Connecting With Others (Students)

When to use Microsoft Teams and When to Use Zoom

For project work: 

Microsoft Teams is an ideal option for teamwork, particularly if you are working on a school or extracurricular project, allowing your team to meet, chat, call, video chat, and collaborate - without jumping around to lots of places. Your shared documents, chat history, and meetings notes are in one place, so it is easy to stay organized and work together, and your files are secure and shareable, and very easy to access in the cloud. Teams is a Microsoft app that is integrated with your Microsoft 365 email account and can help you have real-time conversations, securely share, and collaborate on files, and plan meetings or projects with one or more teammates.

For video conferencing: 

Zoom is a web conferencing solution available to you as a university student. Sign in using the university license, so you get full benefits and additional features (avoid the basic Zoom account, available to the public, as it limits meetings to 40 minutes). To get started, go to https://uiowa.zoom.us and login with your HawkID and password via the “Sign In” button.  

Zoom can be used to meet virtually with others, whether meeting with one or many at the university or connecting with one or more outside the UI.  Zoom allows students to meet in online meetings, share audio and video information, use the chat features, use polling features and breakout rooms, and much more. For instructional purposes, Zoom integrates with our Learning Management System (ICON).

  • Learn how to log in, host online meetings, and more on the Zoom web conferencing page.  
  • Review the Zoom privacy settings tips page for creating a secure Zoom session and the steps you can take to reduce the possibility of unwelcome guests joining your meeting.   
  • Note: Do not use Zoom for video calls through a remote computer (e.g., Remote Desktop) as you may experience audio/video issues.   

Additional Online Meeting Resources: