STEP 1: Getting Started with Zoom


Learning Objectives: This page will cover how to signup for a UT Zoom account, install Zoom, and how to integrate your UT Zoom account with Canvas.  If needed, it also explains how to delete your public (Non-UT) Zoom account and how to utilize SSO (Single Sign-on).


How to signup for UT Zoom Account


How to Install Zoom on your Computer

  1. You can access the installer at the bottom of https://utexas.zoom.us/ or go directly to https://utexas.zoom.us/download


  2. Select the Zoom Client for Meetings option to download the Zoom Installer.  Open downloaded file to progress through the install process.



How to Sign into Zoom

There are two recommended options

  • OPTION 1 - Navigate to https://utexas.zoom.us/profile to log into your Zoom account using your UTEID and password. 
  • OPTION 2 - You can access Zoom through your Canvas page for your class.  Just log into your Canvas course and select the Zoom link in the left menu bar

NOTE: If you have an existing public Zoom account that you don't need, please delete it using these instructions to avoid mixing up your two accounts which could lead to a loss of functionality in a meeting. 

NOTE: if you find yourself with a different login screen that offers an option on the right for "Sign in with SSO", please use the instructions posted here on the Troubleshooting page.



How to Connect UT Zoom Account to Canvas

This is done for you automatically when you click the Zoom link in the bottom left menu bar in your Canvas course.

  1. Navigate to your Canvas course
  2. Scroll down to the bottom of the left menu bar.
  3. Click Zoom link
  4. You'll be prompted to "Authorize" zoom in Canvas.  Agree to that and your UTEID will be tied to your UT Zoom account.
  5. NOTE: If by some chance you skipped the signup process first, your account will be created when you Authorize Zoom in Canvas.



How to Use Zoom Rooms

We have attempted to make using Zoom in our rooms as simple as possible for Hybrid teaching. This room is equipped with a "Zoom Room" computer. The Zoom Room will use the room's tracking camera, the room's ceiling microphone and/or optional wireless microphone, and any content - the document camera, or your Laptop connected through an HDMI cable or AirMedia - you are sharing on the projector. 

Quick Start

There are two options to Launch the meeting:

  1. Schedule the Zoom meeting prior to class and simply select the meeting from the meeting list on the rooms Touch Panel. To set this up follow our  Zoom Room Scheduling wiki.
  2. Click on "Unscheduled Zoom Meeting" and manually type in your zoom meeting ID. The ID will be eleven numeric digits, Ex: xxx-xxxx-xxxx. If you have not assigned a passcode to the room, you can press "Connect" without typing anything into the passcode field.

Important: There is no reason to additionally launch zoom on your laptop. Your screen and computer audio is being shared with other Zoom participants if it is displayed on the projector. If you need to manage the Waiting Room, Polls, or Breakout Rooms, you can follow the advanced instructions below OR designate a TA to manage those features on a separate computer.

This will start your Zoom Meeting. If the meeting is set to record, you will hear a voice over the speakers say, "Recording in progress."

If you would like to regularly record classes, we recommend that you use Panopto instead of Zoom. You can use Zoom and Panopto in tandem - so you can have a guest lecturer over Zoom without having to worry about adjusting your Zoom settings. You can learn more about Panopto in the Lecture Capture tab above!

Scheduling Zoom in Canvas

While you may have scheduled Zoom meetings in the past through the Zoom application on your laptop or phone, we encourage that you schedule your Zoom meetings through your course in Canvas. You can find those instructions on our wiki, Zoom/Canvas Integration.

After you schedule your Zoom meeting through Canvas, you will need to follow our Zoom Room Scheduling instructions.

Confidence Monitor

All of our Zoom Rooms are now equipped with a confidence monitor. It could be a TV at the front or back of the room, or an additional small screen at the lectern. The confidence monitor will always show what you are sharing, so you able to teach with confidence. 

Once you connect to a Zoom meeting, a new dialog will show on the room's touch panel, which gives the confidence monitor new sharing options. 

