Tips for Zoom Calls

Tips for a better virtual experience in Zoom (for you and the other participants)

Prepare ahead of time: Download the Zoom App (https://zoom.us/download) for your device prior to the meeting.

One connection per household: These days we have multiple smart devices in our homes and you may be tempted to join with multiple devices. However, if your internet connection is not very fast, multiple connections might make your experience less than desirable. In addition, you may experience sound distortions as multiple microphones in one place wreak havoc during virtual meetings.

We advise you to connect using one device per household. Not only will your connection be better, the experience of connecting as a family is a lot more fun.

Large screens are better! If possible, connect your device to a large screen to your family TV or a large computer monitor to enjoy a better view of the meeting. Most laptops allow TV screens to be used as monitors, take a moment to learn if your device has such options.

Clean your camera lens: The location of cameras on mobile devices and laptops makes it easy for our fingers to touch them constantly. Make sure your camera is clean from finger marks, dust and anything else that might make your face look blurry.

Check your volume: Sometimes higher device volume can produce noise distortions and echos in virtual meetings. Set your volume so that you can hear everyone, but not so high that your microphone is affected by the volume.

Keep extra noise down: Since we're going to have a lot of people connecting at the same time, it's always nice when you can clearly hear the conversation. Pay attention to the noise level in your own home. If it gets a little loud and you're not directly speaking, you might consider muting your microphone until you're ready to talk.

Your Internet Connection: Having a good internet connection makes a huge difference when it comes to watching live broadcasts and participating in virtual meetings.

If you suspect the problem is your connection, you can test the internet connection to your device by using a tool like fast.com. Make sure you have an appropriate download and upload speed. The higher the numbers, the better your connection.

If you're using WIFI to connect your device to the internet, the location where you sit matters. if your connection speed is low, try moving closer to your WIFI router and test again. The closer you are to your router, the better your connection will be.

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