SPCC’s in-house legal videography company McCloskey & Associates has participated in over 700 remote legal proceedings since 2020. We’ve learned a lot of great shortcuts.  Since our job is to deliver the highest quality media we can, we sometimes suggest that participants with audio troubles switch to a phone for better sound. The number one reason that participant tells they don’t want to do so is because they don’t have the meeting ID and password handy and don’t have the time in that moment to go digging through old emails.

It’s understandable, since no one wants to stall the start of an important meeting. What most people don’t realize is that you can ask Zoom for a prompt to switch to your phone quickly. No more searching for logins, no more feedback when both your computer and your phone are in the meeting.  Even better, once connected, Zoom will only show an icon that you are attending with a phone audio source and it will not show your phone number to the other participants.

The process only takes a minute, and it and can be a great alternative–particularly if your internet is having a rough day. With your phone in the meeting, your audio will continue uninterrupted even if your video quality fluctuates.

ZOOM TIP #3

Switching to Phone Audio

To start, simply click on the caret next to the microphone icon in the left corner of the Zoom toolbar. In the menu that pops up, you should see an option for “Switch to Phone Audio”.  You’ll get a pop-up on your screen with a list of phone numbers to call. Go ahead and dial the one at the top. Any of the numbers will work, but there’s no need to worry about which one to pick.

Once you’ve dialed in, the pop-up will show you the meeting ID and your specific participant ID. Enter those numbers when prompted on the phone, and don’t forget to press the pound key afterwards.

That’s it! After you enter your participant ID, Zoom will tell you that you are in the meeting. If you want to make sure the transfer was successful, take a look at your name in the participants list. If you see a little phone icon next to your name rather than the microphone icon, you’re all set.

If you see your name and your phone number in the meeting separately, it means that your phone did not link. For example, if you enter a meeting ID and no participant ID and instead just press the pound key, Zoom will not link your two devices. No big deal, just end the phone call and try again, and make sure the participant ID takes.

That’s pretty much all there is to the process. Zoom automatically stops listening to your computer’s microphone when you switch. There’s nothing to mute or disable. You’re free to leave your phone on speaker, use a headset, whatever you like. You can proceed with your meeting with the peace of mind that the other participants can hear you and your signal won’t be interrupted by an internet dip.

Want to avoid the stress of technology entirely? Come to SPCC! Use one of our laptops for Zoom or bring your own, and enjoy the comfort of our private, furnished rooms and dual failsafe high-speed internet. Attorneys, send your witness to us so you don’t have to worry about whether they will be able to appear. We have full-service office support for printing out exhibits and more, and all visitors are welcome to enjoy complimentary beverages from our kitchen. Call or email us today!