Penn State’s Zoom Website
Log in to Zoom at: psu.zoom.us
To learn more about Video Conferencing at Penn State, please visit conferencing.psu.edu
Zoom Service Status
Mobile Apps
Zoom has apps available for iOS and Android mobile devices.
- If you have an iPhone/iPad, download Zoom from the App Store. See the Zoom support page “Getting Started with iOS” for more information.
- If you have an Android device, download Zoom from Google Play. See the Zoom support page “Getting Started with Android” for more information.
When signing in on the mobile app, you will need to use the Sign In with SSO button as described below.
Signing in to Zoom
You will use your Penn State Access Account credentials (the “thumbprint” password) to sign in to either the Zoom website or the app.
To sign in to the Zoom desktop app with your Penn State account:
- Click the Sign In with SSO button.
- Enter “psu” as the company domain.
- Log in with your Penn State Access Account credentials.
To Schedule a Meeting
- Go to the Penn State Zoom web portal.
- Click the Sign In in button.
- Log in with your Penn State Access Account credentials.
- On the left-hand sidebar, click Meetings.
- Click the Schedule a New Meeting button.
- After you enter the information, click Save. You will receive a page of information including a link to join the meeting.
- You can access this page later by clicking on Meetings in the left-hand sidebar.
To Start a Meeting
To start a meeting immediately from the Zoom web portal, click the Host button. This will launch the Zoom application.
To start a meeting you previously scheduled, click on the meeting link in your email. Alternatively, you can start the meeting from the My Meetings tab in the Zoom web portal, or the Meetings tab in the Zoom app.
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To Join a Meeting
From a Computer
To join a meeting that has already been scheduled, click on the meeting link. It should open in the Zoom desktop app.
OIT recommends moderating Zoom rooms from a computer. If you scheduled the room, you are automatically the moderator.
From a Polycom Room
Note: PSU faculty, staff, and students have access to Zoom Pro account features when they log in with their Penn State Access Account credentials. If an outside party schedules a room, or if someone schedules the room with a personal Zoom account, you may not be able to connect a Polycom system to the Zoom meeting. If you need to connect a Polycom room to a Zoom meeting, we recommend that a Penn State Access Account holder schedules the meeting.
There are two ways to connect to a Zoom meeting with a Polycom system.
- Enter a Zoom meeting room on your computer.
- To find the info after you’ve opened the meeting, move your mouse to the bottom of the Zoom meeting room window and click the Invite button.
- Click the Invite a Room System tab.
- On the Polycom control panel or remote, dial the address for the Zoom room connection.
- See your meeting room’s page for detailed instructions on dialing with that room’s Polycom system.
- Once you are connected, either:
- type the pairing code (displayed on the Polycom system’s screen) into the box in the Zoom app window on your computer
- or, press # to bring up the keypad, then enter the Meeting ID.
Best Practices
Do not have main presenter responsible for managing the Zoom meeting
- For larger meetings where the speaker is presenting in a conference room, appoint someone else to be the Zoom meeting host
- The host can then manage participant questions, mute noisy participant microphones, etc.
Practice microphone etiquette
- Mute your microphone when joining a meeting to avoid adding background noise
- There is a setting to “Always mute microphone when joining meeting” that you can choose to enable
- If you are hosting the meeting, you can have Zoom mute attendees by default
- When scheduling a meeting, check “Mute participants upon entry” under the Meeting Options section
- Note that if attendees will be calling in via phone, it is difficult for them to unmute their audio. In these cases it is important to have a host available to unmute them. If you are setting up a meeting where attendees may be calling in but you may not be able to host it, either do not check “Mute participants upon entry” or appoint an Alternate Host who can attend the meeting.
“Mute” your camera
- If you do not want/need to be seen during the meeting, move your mouse to the bottom left of the meeting window and click the Stop Video button
- Like muting your microphone when entering a room, this can be set as the default behavior in the Zoom application settings
Audio Conferencing
Zoom provides advanced moderating controls for audio conferences.
- Mute individual participants
- See participants’ phone numbers
- Have telephone and video conference participants within the same meeting
- Have telephone-only meetings
- The phone number and dialing instructions are included in the meeting invitation email:
Troubleshooting and Support
OIT Service Desk is available from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, at 814-865-0050 or support@outreach.psu.edu.
To learn more about scheduling meetings, settings and controls, and more, visit the Zoom support page.
Known Issue with Mac Laptops
When a MacBook is sharing content with a Polycom system through an HDMI cable, remote users may only see a red screen.
Workarounds:
- Use a VGA cable instead of HDMI
- Do not plug the laptop directly into the room system. Instead, open/join a Zoom meeting on the MacBook and share content in the meeting. Connect the Polycom system to the same Zoom meeting, and people in the room will also be able to see the content.