Zoom adds single tab sharing, caption scrollback, and dynamic layouts

Zoom adds single tab sharing, caption scrollback, and dynamic layouts

Zoom has recently added three new features that improve how we present information, stay engaged, and view participants during virtual meetings. These features provide better privacy control, a quick way to catch up on missed conversation, and a nice video layout.

1. Share a single Chrome tab

When sharing a web browser in a meeting, it is easy to accidentally show other open tabs, bookmarks, or private notifications. You can now share one specific Chrome tab rather than your entire browser window or desktop.

Why this is helpful:

• Maintains privacy: Meeting participants will only see the selected tab
• Allows multitasking: You can freely navigate to other tabs to check notes or reference other documents on your screen without interrupting what the participants see
• Reduces clutter: It keeps the presentation focused strictly on the relevant content

How to share a single tab:

1. Click Share Screen
2. Select the Chrome Tab option
3. Choose the specific tab you want and click Share

2. Caption scrollback

When automated captions are on, participants can you scroll back up to three minutes in the live transcript to review anything they missed during the meeting.

How to use caption scrollback:

1. Show captions or transcripts in the meeting
2. Hover over the active captions at the bottom of the screen or open the transcript panel
3. Scroll upward to view the previous three minutes of text

3. Dynamic video gallery layout

Zoom’s dynamic layout automatically adjusts the size and arrangement of video tiles based on who is speaking and the total number of people on the call. Dynamic layout eliminates empty black squares, scales tiles to emphasize active speakers and participants, and shifts as people join, leave, or turn their cameras on and off. 

How to enable the dynamic layout:

While in a meeting, click the View button in the top right corner
Select Dynamic gallery

Article by Karen Matthes, Extension Learning Technologies, klm@umn.edu