Now that everything’s happening online, it might be a bit of discomfort for the non-tech-savvies. Doesn’t matter if you’re an A on technology or a Z, its all a fingertip touch away. All you need is a super flexible and easy-to-understand guide. And this is exactly what that is!

Zoom has become one of the primary modes of work communication. It’s alright if you’re new to the party. This article will give you a clear insight into the famous first-things-first. Number one on any digital application is its settings, to secure things before they can possibly go haywire. Here are seven Zoom settings every user ought to know.

Stop Video and Audio While Your Display is Off

If you move away from your PC in an ongoing Zoom meeting, and your computer’s display switches off or goes into a screensaver mode, then guess what, that DOES NOT automatically turn off your Zoom video or audio. You are still active in that meeting (both in face and voice). Thus, this setting is great to rid the rest of your colleagues/teammates from seeing or hearing something unnecessary or moreover, embarrassing.

Begin by clicking on the ‘Settings’ option which is represented by the iconic ‘gear’ symbol on your Zoom profile page. Once you click on that little button, a settings dialogue box opens up. The ‘General Settings’ would display by default. Remain on this page and tick the box next to the option that says ‘Stop my video and audio when my display is off or screen saver begins’ on the main side of the page.

Turn Off Video While Joining a Meeting

This Zoom setting is a serious saviour. Enable this before logging onto a Zoom meeting and realising that you have an inappropriate background or an unpresentable appearance. Begin the same way as the previous setting, with, yes you guessed it, the settings icon on your Zoom profile page.

Choose the ‘Video’ option present on the left margin of the settings dialogue box that opens once you click on the settings button. A little below your video would be the option to ‘Turn off your video while joining a meeting’. Check the box next to that option.

Mute Mic When Joining a Meeting

Similar to a video mishap, quite a lot of things could go wrong while entering a meeting with your audio switched on. Be it an unexpected bodily noise or the neighbours screaming at the other neighbour’s child or worse, your dog unapologetically barking. Take these uncertainties into your own hands and mute yourself while joining a meeting. Start by clicking on that old friend, the gear icon on your Zoom profile page.

Now, choose the ‘Audio’ settings button on the left-hand side of the page. Towards the end of that audio settings page would be the option stating ‘Mute microphone when joining a meeting’. Click on the tiny box next to it to ensure this setting is selected.

Disable Video Spotlight When You Speak

Zoom puts your face in the spotlight when you speak in a meeting. But when you’re joining a meeting only as a spectator, you might want to turn off this feature to ensure your video feed isn’t in the spotlight for some unfortunate noise you made by mistake.

Or, if you just hate the spotlight even on a virtual platform when reporting your inputs, this setting is exclusively for you. Begin this intense process by clicking on the ‘Settings’ button on your Zoom profile page.

A dialogue box would now open. Select the ‘Video’ settings on the left margin. And turn OFF the option that says ‘Spotlight my video when speaking’ under the ‘Meetings’ section. If it’s already disabled, leave it as it is.

Hide a Zoom Chat

Zoom chats are a great way to sub-communicate in text with your colleagues. These are individual zoom chats and not the ones that are found on your in-meeting tab. Suppose you are in a meeting, you can still carry out chats with people outside that particular meeting. However, closing those chats can be a bit of a hassle. These tiny tricks can break that fuss.

Right-click on the chat that you wish to hide and select the first option that says ‘Hide this Chat’. Or you could also use the shortcut Ctrl + W (control button + the letter W). This shortcut would also be visible right next to the ‘Hide this Chat’ option.

Disable Message Preview in Notifications for Zoom Chats

The ‘Message Preview Notification’ is basically a message pop-up from your Zoom chat, which has the message displayed on it as well. Is there a way to only receive notifications and not the text in itself? Of course.

Start by clicking on the ‘Settings’ icon on your Zoom profile page. Select the ‘Chat’ setting on the left-hand side of the settings dialogue box. Scroll all the way down to uncheck the last option on this page. This option would state ‘Show Message Preview’. Make sure the little box next to this statement is not ticked. Now, you’d only receive just the pop-up and not the message with it.

Use a Virtual Background

This is by far the most exciting Zoom setting. Hide your background in a video meeting to anything else! And by anything, we mean space, a jungle, or even a vacation background. Let your imagination go wild as this is the only way to make a boring Zoom meeting creative and mindlessly fun. However, maintain decorum at the same time.

First, click on the gear icon on your Zoom profile page. Now, choose the ‘Virtual Background’ option on the left margin of the settings page. Adjacent to the ‘Choose Virtual Background’ heading would be a tiny ‘+’ mark. Click that to add any virtual background of your choice. However, ensure to have a plain background for a better application of the virtual background.

And there you have it, 7 must-know and must-use Zoom privacy settings! These basic tech know-hows are a great start to your official presence on Zoom.