Testing computer or device audio

There are two ways to test audio in Zoom. You can test audio while joining a meeting (If you haven't enabled the setting to automatically join by computer audio, you can test your speaker and microphone while joining a meeting), or you can test your computer audio through the Zoom Client Application settings

Testing audio before joining a meeting

1. After joining a meeting, click Test Speaker and Microphone.
2. The meeting will display a pop-up window to test your speakers. If you don't hear the ringtone, use the drop-down menu or click No to switch speakers until you hear the ringtone. Click Yes to continue to the microphone test.
3. If you don't hear an audio replay, use the drop-down menu or click No to switch microphones until you hear the reply. Click Yes when you hear the replay.
4. Click Join with Computer audio to exit the speaker and microphone test.
5. Click Join with Computer Audio to join the test meeting with the selected microphone and speakers.

Testing audio using audio settings

To test your audio, navigate to your audio settings before or during a meeting:

Before a meeting

1. Sign in to the Zoom Client Application.
2. Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
3. Click the Audio tab.
4. Follow the sections below to test your speaker or microphone.

During meeting

        You can access your audio settings and test your audio when you are already in a meeting.

1. In the meeting controls, click the arrow next to Mute/Unmute.
2. Click Audio Options.; this will open your audio settings.

Testing your speaker

1. Click Test Speaker to play a test tone. 
2. If you cannot hear it, select a different speaker from the menu or adjust the volume.

Testing your microphone

1. In the Microphone section, you will see the green Input Level bar move when Zoom is picking up audio. 
2. Click Test Mic to test your microphone. 
3. Your audio will start recording. Click Recording when you are done and it will play back. You can select another microphone from the menu or adjust the input level.
4. Check Automatically adjust microphone settings if you want Zoom to adjust the input volume automatically. 

Background noise suppression

The Zoom client has options that allow the utilization of noise suppression, which can help remove distracting noises that can be picked up by participants' microphones. Background noise, like paper crunching, keyboard typing, fan noise, dog barking, and other noises will be filtered out to create a better meeting experience. By default Zoom automatically does background noise reduction, however the option can be changed to be more or less aggressive based on the environment and use case.

1. In the Zoom Desktop Client, click your profile picture then click Settings.
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. Under the Suppress background noise section, select the level of suppression you wish to use:

Auto: This is the default setting, and will apply moderate background noise reduction when needed. It will auto adjust the aggressiveness for blocking background noise based on what it detects in the background. If music is detected, it will not treat the music as background noise.

Low: Noise reduction will be minimal. It will block low levels of persistent background noise.

Medium: Best for reducing and eliminating background noise in standard environments, including fans, pen tapping, etc.

High: Noise reduction will be at its most aggressive, and eliminate noise such as crunching of paper or wrappers, keyboard typing, etc. 

Joining a meeting or webinar by phone

You can join a Zoom meeting or webinar by means of teleconferencing/audio conferencing (using a traditional phone). This is useful when:

• you do not have a microphone or speaker on your computer,
• you do not have a smartphone (iOS or Android) while outside, or
• you cannot connect to a network for video and VoIP (computer audio)

Joining a meeting/webinar by phone

Follow the below sections if you want to join a meeting using the desktop client for video and screen sharing, but want to join meeting audio using your phone.

1. After joining a Zoom meeting, you will be prompted to join the audio automatically. If this prompt does not appear or you close out of it, click Join Audio in the meeting controls. If you're joining a webinar, you may automatically join computer audio. Click the up arrow next to Audio Settings then Switch to Phone Audio.
2. Click the Phone Call tab.
3. Follow the instructions for dialing in: In the Country/Region drop-down menu, select the country or region you're calling from.
4. Call one of the numbers provided.
5. Enter your meeting ID followed by #.
6. Enter your participant ID followed by #.
7. Enter the passcode, if prompted, followed by #.

Muting and unmuting participants in a meeting

As the host or co-host in a meeting, you can manage your participants, including muting and unmuting participants to manage background noise and distractions. All participants can also mute or unmute themselves, unless the host has prevented them from unmuting

Due to privacy and security reasons, the host cannot unmute other participants without their consent. The host can either use the Ask All to Unmute option, which will prompt every user to unmute themselves, or can schedule the meeting with Request permission to unmute participants enabled, which will prompt the participants for pre-approval to be unmuted by the host.

Muting or unmuting a specific participant

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Start a meeting.
3. Click Participants located in the meeting controls.
4. Hover a participant and click one of these options.

Ask to Unmute: Display a prompt for the participant that asks them to unmute. The participant can click Unmute in the prompt to unmute.

Unmute: Instantly unmute the participant without display a prompt.

Mute: Mute the participant.

Asking all participants to unmute

The host and co-host can also request everyone in the meeting to unmute themselves. This allows the participants to choose if they are ready to be unmuted or wish to remain muted. 

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Start a meeting.
3. Click Participants located in the meeting controls.
4. Click More, then click Ask All to Unmute from the list.
5. All other participants will then be prompted to Unmute or Stay Muted.

