Zoom Troubleshooting & Advice

 

Before a Meeting or Class

Troubleshooting Guide

Office Hours / Drop-in Hours - Recommended setup using your Personal Meeting ID and Waiting Rooms

Further Resources

 

 

Before a Meeting or Class

  • Keep a clean desktop if you plan on sharing your screen
  • Fully close all applications that you do not intend to use during the meeting beforehand. Your computer only has so much memory and processing power, and you’re inviting Zoom to crash if you don’t do this!
  • Make sure you have the participant’s contact details on hand: if you or they have a problem connecting, you will need to reach out to them to troubleshoot together.
  • Make sure you have the correct invitation link (if you scheduled your class or meeting via Canvas, make sure you have your Canvas site preloaded!) If it is easier for you to keep track of, use your personal meeting ID (see below)
  • Make sure you have Zoom installed on an alternative device (Zoom is available on iPhone and Android!)
  • If you have a TF or trusted student that you can make a co-host, this will help alleviate the stress of both having to teach and manage the Zoom meeting room at the same time. You can set up a co-host in advance when you schedule, or you can assign someone once in the chat by clicking "Manage Participants" -> Clicking "More" next to the person you want to co host, then "Make Co-Host."
  • Have this page bookmarked and preloaded; you may need to refer to it!
  • Make sure you are signed into the Zoom application! Remember to sign in using Single Sign On (SSO), domain is set to "harvard", and sign-in detail is with your HarvardKey

 

 

Troubleshooting Guide

“Zoom is saying I/my participant is in another meeting”

  • One of four things is happening here:
    • 1. You/they have a previous meeting still in progress. Make sure all Zoom windows are closed and try again.
    • 2. You have joined a different meeting from your participant (or vice versa). Compare the invitation link to the participant. (This should be displayed on the screen next to “Invitation link”)
    • 3. You have the waiting room feature enabled: you may have to allow your participant into the meeting. Click “Manage Participants” and then click “Admit", "Allow” or "Stop Attendee on Hold" next to the participant’s name (language changes depending on system)
    • 4. Make sure you are signed into the Zoom App! If you are the host, it may not be recognising you as the host.

“My video/audio has frozen”

  • This is an unfortunate fact of life. Before you do anything, wait 30 seconds. If the computer is temporarily stalling, it may resolve itself and anything you do in the meantime may make the situation worse. Failing that:
    • Try to leave the meeting and rejoin. Before doing so, make sure all applications that you are not using are closed.
    • If the application has frozen: try to close it as normal, then reopen and rejoin. If it does not respond, force-quit it:
      • - Windows: press ctrl-alt-del, select “Task Manager”, select “Zoom”, click “End Task”
      • - Mac: press cmd-option-esc, select “Zoom” from the “Force-Quit” program, click “Force Quit”

“Participants cannot see me”

  • Make sure you have clicked the “start video” button in the bottomleft corner.
  • Make sure you have no external displays or monitors plugged into your laptop, or secondary displays plugged into your computer.
  • If you are using an external webcam, check the connection with the computer/laptop.
  • Make sure there is no cover obstructing your camera’s lens.
  • Make sure you have no applications open they may be using or controlling your webcam (ie. Facetime, skype, etc)
  • Make sure you have given Zoom permission to access your camera:
  • Restart your machine.
  • If this is still not working, try an alternative device (eg. Zoom for mobile)

“I am not getting any sound”

  • Make sure you have clicked “start audio” in the bottomleft corner
  • Make sure you have no external microphones, speakers or audio equipment plugged into your computer that you do not intend on using.
  • Make sure there are no Bluetooth devices connected to your computer.
  • Cases have been known to obstruct microphones on certain laptops: remove any cases, stickers or accessories that could be potentially obstruct your microphone.
  • Make sure you have no applications open that may be using or controlling your webcam (if in doubt, close all applications that you are not using!)
  • Restart the Zoom meeting and make sure that “Use computer audio” is selected”
  • Make sure you have given Zoom permission to access your microphone:
  • Restart your machine.
  • If this is still not working, try an alternative device (eg. Zoom for mobile)

“I cannot hear my participants”

  • Make sure your participant is not on mute: Ask them to unmute themselves or do it for them (click “manage participants” and then “unmute” next to their name.)
  • Can you hear any other applications? If not, you may be on mute or the volume may be low, check your volume settings.
  • Make sure you have no external microphones, speakers or audio equipment plugged into your computer that you do not intend on using.
  • Make sure there are no Bluetooth devices connected to your computer.
  • Make sure you have no applications open that may be using or controlling your speakers (if in doubt, close all applications that you are not using!)

“I cannot see my participants”

  • You do not have control over your participant’s webcam, instruct them to click the “start video” icon at the bottomleft corner of the screen or have participant follow instructions under “My participants cannot see me”

 

 

Office Hours / Drop-in Hours - Recommended setup using your Personal Meeting ID and Waiting Rooms

  • There are many ways of managing this. However, the method below is one of the easiest to manage. Your Personal Meeting ID is a personal invitation link tied to your account that never changes. You can also customize this personal invitation link. Using your Personal Meeting ID, there is no need to schedule these meetings in advance, just make sure you are signed into a meeting using your PMI and that your students have this information.
  • Steps:
    • 1. Find your Personal Meeting ID by navigating to the Zoom app and clicking the arrow next to “New Meeting”. You can copy the invitation by hovering over the ID number and clicking “copy invitation."
    • step 1 - click arrow next to "New Meeting"step 1 - click "copy invitation"
    • 2. Pass this information along to your students! The easiest way to do this is to paste it into your office hours.
    • 3. When you are ready to start meeting with students, in Zoom click the arrow next to "New Meeting" and make sure "Use My Personal Meeting ID" is checked.
    • step 3 - make sure "Use my PMI" is checked 
    • 4. Click your Personal Meeting ID (in this case "711-975-8807), "PMI Settings" then "Advanced Options." Ensure that "Enable waiting room" and "Enable join before host" are selected. Hit "Save"
    • step-4 - click PMI Settings                   step 5 - enable waiting room
    • 5. Now click "New Meeting." This will start a meeting using your Personal Meeting ID. Students will now be able to join this meeting using your Personal Meeting ID. When they join, they will be placed in a waiting room.
    • 6. To manage entry into your meeting, click "Manage Participants." Next to the student that you would like to enter, click "Allow" or "Stop Attendee on Hold."
    • step 6 - how to admit a student into room
    • 7. Leave it to the student to leave the room when finished, you can then repeat step 6 to talk to the next person.
  • To customize your personal meeting link: Goto harvard.zoom.us, sign in using your Harvard Key, the click "Customize" next to "Personal Link"

 

Further Resources

 

- HAA Troubleshooting Guide - https://haa.fas.harvard.edu/zoom-troubleshooting

- HUIT Work Remotely FAQs - https://huit.harvard.edu/frequently-asked-questions

- ATG Contingency Planning - https://atg.fas.harvard.edu/contingency-planning

- HUIT Teach Remotely Guide - http://teachremotely.harvard.edu

- Zoom Help Center - https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us