Zoom FAQ

Who is eligible to use Zoom Meetings at MDC?

  • All full-time faculty will get a Zoom license.

  • All full-time employees will get a Zoom license.

  • All part-time faculty / adjuncts will get a Zoom license if they are assigned to teach MDC LIVE or Blended classes.

  • All part-time staff will get a Zoom license if they are working with students directly, such as with advising.

  • If you do not get a Zoom license, you may still use the free version.

  • You still should sign in with the SSO and you will have the ability to host meeting up to 45 minutes.

  • If you are part-time and qualify for a Zoom license, you do not need to do anything. If you do not receive it in a timely fashion, fill out the Zoom Access Request Form below.

What are Zoom's system requirements for Windows, macOS, and Linux?

How do I download the Zoom App / Desktop Client?

Go to zoom.us/download and click on the Download button under where it says "Zoom Client for Meetings". Click the Download button and an executable file will pop up on the lower left side of your screen. Click on it and the installer will run.

Zoom.us download button

After a few seconds, the application will be installed. It looks like this if the Home tab is selected, which is the default:

Zoom Application default Home Tab

How do I access my Zoom Web Portal?

First go to https://zoom.us

When you see the login page, select the key (SSO) below the blue Sign In button.

Zoom Single Sign On (SSO) button

You will get a screen asking for "Your Company Domain". Enter mdc-edu and click Continue. (Note: That's a dash, not a period, between the words "mdc" and "edu").

Zoom Company Domain Entry

This will take you to the college's ADFS login page. Log in with your MDC credentials. This will take you to the main Zoom Meetings screen like below.

Main Zoom Meetings Screen

If needed, can watch this video for a step by step tutorial.

What is the difference between the Zoom desktop App and the Web Portal?

To have an optimal Zoom experience, it's best to have the App. You can access some of Zoom features through the App.

You need to access the Web Portal for a full list of options. There are some features that can only be accessed through the Web Portal, such as reports, adding exception guests and creating permanent breakout groups, etc...

Keep in mind, there are some settings that if you change them in the desktop app, you're making the changes only on that particular device because it's local.

If you switch to another device, you will need to reapply the changes again to your new device.

How do I add a Zoom tool link to my Blackboard course?

Please watch this video which explains the process.

How do I schedule a Zoom meeting? (for faculty)

Once you add your Zoom tool link to your Blackboard course (see above), click on it.

You will be taken to Zoom's main page.

You may have to press Click Here on an intermediate page before you get to Zoom's main page.

Click on Schedule a New Meeting and then adjust all the settings for your new meeting and click Save.

Please watch this video which explains the process in detail.

How do I schedule a Zoom meeting? (for staff)

Please watch this video which explains the process in great detail.

How do I add my profile picture in Zoom?

Please watch this video which explains the process.

How do I schedule my office hours as a link in my Blackboard courses in Zoom?

Please watch this video which explains the process.

How do I make my Zoom meeting secure?

When scheduling the meeting, be sure to schedule your meetings in Bb and select at least two of the three security measures (passcode, waiting room, required authentication).

Even better if you select all three.

Make sure that authentication is always selected as one of your options so that students must be validated.

Here is a helpful guide to things you can do to ensure you have a secure meeting.

What if I already have a Zoom account using my mdc.edu email address?

If you have a free Zoom account, you will be asked to switch your MDC email address to your personal email address.

If you have a paid personal account, you will be given two options:

  • If you wish to keep your paid personal account, you must switch your MDC email address to your personal email address.

  • If you do not want to keep your paid personal account, you will receive a pro-rated refund if you are on the yearly plan. If you are on the monthly plan, you will no longer be charged once you join the official MDC account. Please note that your personal data, including video recordings, will not be brought over to the official MDC account.

Is there a timer tool in the Zoom breakout rooms?

Yes. When you set up a breakout room, in the lower left corner, there is an Options link.

Click on that and you can set the timer: “Breakout rooms close automatically after: _____ minutes”.

You can also select the option to be notified when the time is up and you can also set a countdown timer for when the breakout room will close.

Zoom Breakout Room Timer

Can you send handouts to participants while they are in the Zoom breakout rooms?

No, but you can join each room separately and share files in the chat area once there.

Alternatively, you can share files through the chat area before sending participants into breakout rooms so everyone has intended files before they enter.

