Using the Zoom Chrome Extension

The Zoom Chrome Extension allows participants to schedule Zoom meetings directly from Google Calendar. Using the extension, you can start an instant meeting or schedule a future meeting. The meeting join link and details are added to the calendar event and can be sent as a Google Calendar invitation, so the attendee can join with a single click from the calendar. 

Other additional methods to schedule meetings include:  

• Schedule from the Zoom desktop client or mobile app
• Schedule from the Zoom web portal
• Schedule from plugin (Chrome, Outlook, Firefox)

This article covers: 

• How to install the extension
• How to use the extension
• How to schedule a meeting from Google Calendar 
• Chrome extension scheduling options
• How to display scheduling options each time
• How to fix the Session Has Expired message

Prerequisites for the Zoom Chrome Extension

• Google Chrome
• Zoom Chrome Extension from the Google Chrome Web Store
• Zoom account with Google, work email and password, or Single Sign-On (SSO) login
• Using Google Calendar to schedule meetings

How to install the extension

Before you can schedule meetings using the Chrome extension or directly in Google Calendar, you need to install the Zoom Chrome Extension from the Chrome Web Store. Click Add to Chrome in the upper right of the extension window. 

How to use the extension

1. The Zoom Chrome Extension will install an icon next to your Chrome address bar. If you click the Zoom button, the Chrome extension will open.
2. Sign in to your Zoom account with either the Google sign-in method, email and password, or SSO. 
3. Once signed in, you will have additional options in the Chrome extension: 
   • Schedule a Meeting: Click Schedule a Meeting to open up a new event on Google Calendar. 
   • Start a Meeting: Hover over Start a Meeting to choose to start with video or start without video. Learn more about instant meetings. 
   • Name/email address: Click your name or email address to open your Zoom profile page.
   • Gear icon : Click on the gear icon to open the Zoom meeting settings.

How to schedule a meeting from Google Calendar

You can make any Google Calendar event a Zoom meeting by scheduling a meeting directly in the calendar event with the extension. Once scheduled, the join URL and meeting details are automatically added to the event details. 

Notes:

• The Zoom Chrome Extension syncs your default meeting settings from the Zoom web portal.
• When you assign scheduling privileges to other users in the Zoom web portal, you can choose if these users can manage your meetings that are marked as private in Outlook or Google Calendar. If the users cannot manage private events, they cannot see the invite link, meeting topic, or attendee list.

1. Create a new calendar event or edit an existing calendar event. 
2. Open the additional options for the event.
   • For a new calendar event, click More Options.
   • For an existing calendar event, click the Pencil icon.
3. Click Make it a Zoom Meeting. 
   This will create a Zoom meeting using your default settings and populate the meeting details in the description. 
4. Invite guests, configure notifications, and adjust other optional calendar event options as needed.
5. Click Save.

Note: If you are rescheduling a Zoom meeting from Google Calendar, edit the calendar entry and change the meeting date/time. Do not drag and drop the calendar event or copy the meeting details to a different calendar entry.

Chrome extension scheduling options

The Chrome extension scheduling options can be displayed each time you schedule a meeting, or you can automatically schedule the meeting with the settings as your last meeting scheduled with the extension.

• Schedule For: If you have scheduling privilege for another user, you will be able to choose who you want to schedule for from the drop down. Learn more about scheduling privilege. 
  Note: Confirm all settings when scheduling for another user, as their default settings are not automatically applied.
• Meeting ID: Choose which type of meeting ID you would like to schedule the meeting with: 
  • Generate Automatically: Generate a random unique meeting ID.
  • Personal Meeting ID: Use your Personal Meeting ID.
• Security: Choose the security options to best secure your meeting: 
  • Passcode: Enter a meeting passcode. Joining participants will be required to input this before joining your scheduled meeting.
    Note: The meeting passcode must meet complexity requirements set by your admin.
  • Waiting Room: Enable Waiting Room for the meeting.
  • Only authenticated users can join: Restrict access to the meeting so that only signed-in using can join.
• Encryption: Choose the type of encryption you want to use for your meeting: 
  • Enhanced encryption: Encryption keys stored in the cloud
  • End-to-end encryption: Encryption keys stored on your local device
    Note: End-to-end encryption does not support all Zoom features. Please take note of those limitations when scheduling an end-to-end encrypted meeting. 
• Video
  • Host: Choose if you would like the host's video on or off when joining the meeting. Even if you choose off, the host will have the option to start their video.
  • Participants: Choose if you would like the participants' videos on or off when joining the meeting. Even if you choose off, the participants will have the option to start their video.
• Audio: Allow users to call in using Telephone only, Computer Audio only, Both telephone and computer audio, or 3rd Party Audio (if enabled for your account).
• Options: Configure additional meeting options and features:   
  • Require registration: Attendees will be required to complete a registration form before receiving the link to join the meeting. Registration questions and other settings can be configured on the web portal. 
  • Allow participants to join anytime: Allow participants to join the meeting without you or before you join. The meeting will end after 40-minutes for Basic (free) users.
  • Mute Participants Upon Entry: If join before host is not enabled, this will mute all participants as they join the meeting.
  • Request permission to unmute participants: Participants will be prompted to provide the host with consent to be unmuted at will by the host. If declined, the host will still have the option to Ask to unmute. 
  • Enable focus mode when meeting starts: Automatically start the meeting with focus mode enabled, in order to provide fewer distractions to all meeting participants. This feature requires client version 5.9.0 or higher.
  • Add watermark that identifies the viewing participant: Add a watermark on shared content during the meeting. Learn more about adding a watermark.
  • Automatically record meeting: Check this if you want the meeting to be automatically recorded. Select if you want it to be recorded locally (to your computer) or to the cloud (zoom.us/recording). 
  • Show in Public Event List: Add this meeting to your Public Event List (if enabled for your account). Learn more about the Public Event List.
  • Approve or deny entry to users from certain regions and countries: Host can either allow only participants from specific counties/regions to join, or block all participants from specific counties/regions.
  • Include Invite Link in location field: The join link for the meeting will be included in the location field of the calendar event, as well as in the description. 
  • Enable additional data center regions for this meeting
• Alternative Hosts: Enter the email address of another Zoom user who is Licensed, on your account to allow them to start the meeting in your absence. 
  Note: If the meeting host wants to add alternative hosts to their meeting, they can enable the setting to Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls. This feature requires Zoom client version 5.8.0 or higher. If you're not sure that alternative host is the right role for you, learn about roles in a meeting.

How to display scheduling options each time

By default, the meeting will be scheduled with the options that you used for your last meeting. However, you can have the scheduling options appear each time. 

Note: Scheduling options will only appear when you click Make it a Zoom Meeting from within the full calendar event scheduling page. If just clicking that button in the smaller, quick-scheduling window, default Zoom meeting settings will be used. 

1. Click the extension icon next to your address bar.
2. Click the Settings icon.
3. Select the Allow me to specify schedule options each time check box to enable it. 
   The scheduling options will now appear each time you schedule a meeting with the Chrome extension. 

How to fix the Session Has Expired message

If you receive the following message "Your Zoom Chrome Extension session has expired.", you need to login to the Chrome extension again.

1. Click the Zoom extension icon next to your address bar.
2. Sign in to your Zoom account.
3. Choose the login method that applies to your profile: either Sign In with Google, use your email and password, or Sign In with SSO.