other Zoom resources …
Why use multiple devices?
To try things out as a host:
- To try out Zoom features with at least one “other” participant in your meeting
- To see what things look like from a participant’s view
- To see how other devices work
To add interest to a meeting/as an alternative to screen sharing:
- To display a candle (or similar) in a video – which can also be spotlighted if/when necessary
- To display an alternative view (e.g. remote drawing class – different devices could display different views of a model – and participants could choose which view/video to Pin)
- To demonstrate something (e.g. you as the teacher in one video and the object in another video)
What devices can you use?
- Computers/laptops
- Tablets
- Smart phones
How to use multiple devices
You can only have one device signed into any one Zoom account. So …
- Set up more than one Zoom account and join the meeting using those. I have …
- my paid account with massimo@itsorted.org.uk
- a free account with test@itsorted.org.uk
- a free account with itsorted@gmail.com
- Join the meeting with a partner’s or friend’s device, signed into their Zoom account
- Sign out of your Zoom account before joining the meeting
So, for example, I could have a meeting with myself as host and 3 participants (all me) …
- As Host – main laptop with Zoom signed into my paid account massimo@itsorted.org.uk
- Second laptop signed into my free account test@itsorted.org.uk
- Tablet signed into my partner’s Zoom account
- Smart phone signed out of Zoom
How to sign out of Zoom
On a computer: look for your profile picture top right, click on it and choose ‘Sign Out’
On a phone:
How to stop that horrible feedback sound?

What’s actually happening?
Audio “echo” or “feedback” is caused if you have more than one device in the same area, both listening and transmitting sound or “audio”.
Each device picks up the meeting sound from the other and feeds that back into the meeting. This goes round and round in a loop, often ending up with in an unpleasant, screeching that gets louder and louder.
How to avoid it / how to turn Audio OFF
You need to make sure ONLY ONE device is connected to “audio”. That means “hearing audio” (via the microphone) as well as “transmitting audio (via the speakers).
So to avoid feedback you need both
- your microphone turned off (in Zoom)
- AND the sound coming out of your device turned right down (laptop speaker, phone speaker, external speakers)
And there’s a quick way to do this, in one go … turn off Audio
On a computer/laptop …
On a phone or tablet …