Your grandchildren want to show you the new baby. Your book club meets online now. A doctor’s office asks you to log in for a telehealth visit. All of these use Zoom, and all of them are easier than they look.
This guide walks you through video calling on Zoom from the very beginning. You will learn how to install the app, join a meeting from a link, get your camera and microphone working, and feel ready before your very first call.
You do not need to be good with computers. You just need a phone, tablet or computer, an internet connection, and about 10 minutes to get set up.
How Do I Video Call Someone on Zoom?
To video call on Zoom, install the free Zoom app, then tap the meeting link the other person sends you. Zoom opens on its own, checks your camera and microphone, and connects you to the call. You do not need to create an account or pay anything to join a meeting that someone else is hosting.
The steps below walk through each part in order: installing the app, joining a link, checking your camera and mic, and getting comfortable before the call starts.
Step 1: Download and Install Zoom
Zoom is a free video calling app made by Zoom Video Communications. It works on iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, and on Windows or Mac computers.
- On your phone or tablet, open the App Store (iPhone or iPad) or the Google Play Store (Android).
- Type “Zoom” into the search bar.
- Look for the blue icon with a white video camera. Tap Get (iPhone) or Install (Android).
- Wait for the app to finish downloading, then tap Open.
Plain talk: app
An app is a small program you install on your phone or tablet, the same way you install software on a computer. Once it is installed, its icon sits on your home screen and you tap it to open it.
On a Windows or Mac computer, you often do not need to install anything ahead of time. If someone sends you a meeting link and you click it on a computer, Zoom will offer to download itself automatically the first time you join.
Step 2: Decide Whether You Need an Account
You only need a Zoom account if you plan to start your own meetings. If you are only joining calls that someone else sets up, such as a family member, a doctor’s office, or a community group, you can skip this step entirely.
If you do want to host your own calls later, open the Zoom app, tap Sign Up, and follow the prompts using your email address. It takes about two minutes and costs nothing on the free Basic plan.
Step 3: Join a Meeting From a Link
This is the part most people use most often: someone sends a link, and you tap it to join their call.
- Find the Zoom link in your text message, email, or calendar invite. It usually looks like a web address starting with “zoom.us” followed by a string of numbers.
- Tap the link.
- Your phone or computer opens the Zoom app, or offers to install it if you have not already.
- Type your name when asked. This is what the host and other guests will see on the screen.
- Choose Join with Video to turn your camera on, or Join without Video if you would rather not be seen yet.
- Choose Join with Computer Audio so you can hear and be heard.
Plain talk: waiting room
A waiting room is a holding screen you may see right after joining. The host has to tap “Admit” before you enter the call. This is a safety feature, not a sign of a problem. It keeps strangers from wandering into private meetings.
Once the host admits you, you are in the call.
Step 4: Check Your Camera and Microphone
Before your first real call, it helps to test everything on your own.
- Open the Zoom app.
- On a phone, tap your initials or photo in the corner, then tap Settings. On a computer, click the gear icon.
- Tap Video to see a live preview of what your camera shows. Make sure your face is visible and well lit.
- Tap Audio, then Test Speaker and Test Mic to confirm sound works in both directions.
Try this
Start a practice call with yourself before relying on Zoom for something important. Sign into a free account, tap “New Meeting,” and you will see exactly what other people will see and hear.
During an actual call, look for two small icons near the bottom of the screen: a camera icon and a microphone icon. A red line through either one means it is turned off. Tap the icon once to turn it back on.
Getting Ready for a Good First Call
A few small adjustments make a real difference on video.
- Find good light. Face a window or lamp rather than sitting with your back to it. Light behind you makes your face look dark on screen.
- Raise the camera to eye level. Prop your phone or tablet against a book or stand so the camera sits roughly level with your eyes, not pointed up your chin.
- Sit closer to your Wi-Fi router, or move to a room with a stronger signal. A weak connection is the most common reason video freezes or sound cuts out.
- Mute yourself when you are not talking, especially in a group call. Background noise from your end can distract everyone else.
- Speak a little slower than usual. Video calls often have a small delay, and speaking clearly helps everyone follow along.
Say this
Ask whoever is setting up the call: “Can you send me the Zoom link a few minutes early so I have time to test my camera and sound before we start?”
Common Zoom Problems and Quick Fixes
| Problem | Quick fix |
|---|---|
| Nobody can see me | Tap the camera icon at the bottom of the screen to turn video on |
| Nobody can hear me | Tap the microphone icon, then check Settings, Audio to confirm the right microphone is chosen |
| The app asks for camera or microphone permission | Go to your device’s Settings, find Zoom, and turn Camera and Microphone on |
| The call keeps freezing | Move closer to your Wi-Fi router, or ask others to turn their video off to save bandwidth |
| I can’t find the link again | Check your email or text messages for the original invitation, or ask the host to resend it |
Zoom Safety Basics for Families
Zoom links look ordinary, which is exactly what makes them easy for scammers to imitate. A real Zoom meeting link usually starts with “zoom.us.”
Safety tip
Only click a Zoom link from someone you know and were already expecting to hear from. If a link arrives out of nowhere, especially one that pressures you to “join now” or asks for payment or personal details first, do not click it. Call the person directly, using a number you already have for them, to confirm the meeting is real.
Since April 2020, Zoom has required a password or a waiting room for every meeting by default, according to Zoom’s own security update reported by TechCrunch. This means a stranger cannot simply guess their way into your family’s call. If you would like a deeper, plain language walkthrough of spotting scam texts and links in general, our Scam-Stopper Kit (free when you join our email letter) covers the warning signs step by step.
If you are working on setting up a phone for an elderly parent or planning to help a parent with their iPhone remotely, installing and testing Zoom together, in person or over the phone, is a good first project.
Where to Go From Here
Video calling gets easier every time you do it. Once Zoom feels comfortable, the same steps apply to seeing grandkids, joining a class, or checking in with a doctor’s office.
If your phone’s screen or text is hard to read during a call, our guide to making text bigger on an iPhone can help before your next meeting. And if Zoom feels like one more app to manage, our guide to video calling your grandkids compares it with FaceTime and WhatsApp so you can pick what works best for your family.
For more iPhone basics that make everyday calls and messages easier, see our Your iPhone book.
