Hosting A Zoom Meeting For The First Time—A Cozy Step-by-Step Guide

Even if you've joined a Zoom meeting before, hosting a Zoom meeting for the first time can be overwhelming. But not to fear! In this cozy step-by-step tutorial, Thomas from Cozy Grammar explains everything you need to know to get started. You'll find an index to all the steps below:

0:07 Welcome!

0:33 Another kettle of fish . . .

1:00 Ask Cozy Grammar.

1:10 We can learn to do anything if we take it step by step.

1:34 TIP ONE: Keep something beautiful and natural in your workspace.

1:42 Step One: Sign up for a Zoom account and download the Zoom app.

If you haven't done this yet, you can find instructions in our video on "Joining a Zoom meeting for the first time":

2:23 These steps work the same for both free and paid accounts.

2:47 Step Two: Go the Zoom website to set up your meeting.

3:24 Step Three: Give your meeting a title.

3:34 Step Four: Set the date, time, length, and time zone for the meeting.

3:44 Step Five: Generate the meeting ID automatically.

3:56 Step Six: Require meeting password.

4:07 Step Seven: Set video for host and participant.

4:24 Step Eight: Set essential meeting options.

4:44 Step Nine: Save the meeting.

4:50 TIP TWO: Stand up and stretch!

5:01 TIP THREE: Build some stretch and hydration breaks into your meeting.

5:12 TIP FOUR: Refresh your eyes by looking into the distance.

5:49 TIP FIVE: Think about where you want to place your computer.

6:03 TIP SIX: Make sure you have good lighting in front of you, on your face.

6:26 Step Ten: Share the meeting link with your guests.

7:25 How to set up a meeting in the Zoom app directly.

8:09 Step Eleven: Start the meeting.

8:17 Step Eleven, Part One: Start the meeting from the meeting link.

8:22 Step Eleven, Part Two: Start the meeting in the Zoom app.

8:34 Step Eleven, Part Three: Start the meeting from the Zoom website.

9:05 A Clockwise Tour of the Controls

9:21 Step Twelve: Adjust audio and video settings.

10:04 TIP SEVEN: If people have trouble hearing you, try adjusting your microphone volume manually.

10:37 TIP EIGHT: If you want a clear recording, leave "touch up my appearance" unchecked.

10:57 Step Thirteen: Adjust your security settings as needed.

11:22 TIP NINE: "Remove participant" can be helpful in case someone needs to be taken out of a meeting, but remember that this is a fairly final step and it will be difficult even for you to readmit that participant.

11:43 Step Fourteen: Admit participants into the meeting from the waiting room and manage participant options.

12:47 Step Fifteen: Rename a participant if needed.

13:30 Step Sixteen: Mute all participants if needed.

13:40 Step Seventeen: Adjust chat settings.

14:25 Step Eighteen: Share your screen with the other participants.

14:40 TIP TEN: If you want to share audio or video, be sure to select "Share computer sound" and/or "Optimize Screen Sharing for Video Clip" in the share screen options box.

15:06 Step Nineteen: While sharing your screen, move the smaller video screen wherever you'd like it to be.

15:32 TIP ELEVEN: You can adjust the overall settings for the chat box in your account on the Zoom website.

16:12 Step Twenty: Stop sharing your screen when you're done doing so.

16:20 Step Twenty-One: Record your meeting if you so desire.

16:44 Step Twenty-Two: Toggle in and out of full-screen mode.

17:12 Step Twenty-Three: Toggle between gallery view and speaker view.

17:45 TIP TWELVE: Your recording will reflect whichever view you've chosen, so choose between gallery view and speaker view as needed for your recording, if you're making a recording.

UPDATE: We now have our own step-by-step guide to setting up breakout rooms in Zoom for the first time:

19:04 Step Twenty-Four: Stop the meeting and allow the recording, if you made one, to convert before moving to wherever you want to keep the folder with the files.

Featured music:

Variations 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 19, and 22 from J. S. Bach's "Goldberg Variations," performed by Marie Rackham.

Cozy Grammar’s award-winning courses help families learning at home, inquisitive students, and creative teachers to speak well, write well, and thrive. Subscribe to our channel for free excerpts!

#Zoom #ZoomTutorial #AskCozyGrammar

[terencehopwood]

The only clear and well-paced instruction film there is on the net. None of the ususal frenetic rant. Thanks.

[ronkafker]

For myself, someone not so comfortable with computer operations, thank you it is the best instruction video by far I have seen.

[samson]

Great tutorial. I've seen a few and this presentation is as thorough as it can be for it's purpose.

[mjkler]

Cozy - just a note to let you know how much I appreciated your assistance with my family zoom over Christmas. Some folks had never talked much less seen one another. The event was a great success. Again, thanks very much !!

[tomcahill]

As a former elementary school teacher, I can honestly say, "Very well done, and easy to understand."

[patci]

Love your YELLOW RING HILIGHTER ! This really lifts your video above the crowd !

[bukuku]

Thank you so much for the tuitorial. Im supposed to host a short zoom meeting with my department members in 2 days time and to be honest, I was dead panic until I discovered your channel.
I’m practicing now it with one of my colleagues. Thank you so much again for your help.💐

[IreneYoungFoto]

You certainly are an exceptional person. Keep it up. We need people like you in this world.

[lois]

Thomas, you are an amazing instructor. I've taught via videos as well and you just can't leave one step out and you didn't. Also your calming music, the flowers, getting up and taking a break. I absolutely have enjoyed your two videos, How to use Zoom for the first time and this one. I've since copied the links and sent them to numerous seniors who want to know how but don't know how and your videos did the trick, so thank you so very much. Five stars!!!

[JohannaFurgoll]

wonderfully and beautifully guided. Thank you so much for your very special and warm approach. Very helpful!

[IRHO-zzzk]

Thank you Thomas. Ive enjoyed this session, . Im going to keep on coming back to it until Ive learnt evrery thing. thank you

[Roshani]

Beautiful! .I love the style (showing the important of nature over technology).

[kmbewe]

I judged you wrongly when you showed up with the 3 flowers in the bush, I was so wrong, you're a great step by step instructor. Your teaching method is excellent !! Thank you so much for this 1 to 1 step by step tutorial, and the advise to stop and stretch out now and them, and focusing to a distant place, most of us forget that. !! Top instructor, I too give you 5 Stars 💥💥💥💥💥!!!

[marktwain]

Your cozy dome says much about you, Thomas. You love order within beauty and have many talents and a wide appreciation for what is harmonious yet practical. Love it!

[charmelizabeth]

This is a great video tutorial. Thank you so much!! This helped me immensely! The pace was great and you explained it all very well. I am now a subscriber🥰

[JANDECOGAN]

Thank you so much your video was so helpful and straightforward not panicked now!!

[Neemdna]

What a great setting🎉 no drama no glossy talks just direct talk. How can i get a setting like this ?

[missy]

Good information. Nice nature setting.

[ikazmers]

Good presentation Thomas thank you very much. I learned alot. You are very inspiring. Thanks for sharing your positivity!

[viiron_xlii]

This was the most helpful video I've seen. Thank you.