All about Zoom: 8 tools you didn't know existed

Changing the Zoom background to make it look like you're in a coffee shop or on a faraway tropical island is a thing of the past. Digging a little deeper into the settings can make you a power user of Zoom.

In this guide, some tips for everything from leaving meetings with a click to helping everyone stay focused during a call.

Leave meetings with one click

When you want to leave a meeting on Zoom, you usually have to do it with two clicks. This is because in the General tab of Zoom settings, the "Ask me to confirm when I leave a meeting" checkbox is automatically selected. If you uncheck it, you can exit Zoom meetings with a single click, avoiding the confusion or slight annoyance of having to click "exit" twice.

Retouch the appearance

The "tweak my appearance" feature is located under the Video tab in Settings. Once you click the checkbox, you can use the switch to make the enhancement as subtle or dramatic as you like.

Suppress background noise

On the Audio tab in Zoom settings, you can control how much you want to suppress background noise. Zoom uses "Auto" by default, but you can also choose between low, medium, and high to minimize distracting background noise.

Invite people with command + i

This is one of many Zoom keyboard shortcuts, but it could be considered one of the easiest and most useful. By clicking the "i" command within a meeting, you can quickly invite contacts within your organization or send an email to people outside your organization. The invitation popup also allows you to copy an invitation link or invite and view the meeting access code.

edit shortcuts

You can explore the available commands and shortcuts in the Keyboard Shortcuts section of Settings. If none of them suit you, you can create your own shortcuts just by clicking on them. And if your homemade shortcuts don't work, you can easily restore the defaults.

Allow non-verbal feedback

To see all of Zoom's settings, click "See more settings" on the General tab. Once you're there, you can enable "nonverbal feedback." This tool allows users to convey their thoughts without verbally interrupting the presenter. The available icons are yes, no, slow down, speed up and cup of coffee. Zoom says that the coffee cup icon means "I'm out." When you click an icon, it remains active until you click it again.

Help participants focus

Zoom launched Focus mode on August 25, gearing it primarily toward classroom use. But it can be useful for large gatherings where adults can be as distracted as children. Focus mode allows hosts to hide participants' video from other participants, so that only host and co-host videos, plus content they share, are visible to participants. You can turn on focus mode for any meeting you host on the full settings page in Zoom.

Remote control

In the full list of Zoom settings, you can enable remote control. This means that when someone shares their screen, you can allow participants to control your screen from afar. This can easily be used for informal technical help or to contribute to a collaborative document or project. The screen sharer can take back control whenever they want, if someone starts to get a little frisky.

Put your co-workers wherever you want

Maybe you are tired of staring at a Zoom box screen all day. If you want to put the videos of all your participants in a virtual environment, you can activate the immersive view in the full list of settings. It allows the host to place the participants in different virtual settings, such as a conference room or a kitchen table. Zoom can place participants automatically, or you can place them manually. You can even place people in different parts of your own screen.