[Ohio-Talk] Some Zoom tips and tricks

[Jim Weiss]

Good afternoon Members and welcome to the 80th National Federation of the Blind Annual Convention.
Below are some tips for using Zoom.


1.  If you are running JAWS 2020 you can use Alt-Windows key-S to suppress Zoom notifications.  If you are running an earlier version of JAWS use JAWS key-space bar-S to invoke “Speech on Demand”.  Use the same key combination to invoke full speech.  On an iOS device use a three finger double tap to turn speech off.  Perform a three finger double tap to re-enable speech.  On a Mac you will need to unload Voice Over using CMD-F5.  Even with Voice Over off you can still use keyboard commands in Zoom to mute/unmute yourself and raise/lower your hand, Voice Over just won’t speak.  Use CMD-F5 to re-enable Voice Over.


2.  Many meetings are muting all participants, but smaller meetings are letting people mute and unmute themselves.  On Windows use Alt-A to mute/unmute.  On Mac use SMD-Shift-A to mute/unmute yourself.  On a dial in number use *6 to toggle the option and on an iOS device the button is in the lower left hand corner.  Double tap the button to switch the toggle.
Please be considerate of other convention goers and make sure your computer/hand-held device is muted.  On Windows, Mac and iOS there is a setting to always enter a meeting muted.  It is not turned on by default.


3.  To raise and lower your hand.  On Windows Alt-Y.  On Mac Option-Y.  On a dial in phone *9.  On an iOS device double tap on the “Participants" button in the lower right corner and scroll to the bottom.  There is a button (but is not labeled as a button in the most current version) that says “raise hand”.  Double tap and it will switch to “Lower hand”.


4.  To see Participants on Windows Alt-U.  On Mac CMD-U.  On an iOS device the button is located in the lower right hand section of the screen.  You will also see a “Raise Hand” button in the “Participants” section on Mac and Windows if you forget the keyboard command.



5.  Chat.  On Windows press Alt-H.  On Mac press CMD-Shift-H.  On an iOS device find the “Participants” button to the left of the “More” button towards the lower left corner of the screen.  Please note the host may have this feature disabled.


A note on CrowdCompass: In the iOS app, the "Open Zoom" button does not directly open the Zoom app as I was expecting it to do. Instead, it opens Safari to an individual meeting's page on the Zoom Web site. So, in order to join the meeting, you have to navigate on that page down to the link labeled "Launch Meeting." Double tap that link and a popup will appear asking if you want to open the next page in Zoom. Double tap the "open" button and you will be placed in the meeting within the Zoom app.

Enjoy Convention and “Let’s go build the Federation!”.


Jim Weiss
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio - Board of Directors
Cuyahoga County Chapter - President





jimweiss72 at icloud.com


The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.