How to Host a Zoom Meeting on Desktop, Web, and Mobile

Are you wondering how to host a Zoom call for the first time? Learn how to connect virtually with others using Zoom.

Zoom is one of the best video conferencing tools that allow you to connect, communicate, and collaborate with remote and in-person teams. You can also send texts, audio messages, files, and images using Zoom.

Zoom Meetings supports HD audio and video and lets you host or join meetings with up to three participants for free. Zoom Business can host meetings with up to 300 participants.

You can host a Zoom meeting in three different ways: without video, with video on, and using only screen sharing. You can also use the Zoom mobile app, web browser, or desktop client to host a Zoom meeting.

How to Host a Zoom Meeting via Web Browser

Here's how to host a Zoom meeting using your web browser.

1. Go to the Zoom website and sign in to your account.
2. Hover your mouse over HOST A MEETING and select what type of meeting you want to host. You can choose to host a meeting With Video Off, With Video On, or Screen Share Only.

3. Click Open Zoom Meeting in the dialog box shown by your browser.

   
4. Click Launch Meeting if you don't see Open Zoom Meeting.
5. Click Test Speaker and Microphone and follow the screen prompts to confirm that your speaker and microphone are in good working condition.

6. When done, click the Join with Computer Audio button.

   
7. Click Copy Link to copy the Invite Link.
8. You can share this link with other meeting participants.
9. You can also click the Invite Others icon, the Participants icon, or enter Alt + I to invite other participants to the meeting.

10. You can invite people to join the meeting by clicking the Copy Invite Link or Copy Invitation buttons to share manually with your team, or by clicking on Contacts or Email.

    
11. If you choose Email, your preferred email client will open in a new browser window with a pre-written message. Simply fill in the recipients' addresses and send the email.
12. The recipients will receive a link to join the meeting, a meeting ID, and a passcode.
13. When they click on the link, you will receive a notification on your screen. Click the Admit button to let participants in.
14. When done click the End button, then select whether you want to End Meeting for All or Leave Meeting.
15. Participants will be notified when you end the meeting.
16. When done with your meeting, you can click End to end the call.
17. Select either End Meeting for All or Leave Meeting.

You can manage the audio, video, security, participants, chat, share screen, and record settings by adjusting as required.

Related: The Best Zoom Virtual Backgrounds For Any Meeting

How to Host a Zoom Meeting Using Zoom Desktop Client

Here's how to host a Zoom Meeting using the Zoom Meetings Client for Windows. First, you'll need to download the Zoom Desktop Client.

Download: Zoom Desktop Client (Free)

1. Launch the Zoom Client.
2. Click Sign In and enter your login credentials. You can also sign in with SSO, Google, or Facebook.
3. Click Sign In again.

4. Click the New Meeting dropdown and select how you want to start your meeting—with video or your personal meeting ID (PMI), otherwise, just click the video button.

   

5. Click the Join with Computer Audio button.

   
6. There are several buttons at the bottom of the screen with which you can manage your Zoom meetings.
7. To invite participants, click Participants, then click Invite or enter Alt + I.

8. You can invite people to join the meeting by clicking the Copy Invite Link or Copy Invitation buttons to share manually with your team, or by clicking on Contacts or Email.

   
9. Choosing Email will launch your preferred email client in a new browser window with a pre-written message. Fill in the recipients' addresses and send the email.
10. In addition to the link and meeting ID, the recipients will also receive a passcode.
11. When participants click on the link you sent, you will receive a notification on your screen. Click the Admit button to allow participants in.
12. When done click the End button, then select whether you want to End Meeting for All or Leave Meeting.
13. Participants will immediately be notified that you have ended the meeting.

Related: How to Raise Your Hand in a Zoom Meeting

How to Host a Zoom Meeting on Mobile

Image Gallery (3 Images)

Here's how to host a Zoom meeting on an Android device.

1. Launch the Zoom app.
2. Tap Sign In and enter your login credentials.
3. Or select sign in with SSO, Google, or Facebook.
4. Zoom should launch automatically after a few seconds. If not, tap Launch Zoom.
5. Tap New Meeting.
6. Use the toggle to select your preferred Video On and Personal Meeting ID setting.
7. Tap Start a Meeting.
8. Tap Got it to grant Zoom access permission.
9. Select how you want to Allow Zoom to take pictures and record video.
10. Tap Participants to add others to the meeting.[gallery size="full" ids="1187067,1187068,1187069"]
11. Tap Invite and select how you want to send your invitation. You can also tap Copy Invite Link and share it with participants.
12. If you select Gmail, for instance, it will launch a pre-written email. To personalize it, you can add a little more information about the meeting. Otherwise, simply fill in the recipient's email addresses and send.

Download: Zoom for Android | iOS (Free)

Related: Google Meet vs. Zoom: Which Conferencing Tool Should You Choose?

How to Schedule a Zoom Meeting

What if you want to host a meeting on a future date? You can schedule your meetings. Here's how to schedule a Zoom meeting for a later date.

1. Sign in to your Zoom account.

2. Click on SCHEDULE A MEETING.

   
3. Enter a Topic for the meeting.
4. Type a Description (Optional).
5. On When, click the calendar icon to choose a date and time.
6. Under Duration, click the drop-down menu to set the duration of the meeting.
7. Select your Time Zone.
8. Tick the Recurring meeting checkbox if you will hold this meeting regularly in the future and fill in the required information.
9. You can use your Personal Meeting ID or Generate Automatically.
10. Under Security, you can use the password shown or create a unique password.
11. Leave the Waiting Room check box marked if you want only users invited by you to join.
12. Under Video, select your Host and Participant settings.

13. Under Meeting Options, use the checkboxes to select your preferences.

    
14. Click Save.
15. On the next page, you can review your meeting settings.
16. Click Save as Template.

17. On the Save as a Meeting Template dialog box, click Save as Template.

    
18. You will receive a message informing you that the meeting was successfully saved as a template.
19. You can add your meeting to Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, or Yahoo Calendar. To do so, go to Time > Add to > and click on your preferred calendar. For this, we choose Google Calendar.
20. Sign in to your Google account if prompted.

21. Click Allow to Grant Zoom permission.

    
22. Click Allow to Confirm your choices.

23. Your Google Calendar will open. Click on the highlighted date to view the details of your scheduled meeting.

    
24. You can RSVP, edit, delete, or email this event to invited guests.

Related: How to Host a Microsoft Teams Meeting on Desktop or Mobile

Which Video Conferencing Tools Should You Choose?

Zoom's flexibility allows you to host virtual meetings across devices. You can schedule a meeting on your desktop and attend the meeting using your mobile phone while away from home.

Zoom Basic allows teams of three to host meetings of up to 40-minute. If however, you want something more, you can upgrade to Zoom Business. or check other Zoom alternatives out there.

Zoom became popular at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn't looked back since. Its Android app currently has over 500 million downloads and counting.

About The Author

Joy Okumoko (36 Articles Published)

Joy is an Internet and Tech buff who loves the internet and everything technology. When not writing about the Internet or Tech, she's busy knitting and making sundry handcrafts, or watching NollyWood.

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