Frequently asked questions
What is Zoom?
- Zoom is a simple, all-in-one solution that lets you meet across desktops, mobile devices and conference rooms. Zoom is free to UCSF faculty, staff and students, and the UCSF Zoom instance is approved for use with restricted data.
How do I create a Zoom account?
Where do I get Zoom?
How do I schedule a meeting?
How do I start an instant meeting?
How do I join a meeting?
How do I record a meeting?
How do I share a whiteboard?
How do I set a virtual background?
How do I assign an alternative host to my Personal Meeting Room?
Resources
How do I create a Zoom account?
- Sign in using your MyAccess username to create an account and start using Zoom.
Where do I get Zoom?
How do I schedule a meeting?
- Visit ucsf.zoom.us and select Login.
- Select Meetings from the left pane.
- Select the Schedule a New Meeting button.
- Enter your meeting details.
- Select Save.
To invite attendees to the meeting, select Outlook Calendar (.ics) and forward the meeting information to desired attendees.
- From the Zoom pane of Outlook, select Schedule a Meeting.
If prompted to sign in, select the Sign in with SSO option and log in to ucsf.zoom.us using your MyAccess credentials.
- After you choose the Zoom settings for the meeting, the Zoom information will automatically populate in the body of the meeting invite as shown below:
- Add any additional necessary information to the meeting invite and forward it to the attendees.
How do I start an instant meeting?
- Visit ucsf.zoom.us and select Meet now. Log in using your MyAccess credentials.
- Join with (1) computer audio or (2) via a phone call.
- Select attendees using the Invite button in the meeting toolbar.
- From the Zoom pane of Outlook, select Start Instant Meeting.
- Choose to start the meeting with or without video.
- Select attendees using the Invite button in the meeting toolbar.
How do I Join a meeting?
- Visit ucsf.zoom.us.
- Select Join a meeting.
- Enter the Meeting ID your host provided and your name if prompted.
- Click Join.
- Open the Outlook calendar invite and select the Join from PC, Mac, Linux... link.
- The Zoom desktop application will automatically open. If you do not have the app, download it here.
How do I record a meeting?
- You must be connected to the meeting via audio to begin recording. From the meeting toolbar, select Record.
- When you're ready to stop recording, select the Stop Recording button at the upper left portion of the Zoom meeting window
- Once the meeting has ended for all attendees and the Zoom recording has finished converting, the location of the recorded meeting will automatically appear in a separate window on your screen. You can open the meeting from this window or by opening the Zoom desktop application and selecting the Meetings tab. Recorded meetings will appear in the Recorded tab.
You can also access your recorded meetings by logging in at ucsf.zoom.us and selecting the Recordings tab.
How do I share a whiteboard?
- Click the Share Screen button located in the meeting toolbar.
- Select Whiteboard.
- The annotation tools will appear automatically, but you can press the whiteboard option in the meeting controls to show or hide them.
- Use the page controls in the bottom-right corner of the whiteboard to create new pages and switch between pages.
- When you're finished, click Stop Share.
How do I set a virtual background?
- Sign in to ucsf.zoom.us.
- Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
- Select Virtual Background.
- Check I have a green screen if you have a physical green screen set up. You can then click on your video to select the desired color for the green screen.
- Click on an image to select the desired virtual background, or add your own image by clicking + and choosing if you want to upload an image or a video.
- If prompted, click Download to download the package for virtual background without a green screen.
Note: If you would like to use a UCSF Zoom virtual background, there are several options located here. You can also find a link to UCSF Zoom virtual backgrounds in the Resources section of this page, below.
How do I assign an alternative host to my Personal Meeting Room?
If you need someone to be able to start and record meetings, you can assign an alternative host.
- Go to https://ucsf.zoom.us and log in.
2. Click on Personal>Meetings.
3. Click on Personal Meeting Room.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Edit this Meeting.
5. Enter the email addresses of Alternative Hosts, comma-separated.
Resources
Conference room system
Zoom can be connected to by Video Conferencing Units using the room connector feature. Please contact the IT Service Desk online or by phone at 415-514-4100 for more information. If you're using classroom spaces, contact Educational Technology Services.
Has your account been disabled?
Have you logged into Zoom or attempted to host a meeting and received a 1003 error stating that your account has been disabled? It is UCSF IT policy to deactivate accounts that have not hosted a meeting within the previous 90 days. If you'd like to re-enable your account, please contact the IT Service Desk online or by phone at 415-514-4100.
Get IT help
Contact the Service Desk online or by phone 415-514-4100.
