This page outlines the most common Zoom account features. Each feature has the ability to be enabled or disabled by default. Most settings can be adjusted by the host to develop a custom meeting that fits their needs. Zoom settings can be managed at several levels. Zoom refers to this as "tiered settings". The Zoom Help Center documentation (https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005269866) describes tiered settings as "Tiered settings provide a hierarchical way to manage the settings that affect meetings, webinars, and audio conferences. The settings can be controlled at the Account level, the Group level, and the User level so that events throughout the organization have enforced settings when required, while allowing meeting and webinar organizers the flexibility to customize other settings".
Account level default settings can also by locked by the administrators of the system. If a feature is locked by the administrator it will not be enable to override at the Group level or the User (host) level.
Table of Contents
Review Features and Settings
To review/adjust the feature settings, please use the following link:
https://syracuseuniversity.zoom.us/profile/setting
Alternatively, if you have the Zoom desktop app, select the "gear" icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Under the General tab, select the "View More Settings" link at the bottom of the screen.
On the left side panel, select Personal --> Settings.
Account Features
Under the Settings section, you see features grouped into three parts: Meeting, Recording, and Telephone
Meeting
Security
| Feature | Default Setting | Admin Locked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waiting Room | Enabled | No | When participants join a meeting, place them in a waiting room and require the host to admit them individually |
| Require a Passcode when Scheduling New Meetings | Enabled | No | A passcode will be generated when scheduling a meeting and participants require the passcode to join the meeting |
| Require passcode for instant meeting | Enabled | No | A random passcode will be generated when starting an instant meeting |
| Webinar Passcode | Enabled | No | A passcode will be generated when scheduling a Webinar and participants require the passcode to join the Webinar |
| Only authenticated users can join meetings | Enabled | No | The participants need to authenticate prior to joining the meetings. Authentication can be through Zoom or Syr.edu |
Meeting (Basic) Settings
| Feature | Default Setting | Admin Locked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat | Enabled | No | Allow meeting participants to send a message visible to all participants |
| Private Chat | Enabled | No | Allow meeting participants to send a private 1:1 message to another participant |
| Auto Saving Chat | Disabled | No | Automatically save all in-meeting chats so that hosts do not need to manually save the text of the chat after the meeting starts |
| File Transfer | Disabled | No | Hosts and participants can send files through the in-meeting chat |
| Co-Host | Disabled | No | Allow the host to add co-hosts. Co-hosts have the same in-meeting controls as the host |
| Meeting Polls | Disabled | No | Allow host to use 'Polls' in meetings. Hosts can add polls before or during a meeting |
| Meeting Survey, including 3rd-party survey link | Enabled | No | Allow host to present survey to participants once a meeting has ended |
| Webinar Polls | Enabled | No | Allow host to use 'Polls' in webinars. Hosts can add polls before or during a webinar |
| Webinar Survey, including 3rd-party survey link | Enabled | No | Allow host to present surveys to attendees once a webinar has ended |
| Screen Sharing | Enabled (Host Only) | No | Allow host and participants to share their screen or content during meetings. The host manually allows participants to share their screens |
| Disable Screen Share for Users | Disabled | No | Disable desktop or screen share in a meeting and only allow sharing of selected applications |
| Annotation | Enabled | No | Allow host and participants to use annotation tools to add information to shared screens |
| Whiteboard | Enabled | No | Allow host and participants to share whiteboard during a meeting |
| Remote Control | Enabled | No | During screen sharing, the person who is sharing can allow others to control the shared content |
| Nonverbal Feedback | Disabled | No | Participants in a meeting can provide nonverbal feedback in the Participants panel, (raise/lower their hand, respond "yes/no," ask to go slower/faster, agree/disagree, clap, and more) |
| Meeting Reactions | Enabled | No | Allow meeting participants to communicate without interrupting by reacting with an emoji that shows on their video |
| Join Different Meetings Simultaneously on Desktop | Disabled | No | Allow user to join different meetings at the same time on one desktop device |
| Allow Participants to Rename Themselves | Enabled | No | Allow meeting participants and webinar panelists to rename themselves |
Meeting (Advanced) Settings
| Feature | Default Setting | Admin Locked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q&A in webinar | Enabled | No | Allow attendees to ask questions for the host and panelists to answer |
| Breakout Room | Disabled | No | Allow the host to split meeting participants into separate, smaller rooms |
| Closed Captioning | Disabled | No | Allow the host to type closed captions, assign a participant/third party device to add closed captions, or configure Zoom Live Transcript |
| Save Captions | Disabled | No | Allow participants to save fully closed captions or transcripts |
| Far End Camera Control | Disabled | No | Allow another user to take control of your camera during a meeting |
| Virtual Background | Enabled | Yes | Customize your background to keep your environment private from others in a meeting |
Allow Video for Virtual Background* | Disabled | Yes | Selecting and using videos for virtual backgrounds. *Due to accessibility, this feature is not permitted in Syracuse University Zoom. |
Allow Upload of Custom Virtual Backgrounds | Enabled | Yes | Allow users to upload custom backgrounds |
| Video Filters | Enabled | No | Allow users to select from a variety of overlays, color filters, and other custom video frames |
| Avatars | Disabled | No | Allow users to select a avatar that will be shown in meetings |
| Immersive View | Disabled | No | Allow hosts to curate case-specific scenes, such as a classroom or boardroom for their meetings or webinars |
Recording
| Feature | Default Setting | Admin Locked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Recording | Enabled | No | Allow hosts and participants to record the meeting to a local file |
| Cloud Recording | Enabled | No | Allow hosts to record and save the meeting / webinar in the cloud |
| Automatic Recording | Disabled | No | Record meetings automatically as they start |
Only Authenticated Users can View Cloud Recordings | Enabled | No | The viewers need to authenticate prior to viewing the cloud recordings |
| The host can delete cloud recordings | Enabled | No | Allow the host to delete the recordings |
| Auto delete cloud recordings after days | Enabled | Yes | Allow Zoom to automatically delete cloud recordings after 120 days. Automatically deleted items can be recovered, for 1 day, from the Zoom Trash up to 30 days past the automatically delete date. |
Telephone
| Feature | Default Setting | Admin Locked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Show international numbers link on invitation email | Enabled | No | Show the link for Zoom International Dial-in Numbers on email invitations |
| 3rd Party Audio | Disabled | No | Users can join the meeting using the existing 3rd party audio configuration |
Getting Help
For support on the information above, contact the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315.443.2677 or by emailing help@syr.edu.