SharingThe default option when you join a Zoom meeting. This will show what you are sharing in Zoom - your laptop over HDMI or AirMedia or the Document Camera.
SpeakerThis will show whoever is speaking on the confidence monitor. This may only show the person at the front of the room until someone else in the Zoom meeting speaks.
ParticipantsThis will show the participants on the confidence monitor, in gallery view.
Power On / OffYou can turn the confidence monitor on or off once you connect to Zoom.

If you would like to test the room's functionality prior to your first day of class, we recommend scheduling a Demo with MSB Media Services. These are typically 15-30 minutes, depending on what the room has to offer and how much you would like to know.


Here are a few things to note when you are considering lecture capture for your classroom.

    • Most CBA, GSB, and UTC rooms use Panopto for lecture capture, with Zoom available for Hybrid/Guest Lecturers
    • GSB 3.128 – active learning classroom, no Zoom or Panopto lecture capture

    • CBA 5.328 and 5.330 – lecture capture through Panopto, no Zoom



Alternate Zoom Room Setup (Advanced)

This method of initiating a Zoom meeting puts the bulk of the Zoom workload onto your laptop, and allows you to have more control over your Zoom meeting. You should only consider this option if you need to manage the Waiting Room, create Breakout Rooms, or conduct polls. This method is not recommended for general Zoom use in our classrooms.
Note: The instructions for UTC/Rowling Hall Zoom Rooms are slightly different than those for rooms in CBA/GSB. Please proceed with the appropriate set of instructions.

For UTC and Rowling Hall Zoom Rooms

  1. Do not connect your laptop with an HDMI cable to the desk, use the utexas WiFi connection for internet connectivity
  2. Join your Zoom meeting with your laptop first to ensure that the laptop becomes the meeting host
  3. When joining your meeting, close the options panels to join with computer audio or phone without picking either of them. This will ensure that your laptop microphone and speakers are muted which will prevent audio feedback/echo (dismiss any warning that there won’t be audio on the Zoom recording. Your audio will be recorded through the room's microphone and camera)


  4. Use the room's touch panel to join the Zoom Room to your meeting
  5. On your laptop make the Zoom Room a co-host. This will allow to you to use the room’s document camera if you need it


  6. Continue the meeting using your laptop to share presentations, etc. If you would like to use the room's doc cam, press the Doc Cam button on the desk's touch panel to switch to it. To return to your presentation simply share it from your laptop again. The Zoom meeting will automatically switch back to your laptop presentation

For CBA and GSB Zoom Rooms

  1. Connect your laptop with an HDMI cable to the desk
  2. Join your Zoom meeting with your laptop first to ensure that the laptop becomes the meeting host. Note: Do not hit Share on the touch panel, use your laptop to share your presentation
  3. When joining your meeting, close the options panels to join with computer audio or phone without picking either of them. This will ensure that your laptop microphone and speakers are muted which will prevent audio feedback/echo (dismiss any warning that there won’t be audio on the Zoom recording. Your audio will be recorded through the room's microphone and camera)


  4. Use the room's touch panel to join the Zoom Room to your meeting
  5. On your laptop make the ZoomRoom a co-host. This will allow to you to use the room’s document camera if you need it


  6. Continue the meeting using your laptop to share presentations, etc. If you would like to use the room's doc cam, press the Doc Cam button on the desk's touch panel to switch to it. To return to your presentation simply share it from your laptop again. The Zoom meeting will automatically switch back to your laptop presentation



Using Virtual Backgrounds in Zoom Meetings

The virtual background feature allows you to display an image or video as your background during a Zoom Meeting. Please visit this Zoom article on virtual backgrounds for more information:

There are McCombs and UT-related images that may be used as virtual backgrounds available at Zoom Backgrounds on the Communications wiki



If you have completed all the above setup steps, please move on to Step 2



Still need help? 

For McCombs faculty, please contact Media Services via email or phone:

For all other UT faculty, please contact your respective college or school