Create a Zoom Meeting

Questions

  • How do I create a Zoom meeting?
  • How do I schedule a Zoom meeting in advance?
  • How do I start an instant Zoom meeting right now?
  • How do I set up a recurring Zoom meeting?
  • What settings should I use when scheduling a Zoom meeting?
  • How do I schedule a Zoom meeting from the desktop app?
  • How do I schedule a Zoom meeting from the Zoom website?
  • How do I get a link to share with meeting participants?

Environment

This article applies to all Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students with a Zoom account. Instructions cover the Zoom desktop app on Windows 11 and macOS Sequoia (15.x) or later, and the Zoom web portal at bowdoin.zoom.us. You must be signed in with your Bowdoin credentials to host a meeting.

Resolution

The video below shows an overview of creating and scheduling a Zoom meeting. Step-by-step instructions follow.

Note: The video above may show an older version of Zoom's interface. The steps below reflect the current Zoom desktop app.

Start an Instant Meeting (Right Now)

To start a meeting immediately without scheduling:

  1. Open the Zoom desktop app and sign in.
  2. Click the New Meeting button on the Home tab.
  3. Zoom will start a meeting using your Personal Meeting ID (PMI) or a randomly generated ID, depending on your settings. To choose, click the small arrow next to New Meeting before clicking.

Schedule a Meeting from the Desktop App

  1. Open the Zoom desktop app and sign in.
  2. Click Schedule on the Home tab.
  3. Fill in the meeting details:
    • Topic: Enter a clear meeting name that participants will recognize.
    • Date and time: Set the start date, time, and expected duration.
    • Recurring meeting: Check this box to repeat the meeting on a schedule (daily, weekly, etc.).
    • Meeting ID: Select Generate Automatically. Avoid using your Personal Meeting ID for scheduled meetings, as it never changes and can be harder to secure.
    • Passcode: Leave enabled (on by default). Participants will receive the passcode in the invitation.
    • Waiting Room: Leave enabled (on by default) unless all attendees have Bowdoin accounts, in which case use the Bowdoin authentication option instead.
    • Video: Set host and participant video to Off by default — participants can turn their cameras on after joining.
    • Audio: Select Computer Audio only. Bowdoin does not subscribe to Zoom's dial-in phone service, and phone dial-in charges will be billed to your department.
    • Calendar: Select Outlook to add the meeting to your Outlook calendar and generate an invitation automatically.
  4. Click Save. If you selected Outlook, a calendar event will open for you to address and send to invitees.

Schedule a Meeting from the Zoom Web Portal

  1. Go to bowdoin.zoom.us and sign in with your Bowdoin credentials.
  2. In the left navigation, click Meetings, then click Schedule a New Meeting.
  3. Fill in the topic, date, time, and duration.
  4. Under Security, confirm that Passcode and Waiting Room are enabled, or enable Require authentication to join and select Sign in to Zoom with a Bowdoin account if all attendees are Bowdoin community members.
  5. Under Audio, select Computer Audio.
  6. Click Save.
  7. On the meeting details page, click Copy Invitation to get the full invitation text to paste into an email, or use Add to Calendar to create an Outlook event.
Who can join? By default, anyone with the meeting link and passcode can join. To limit access to Bowdoin community members only, enable Only authenticated users can join and select Sign in to Zoom with a Bowdoin account. See Secure a Zoom Meeting in the Related Articles section for more detail.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

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