Join a Zoom meeting as a guest
If you don't have a Minnesota State StarID, you can still join a Zoom meeting as a guest if permitted by the host. This may require entering a meeting password, creating a free, personal Zoom account, or using your Google or Facebook credentials.
Participants, guests, and hosts
Anyone can participate in a Zoom meeting. Participants who join the meeting without StarID credentials are considered guests and will have "(Guest)" appended to their display name. All Winona State University students and employees should sign in using their StarID credentials and should never be tagged as guests. Guests can only join a Zoom meeting if permitted by the host, who will secure the meeting using a password, authentication, or a waiting room. The host will give you instructions and Zoom will prompt you if a meeting password or authentication are required.
Your meeting link
The host will send you a meeting link to your session. You might use the entire link or just the last part of it, the Meeting ID or personal link name (Fig 1), to join the meeting.
Before your first meeting
Please do the following before you participate in your first Zoom meeting:
- Install the Zoom application on your computer or mobile device.
- Sign in to the Zoom application using guest credentials if necessary.
- Test Zoom
Join meetings without StarID authentication
On your computer
- Select the link provided by the meeting organizer or copy and paste it into your browser. This will open your default browser and launch the meeting.
- Depending on your browser, you may need to select an Open Zoom button.
- In the Video Preview window, select the Join with Video or Join without Video button.
- Enter your name. You can choose to have Zoom remember your name for future meetings (Fig 11). Select Join Meeting.
On your phone or tablet
Method 1 - Tap the meeting link
- If you received the meeting link in an email message or text, tap the link.
- If prompted to open the another application, tap Open. The Zoom app will open.
- Tap Join with Video or Join without Video.
- Tap your desired audio option.
- You will join the meeting with your phone or tablet name.
Method 2 - Enter the Meeting ID or personal link name
- Open the Zoom app
- Tap Join a Meeting
- Enter the part of the meeting link following the last forward slash "/". This will either be a series of numbers, or the Meeting ID, or a personalized string of characters, or the personal link name (Fig 7).
- Tap Join
- Select video and audio choices as described above.