Can students upload files into the Zoom breakout rooms?

Yes, but only in the chat area.

They can also show files by sharing their screen while the file is open.

Can faculty / students also record the Zoom breakout rooms?

Yes, it is possible for the host to record the breakout rooms, and also to allow participants to record while they're in the breakout rooms.

Here is a good article about it.

Will the files be saved in the Zoom rooms (main and breakout rooms) so they're there next time you enter the room or do you have to upload them each time?

No. You must share the screen with the file open each time.

At MDC, what are the Zoom features that will be available to us?

We have the Zoom Meetings license.

What is an Alternative Host and when do I need to add one in Zoom?

An Alternative Host is basically a co-host, but unlike a co-host, they can be designated before the meeting starts in the meeting settings, and they can start a meeting.

The co-host must be designated after a meeting starts and cannot start a meeting.

You should add an Alternative Host if you cannot be there to start a meeting or you want someone to start a meeting before you're available.

Important note: The Alternative Host must have a Zoom account, whereas the co-host does not. See below for some videos that compare the Host, the Alternative Host and the Co-host.

What is the difference between a Host and a Co-host and an Alternative Host in Zoom?

Host controls allow you as the host to control various aspects of a Zoom meeting, such as managing the participants.

The co-host feature allows the host to share hosting privileges with another user, allowing the co-host to manage the administrative side of the meeting, such as managing participants or starting/stopping the recording.

The host must assign a co-host and this must be done once the meeting has started. There is no limitation on the number of co-hosts you can have in a meeting or webinar.

Co-hosts do not have access to the following controls as they are only available as host controls in a meeting:

  • Start closed captioning and assign someone or a third-party to provide closed captioning

  • Start live streaming

  • End meeting for all participants

  • Make another participant a co-host

  • Start waiting room (co-hosts can place participants in waiting room or admit/remove participants from the waiting room)

  • Start a meeting. If a host needs someone else to be able to start the meeting, they can assign an alternative host.

  • Co-hosts cannot create Polls. They can administer them but not create them.

The difference between a host and a co-host and a participant:

The difference between a co-host and an alternative host:

Can faculty create Polls ahead of time in Zoom?

Yes. Once you schedule a meeting and click Save, you will see at the very bottom of the screen a section that says Poll.

You can download a CSV template by clicking on the link and then enter your poll information there.

You can then import your poll by clicking on the Import CSV link on the right bottom corner of the page.

What happens when I add an Alternative Host to a Zoom session and I get an error saying "couldn't be found?"

A: This means that they do not have a Zoom account.

Have them sign up for a Zoom account by following the instructions in the "How do I access my Zoom Web Portal" section above.

Zoom Poll Import Page

How can I download the Poll results in Zoom?

  • Sign in to the Zoom web portal.

  • Select Reports.

  • In the Usage Reports tab, click Meeting.

  • Next to Report Type, select Poll Report.

Click Generate in the last column.

Zoom Reports Section

Can the Zoom poll results be linked to Blackboard's Grade Center?

No, not at this time.

If, and after, I record my lectures in Zoom, where do I find my recordings?

You need to provision your course with Panopto.

What this means is that you are creating a space in your course to collect your Zoom recordings so that they'll be available to you and your students.

Please see the video below for how to provision your course to use Panopto.

Once you do this and set up a link, you go to that link each time to access your recordings.

How do students access class recordings in Zoom?

If you first provision your course for using Panopto, then the link will be there in the course menu for students to access your videos without you needing to do anything.

You can insert the recording links into content (see below), but you can also just leave them here for whoever wants to view them.

How can faculty insert the Zoom session recording link directly into a content area?

You need to first provision your course for using Panopto (see above).

Then, you need to click on your link you created and locate the video you'd like to share.

Click the Share button and copy the link from the pop-up page.

Now, go into a course where you'd like to insert the link into a content area.

Click Build Content and create an item or a blank page. In the text editor, you can paste the link you got and when you hit Enter, the video should embed right into your page.

Type anything else you want and click Submit.

The video below details the steps for doing this.

How do I download the attendance report from Zoom?

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.

  2. Select Reports.

  3. Click on Usage Reports.

  4. Click Export as a CSV file and that will transfer the data into

    1. Excel.Note: Unlike in Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Zoom does not link to Blackboard's Attendance to record the attendance. It must be done manually in Blackboard's Attendance area.


