So, you’ve downloaded Zoom and you’ve got your wine, quarantine snacks, and are all set for virtual live trivia, and there’s only one thing left to do: figure out how Zoom works! You may be asking yourself, what’s a meeting ID? How do I mute myself? How do I turn off my video? What day is it? We can’t help you with that last one, but here are some tips for maximizing the trivia fun while managing this new technology.
What’s a meeting ID?
Your friend, who set up the trivia game or purchased the ticket, has hopefully sent you either a link or a meeting ID. What’s that? Simply put, a meeting ID is a unique identifier for each meeting. You’ll need it to access the trivia game at its scheduled start time.
Start by opening the Zoom app. We recommend doing so on desktop, but you can also use a mobile device. When Zoom opens, you’ll see this prompt to “Join a Meeting.”
Click “Join a Meeting” and you’ll see this:
Enter the 11-digit meeting ID. Don’t worry about the dashes; Zoom enters those automatically. For example, if the meeting ID your friend sent is 111-1111-1111, just enter 1111111111. You can also copy and paste a link into this field and Zoom will use it to know the meeting ID.
In the box that says “Enter your name,” type in the name by which you want to be known. Then hit Join!
Oops! I put in the wrong thing. How do I change my Zoom name?
If you put in the wrong name or if the host asking you to change your name to your team name, you can easily change your Zoom name. Hover over your video and clicking on the ellipses (the “…” ) in the top right and choosing “Rename.” Can’t find your own video? Go to the participants list and find the ellipses there.
Because Zoom saves this name for the next time you login, don’t forget to change the name back when you’re done with trivia. It might be a little embarrassing to enter a work meeting as “Here for Beer.”
Do I have to have my camera on?
You do not have to have your camera on for trivia. However, we recommend giving yourself the option of using video if you want to. When you first join, a prompt will ask if you want to turn on your camera. If you don’t allow access to the webcam, this will pop up:
And then you’ll have to go down a rabbit hole of settings to get your webcam to work on Zoom. So, we recommend allowing the app to access your camera now, and toggling video on/off later as desired.
The same thing goes for audio – when you see a box pop up that says “Join with Computer Audio,” click it! If you don’t, you won’t be able to hear anyone else and they won’t be able to hear you. You can still turn your microphone off later.
Okay, I’m in. What’re all these options at the bottom of my screen?
The amount of options you have in a Zoom meeting depends on your role in that meeting. With so many options, and so little time, the main two icons that we want to point out for someone attending a trivia game on Zoom are the two on the left. The icon on the very left is for muting and unmuting yourself. Next to it, you can start and stop your video.
Sweet, but what else can I do on Zoom?
Now you know the basics. Did you also know that you can have cool backgrounds, touch up your appearance, and set up keyboard shortcuts?
When it comes to backgrounds, the possibilities are endless, but here are a few to get you started. For more inspiration just do an internet search for “[my favorite topic] Zoom backgrounds.” Be warned though, if your computer isn’t up to Zoom’s technical specifications, you’ll need a green screen. You can also have a virtual background on iPhone 8 or newer.
To touch up your appearance, perhaps after a late night of thinking and drinking, go to “Settings” and select the box next to “Touch up my appearance” under the video tab. This instant filter looks natural – like you got a great night of sleep, despite staying up way too late playing Animal Crossing.
Ready to be more advanced? Here’s some sweet keyboard shortcuts.
With all that said and done, you’re definitely ready to play some virtual live trivia on Zoom! Click through to sporcle.com/virtual to see seven days’ worth of Sporcle’s virtual live trivia games. Sign up for one to see what this Zoom trivia thing is all about! We’re pretty sure you’ll be hooked.