To enable the pre-approved consent to unmute feature for your own use:

1. Sign in to the yorku.zoom.us.
2. In the navigation menu, click Settings.
3. In the Meeting tab, navigate to the Request permission to unmute option (under the In Meeting (Advanced) section) and verify that the setting is enabled.

Using pre-approved consent to be unmute

1. Schedule a meeting.
2. Under Meeting Options, check the Request permission to unmute participants option.
3. When the meeting starts, participants will be prompted to provide consent to be unmuted by the host.
4. If the participant provides consent to be unmuted, you will have the option to unmute each person individually as needed from the participants list. 
5. If the participants doesn't provide consent, you will see the regular Ask to Unmute / Mute options in the participants list.

Audio Echo In A Meeting

If you hear audio echo or audio feedback during your meeting, there are 3 possible causes

1. A participant has both the computer and telephone audio active
2. Participants with computer or telephones speakers that are too close to each other
3. Multiple computers with active audio in the same conference room

A participant has both the computer and telephone audio active

If you join from a computer and call in from the telephone, please make sure you either enter your participant ID when calling in, or enter your #participant ID# when already in the call, or manually leave computer audio on your computer

Participants with computer or telephones speakers that are too close to each other

If another participant is too close to you, and both of you have speakers on, please leave audio conference on one of the computers or hang up of the the telephone connections.

Multiple computer with active audio in the same conference room

If you are in a conference room with multiple devices, please disconnect computer audio from the other devices. 

Select Audio Options > Leave Computer Audio (PC/Mac) or Disconnect (Android/iPhone).

Using telephone call-out (also known as call me)

While in a meeting or webinar, you can call yourself or others to join your meeting by phone. This feature is also known as "call me".

Using call-out to join meeting/webinar audio by phone

You can dial your own phone device to access any meeting from your phone device.

1. Sign in to the Zoom Desktop Client.
2. Start or join a meeting.
3. Click Join Audio if you haven't join the meeting via audio.
4. If you've already joined the meeting using computer audio, click Switch to Phone Audio.
5. Click the Call Me tab.
6. Click the flag icon to select the country code of your phone number.
7. Enter your phone number, then click Call Me.

Using call-out to invite someone by phone

1. Sign in to the Zoom Desktop Client.
2. Start or join a meeting.
3. Click Manage Participants (if you're the host) or Participants in the meeting controls.
4. Click Invite at the bottom of the participants panel.
5. Click the Phone tab.
6. Enter the invitee's name.
7. Click the flag icon to select the country code of the invitee's phone number.
8. Enter the invitee's phone number of, then select Invite.

Enabling option to preserve original sound

Original sound allows you to preserve the sound from your microphone without using Zoom's echo cancellation and audio-enhancing features. This is ideal if your microphone or sound equipment has these features built-in and you do not need the additional enhancement.

You will first need to enable the setting for yourself, a group of users, or your account in the Zoom web portal. After enabling the feature to preserve original sound feature in the web portal, you will also be able to enable:

1. High fidelity music mode to optimize Zoom audio for the highest quality.
2. Zoom's echo cancellation algorithms; this feature is enabled by default.
3. Stereo audio for a better listening experience; this feature is enabled by default.

Enabling in-meeting option for original sound

Desktop client

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. On the Home tab, click the settings button.
3. Click the Audio tab.
4. Under the Music and Professional Audio section, check Show in-meeting option to "Enable Original Sound"
5. (Optional) Check High fidelity music mode.
6. (Optional) Uncheck Echo cancellation.
7. (Optional) Check Stereo audio.

Mobile app

1. Sign out and sign back in to the Zoom mobile app.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Meetings.
4. Tap the toggle to enable Use Original Sound.

Enabling stereo audio

Stereo audio allows you to send audio in stereo during your meetings and webinars, if your microphone can process audio in stereo.

1. Sign in to the yorku.zoom.us.
2. Click My Meeting Settings (if you are an account administrator) or Settings (if you are an account member).
3. Click the Meeting tab.
4. Under In Meeting (Advanced), verify that the Allow users to select stereo audio in their client settings setting is enabled.
5. If the setting is disabled, click the status toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.

Turning on stereo audio in the Zoom desktop client

After signing out of the Zoom client and logging in again, you will now be able to select Stereo Audio in your audio settings.

1. In the Zoom client, click your profile picture, then click Settings. 
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. Under the Music and Professional Audio section, select the Show in-meeting option to Turn On Original Sound check box. 
4. Select the Stereo Audio check box

Push-to-talk

The push-to-talk feature allows you to remain muted throughout your Zoom meeting and hold down the spacebar when you want to be unmuted and talk.

Enabling push-to-talk

1. In the Zoom desktop client, click your profile picture, then click Settings. 
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. Check the option Press and hold SPACE key to temporarily unmute yourself. 
4. This setting is now enabled. You can close the settings.

Using push-to-talk

When you are in a Zoom meeting and you are muted, hold the spacebar when you want to talk and the Zoom window is in focus. Your screen will show a message indicating that you are temporarily unmuted and the microphone will appear green when you talk.