STEP 2: Manage Zoom Settings

Learning Objectives: This page will cover how to access your Zoom profile and settings.  It also will cover a general overview of default settings and other settings you could use.


Settings Overview



Important Tips for Zoom Settings

  1. Know where to edit settings (Your Zoom settings can be altered in different ways in the following three different places) 

    • Online Zoom profile (https://utexas.zoom.us/profile) - You'll manage your meeting settings here.  You should bookmark this link since it is the primary place to update meeting settings.  NOTE: If you want to set up an alternative host for a class (i.e. as your teaching back-up so they can start the meeting in your absence) you must do this in the Canvas Zoom settings

    • In Canvas - There are a limited number of settings that you can change in Canvas.  Click on the Zoom link in the left menu bar and then your "Personal Meeting Room" tab.  Here you can set defaults to your personal meeting room.  NOTE: If you have a teaching back-up, add them as the alternative host to your personal meeting in case you can't start a meeting you've scheduled and they need to do it in your absence.
    • In Zoom App - In some cases, if you may want to adjust the settings of your installed Zoom application (e.g. a common situation is using the dual monitor setup).  To access these settings

  2. Set up your teaching backup or TA as an alternate hostIn the case, you have scheduled a meeting, class, or office hours but are unable to attend (and therefore can't start the meeting), you can have someone else set up as an "alternative host".  To do this you can click on the "Zoom" link in Canvas left menu bar and then you can add an alternative host either in your personal meeting room settings or in the settings of a meeting you schedule in Canvas. NOTE: Emails need to be the UTEID email which is the UTEID of the alternative host + "@" + "eid.utexas.edu".  e.g. "abc123@eid.utexas.edu".

  3. Automatically record your classes - When you schedule your meeting in Canvas it should default the record automatically but if not make sure it's a default.  For your personal meetings, you may choose to not record these but for classes, we must record classes for students in different international time zones and students experiencing health issues or emergencies.



  4. Disable Private Chat in your (Online Zoom profile) - To keep your class chat window from getting overly complicated, consider disabling private chat. Disabling private chats would prevent a good general question from only going to you (i.e. invisible to other students).  Also, this limits side conversations from occurring.

  5. Do you have dual monitors? - Click here for Zoom's webpage to learn how to use dual monitors in Zoom 


If you have watched the Zoom settings video above, please move on to Step 3 - Best Practices 



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