during your Zoom calls? Would you rather be taking your meetings on the beach or on top of a mountain? Although we can not teleport you to your favorite destination a virtual background is the next best thing and allows you to upload an image of your choice to be displayed as your background during Zoom calls.

To enable this feature, go to Settings and click on the Virtual Background tab. From here you can either select one of Zoom's default backgrounds or upload your own.

Note: Your computer must meet Zoom's system requirements to be able to use this feature. You can view these requirements on Zoom's website here.

What's next?

Want to test your new skills and start an ESU virtual event? Get started here.

Taylor Nelson
Student Media Producer
Web and Digital Strategies

5 Healthy Computer Habits

Is your computer slow to load applications or boot up? Do you have a hard time keeping track of your files? There is nothing worse than being stuck with a slow, unorganized computer. That’s why we at ESU IT have compiled a comprehensive list of 5 healthy computer habits to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.

1) Keep your software up to date

Keeping your software up to date is an easy habit that can go a long way. Not only does updating software regularly give you access to the latest features of an application, but it also helps protect you from vulnerabilities such as bugs and exploits. Hackers can take advantage of vulnerabilities within an application, so keeping your software updated will help you stay one step ahead of these vulnerabilities.

2) Backup your files

There is nothing worse than having an important file disappear. All it takes is one computer crash or accidental deletion and weeks of hard work can go down the drain in an instant. Luckily there are some easy steps that you can ensure your important documents are in safe hands.

Backing up your files to cloud-based services such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive is a convenient way to secure your files. Both of these services have built-in features that allow your important files to automatically sync to the cloud. Better yet, as a student, faculty, or staff member of Emporia State University, both Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive services are available to you at no cost.

Backing up your files to external devices such as USB drives or portable hard drives is another way to ensure your files are secure, although this may be less convenient than backing up your files to cloud-based services.

3) Keep your files organized

We all know how nice it can be to have a clean room at home, so why should our computers be any different? Keeping the files on your computer organized and prioritized using a file system is a great habit to get into and will keep you from losing track of saved work. As a student, for example, you may want to organize your assignments and classwork into a system of folders similar to this:

📂Classes

└📁Freshman

└📁Sophomore

    └📁CS341A

    └📁HI101B

Regularly deleting unnecessary files such as duplicates or old work is another great habit to get into and will not only free up extra space on your computer but will remove clutter. potentially saving you a lot of time and frustration down the line.

4) Use antivirus software frequently

Antivirus software is your first line of defense from cybersecurity threats. Without good antivirus software to defend your computer, you are effectively leaving your front door open to intruders. Luckily there is a wide variety of antivirus software out there and better yet, as a current ESU student, staff, or employee you get access to Symantec Antivirus for free! 

To make use of your free access to Symantec, navigate to Hornet365.com, and click on either ‘students’ or ‘employees’ depending on your affiliation. From there, there will be a tile labeled ‘downloads’ where you will find a link to get started with Symantec.

5) Clean your computer

Not only is it important to keep the files within your computer clean it is also critical that you keep the physical components of your computer clean as well. Wiping down your computer screen/monitor with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth is quick and easy and will keep your display clear of any dust or other marks. Using a can of compressed air can also help to remove any buildup of dust or crumbs that have accumulated on your computer. This is especially helpful for removing debris stuck between the keys of your keyboard.

Taylor Nelson
Student Media Producer
Web and Digital Strategies