5 Things You CAN'T Do In Zoom (UPDATE - you can now do some of these things, see comments)

[@BenFinio]

UPDATE: you CAN manually rearrange participants in gallery view now, but you need to update to the latest version of Zoom! blog.zoom.us/teachers-top-features-for-securing-virtual-classrooms-enhancing-student-learning-experiences/

[@Zoom]

Hey Ben, thanks for the feedback and feature ideas! We've shared your video with our product team.

[@BenFinio]

Thanks, hope it was useful!

[@VorcinFN]

I would love have an option to be able to message people in the meeting individually or in a group message with 3+ people. This makes it easier to socialize during class and make new friends or talk to there pre-existing friends for individuals who want to do that.

[@BenFinio]

Assuming the host has it enabled, there is an option to send people individual messages in chat. However you can't have group chats with just a few people. Some teachers turn that off because they don't want students talking to each other privately during a Zoom class - it's sort of like the equivalent of passing notes or texting each other in an in-person class.

[@rl61]

If I get a second monitor will I be able to see all of my students on the second monitor? Do you have a video on that?

[@BenFinio]

Yes I do! right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6fSiYCJqdSBmdk

[@wingspan22]

Hi Ben, Thank you for your ZOOM instruction videos. I found them very helpful. I'm directing a scene from a play with 3 characters that require their video to display side by side across the screen to look like his: [ ] [ ] [ ] - Is there a way to make this happen? Thank you!

[@BenFinio]

Hi - you should check out two of my newer videos on rearranging gallery view and the new multi-spotlight feature: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIusn2x3rbiFqLc kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqLRaKptm8x3l80. These will sort of allow you to do what you want, but with three people I don't think you can get them all side by side in a row - it will do two on top and one on the bottom.

[@pgicruiser3128]

Try recording their individual videos ahead of time, then merging them together side by side in OpenShot. OpenShot is a FREE Video Editor that will enable you to do what you want. Look on KZbin for OpenShot Split Screen videos. You can then do a Share Screen in Zoom and play the mp4 video exported from OpenShot. Good luck. Hope this works for you.

[@reneeberger2770]

I do ESL classes and want to share my screen for grammar exercises and it's critical to be able to see around 10 people. It seems as the host using my screen I can see only about 5-6. I can't use side-by-side to make the screen smaller so that I can see all of the people (e.g. in gallery). I'll add that I am doing this in a breakout room, tho a co-host. From your helpful video of things you can't do in Zoom, it sounds like this is a constraint. Is that correct, and my only option is using two computers, iPads, etc. ?

[@BenFinio]

Hi - if you have an external monitor for a laptop or two monitors for a desktop computer, you can enable the dual monitor setting. That will let you share one screen and still get full gallery view on the other: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6fSiYCJqdSBmdk

[@alexisbourne723]

Is there a way to split the zoom screen so that I see the host’s desktop and my own? I’m trying to teach my students, and I need them to see my screen (as I demonstrate) and their own while they complete a task. Thanks!

[@BenFinio]

Hi Alexis - unfortunately this will be difficult with a single monitor, especially if it's a small laptop. The best approach I can think of is to just resize the Zoom window so it only takes up about half your screen instead of maximizing it, and then have whatever other program you need open on the other half of your screen. Again, that works well for people with large widescreen monitors (or two monitors) but not so much for people with tiny screens.

[@rayvoith1344]

how to pin the participant view to be sure not to miss someone coming in late. Sharing seems to hide the participant list.

[@BenFinio]

Hi Ray - you may want to use dual monitor mode if possible: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6fSiYCJqdSBmdk

[@rayvoith1344]

Ben Finio thanks

[@melanie2472502]

Hi. Thanks for your videos. Couldn't you make everyone a co-host for break-out rooms, then they could all room - hop ?

[@BenFinio]

Yes but that only works if you trust your participants with co-host privileges, which I assume isn't the case for many teachers :-)

[@errolhenry9546]

No only up to 100 participants can become co-hosts and any more depends on the plan you have.

[@errolhenry9546]

Yes you can preview what's being recorded in zoom with no extra software needed.

[@lucimckean2375]

One slight hack: when sharing your screen, you can choose to share your *desktop* (especially helpful if you have two screens) and then you can drag different windows onto that screen. For example, you can put an Excel* window on that second screen, and then drag Preview or Adobe Acrobat on top of Excel on that same screen. We found that one by accident because we'd previously been sharing the Excel window. (This does have the disadvantage of everyone seeing whatever alerts might pop up, so be forewarned about that.) *I started to mention Powerpoint, but I'm so frustrated with Powerpoint insisting on full-screen presentations AND wanting to take over both screens. Since you've got Zoom's attention, can you also get TPTB at Powerpoint to stop doing that, please? :)

[@lucimckean2375]

Huh. And there's another hack I just learned at about the 8:45 mark in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3_bmZ6nbs-djNE

[@BenFinio]

Hi Luci - wholeheartedly agreed about Powerpoint, it's annoying how it wants to hog both monitors, which makes the "use dual monitors" feature in Zoom pointless - HOWEVER, the good news is that it looks like you can turn that feature off! I just tried this and it worked (when I started the slideshow I just had my slides on one screen, my other monitor remained normal): www.bemidjistate.edu/offices/its/knowledge-base/powerpoint-2013-and-presenter-view-windows/#:~:text=Disabling%20Presenter%20View&text=There%20is%20a%20way%20to,down%20menu%2C%20select%20Primary%20Monitor.

[@mlkjfkloverules6669]

Good job Ben. Thanks.

[@bryankosal2182]

Hi, I want to ask some questions. Does the host still see us if we turn off the camera or when we checked our camera without turn on the camera? Thanks

[@BenFinio]

Hi Bryan - if you have your video off, then no, the host can't see you. I'm not 100% sure if they can see if you're checking your video settings, but I don't think so.

[@bryankosal2182]

Thank you so much for the information

[@wendyrobinson3291]

I WANT SIDE BY SIDE IN HOST MODE!!!!!!!

[@BenFinio]

Hi Wendy - you're still out of luck if you want side by side powerpoint + video on a single monitor in host. BUT if you have two monitors you can do dual monitor mode, or if you want two side by side videos, you can now multi-pin/spotlight videos. See the other videos in my tutorial playlist (linked in description above).