Please watch the following video, which explains the process in detail.

How do I save the Chat file in Zoom?

Your Chat file is saved automatically, and the file is in your Documents folder in the Zoom folder under the Folder with the meeting name, date and time.

To make sure the Chat file is automatically saved, do the following:

  • Sign in to the Zoom web portal.

  • Click Settings.

  • Go to the In Meeting (Basic) section and click the toggle switch to enable Auto saving chats.

  • Note: Auto-saving chat will only auto-save for the host, and thus the host has to be present in the meeting for a local chat transcript to be saved.

How do I download the Chat file in Zoom?

The in-meeting chat will be saved to your local recording location.

The default is your Documents folder / Zoom / Folder with meeting name, date and time.

What files can I share in the Chat area in Zoom?

The current accepted file types are: .doc, .docx, .xslx, .ppt, .pdf

Can you have multiple pages on the whiteboard in Zoom?

Yes. If you go to the lower right corner on the whiteboard, you'll see this symbol:

Button that adds more Whiteboard pages

Click on it to expand the number of whiteboard pages. You can then scroll through them with the arrow.

Can you download the whiteboard into Microsoft Word?, or as an image in Zoom?

If you click on the little arrow next to the Save icon on the toolbar, it will let you select to save it as a PDF or a PNG file.

If you click on the Save icon itself, you will have the option to Show in Folder, so you can see where you files are being saved.

You cannot directly save it as a Word file. Copying and pasting does not preserve the formatting.

How can I invite external users into my meeting in Zoom?

  • Sign into the Zoom Web Portal.

  • Schedule a meeting.

  • Under Security, make sure Required authentication to join is enabled.

  • Next to Authentication Exception, click Add.

Zoom Meeting Authentication Exception Button
  • Enter the guest participant's name and email address.

Slots for participants' name and e-mail, or Authentication Exceptions
  • Click Add Participant to add more exceptions.

  • Click Save.

What's the maximum amount of time for a session to last in Zoom?

Each meeting can have a duration of up to 24 hours.

What does "No Fixed Time" mean in Zoom?

When scheduling a recurring meeting, Zoom offers you customization in terms of the recurrences.

This means you can decide when you would like the meeting to recur.

You can choose between Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or No Fixed Time.

If you'd like to remove the time limit on occurrences, you can use the "No Fixed Time" option.

This not only lifts the occurrence restriction but also removes any time constraints on the meeting.

Usually, when setting a recurring meeting, you need to specify the time and date for the meeting.

However, with "No Fixed Time", you do not need to specify anything.

The meeting will continue indefinitely even once everyone has left.

This might be appropriate for scheduling an Office Hours meeting space where you want students to be able to come anytime you are there. You can post your schedule and then students will know to go only when you are present.

Will a passcode change if you use it in a "recurring meeting" in Zoom?

When a reoccurring meeting is set up the meeting's passcode is the same for all occurrences. Same passcode, all semester long.

What happens when I add an Alternative Host to a Zoom session, and I get an error saying "couldn't be found?"

The Alternative Host can only be someone inside MDC's own account.

Guests cannot be added as an alternative host.

It’s not MDC's individual setting; it’s a Zoom thing.

How do I install the Zoom plug-in for Outlook and what is it for?

The Zoom plug-in for Outlook, once installed, will allow you to schedule a Zoom meeting right from Outlook.

Simply go to zoom.us/downloads, scroll to about halfway down the screen, and then you'll see the download prompt for you to install the Zoom Plug-in for Microsoft Outlook.

Where can I find the IT Department's Zoom FAQ List?

The IT Department's FAQ Document can be found here.

How much data does Zoom use during a video call?

Zoom uses between 540 MB and 1.62 GB of data may be used per hour in a one-to-one Zoom meeting.

That amounts to 9 MB to 27 MB per minute.

This article discusses the data usage and what to do reduce it as much as possible for the best Zoom experience.

Why can't my participants self-select a breakout room when I set that option in Zoom?

If participants have not downloaded the Zoom App at zoom.us/download, some will not be able to see the screen where they select their own breakout room.

If you want students or participants to be able to choose their own room, make sure they have all downloaded the Zoom App first.

Why can't my participants see the Reactions button or the View Options menu in Zoom?

If participants have not downloaded the Zoom App at zoom.us/download, some will not be able to see the Reactions screen or the View Options menu that allows them to annotate on your whiteboard.

Make sure every student has downloaded the Zoom App at zoom.us/download.

Why can't I see 49 participants on a screen in Gallery View in Zoom?

The primary reason why Zoom limits the number of displayed participants to 25 concurrently displayed in the gallery view is due to the additional computational power required to handle a greater number of thumbnails.

As such, the ability to extend this default amount to 49 is dependent upon the processing power of your computer.

Zoom publishes the following guidance for the current processing requirements for enabling 49 participants:

If your computer does not meet the above specifications, then the option to increase the number of participants in the gallery view to 49 below will likely not be available.

If your computer is capable of handling the higher number of participants, the ability to do so will be available from the video settings tab within Zoom settings.

How do I schedule Zoom meetings from Outlook (for staff)?

First, you need to download the correct application at zoom.us/download.

Scroll down the page to where it says "Zoom Plugin for Microsoft Outlook" and click Download.

Run the installer that pops up on your screen.

Then, when it is finished, go into your Outlook and you should see two new buttons at the top of the page.

One will say Schedule a Meeting. The other will say Start Instant Meeting.

If you click on the Schedule a Meeting button, you will see the familiar meeting scheduling screen that you normally use to schedule meetings.

If you click the Start Instant Meeting, you will be entered into a Zoom meeting in your personal Zoom room and then you can invite others into your meeting right away.

You just need to click on the Participants button on the bottom and then find the Invite button and then you can specify who to invite.

This video below explains the process in detail:

Where are my recordings in Zoom / Blackboard / Panopto?

First, you need to provision your course for Panopto, the video streaming platform that will make your videos ADA compliant and will house them no matter their storage requirements.

To do this, you need to go into Blackboard, Add Menu Item >> Tool Link >> name the area anything you want and then select the type as Panopto Course Tool Application.

Select Available to Users and then press Submit. Then, click on the link you just created, click Configure and say Yes to the choice of whether to add to Panopto.

After that, you will record a lesson or session and then you will receive two emails from Zoom saying your video is ready.

Make sure to ignore and delete these as your videos are now being transferred to Panopto.

Wait for the Panopto video email that says your video is ready in Panopto and then you will be able to access the video through your class recordings area that you created in Blackboard.

Just click on the link you made when you provisioned your course and your recording should be there.

This video below explains the process in detail:

How do I set up my first Zoom meeting?

Please watch the attached video.

With the 1000-participant Zoom license, how many breakout rooms can we have?

You can have up to 50 breakout rooms and the capacity for each of those rooms is 200 participants.

More details can be found in this article.

Note: There is a way that the Zoom Team can create a maximum of 100 Breakout Rooms with a maximum capacity of 1000 per breakout room (depending on account limits), but if you decide to turn this on, participants may be required to update their Zoom client.

This switch would be flipped on for the entire Zoom account, not just for one individual user.

All participants would have to be on Zoom client version 5.2 or higher and anyone who wants to join and does not have the correct version would be required to update to join the meeting.

If users do not have administrative control of their computers, this will require assistance from your IT Department to update the client.

This is an important consideration when deciding whether to have this 100 Breakout Room option enabled.

If students are accessing a class directly through Zoom (not through Blackboard), can we restrict the amount of time they have access to recorded Zoom class meetings, and can we prevent students from downloading recorded Zoom content?

See here.

If a course is copied in Blackboard, what happens within the child courses to the Zoom sessions that were scheduled in the parent course?

When a course is copied, the meetings that are scheduled in Zoom within the parent course do not copy to the child course.

You will have to create new meetings where desired for the children/copied courses separately.

How do I stop Zoom email notifications?

Go to http://zoom.us and click the SSO button on the lower part of the screen.

Then, log in with your MDC credentials. On the left side menu, select Settings >> Email Notification.

Then, you can turn off the notifications you’d like.

The list of settings is long, so you may do a search for the words “Email Notification” by typing CTRL-F on your keyboard.

How long do attendance reports stay in Zoom?

Meeting reports, such as attendance reports and polling results, can be retrieved for the last 12 months, with a search range of up to one month at a time.

If a meeting is not started in 30 days, expires and is batch deleted by Zoom, the registration reports for the meeting are also deleted.

When webinars are deleted, all associated reports remain.

For more information about Zoom reports, go to: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201363213-Getting-started-with-reports