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*Zoom and services that include the name Zoom are services provided by Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
From July 15, 2022, Zoom will have a 40-minute limit even for meetings with two participants if you have a free subscription. (Previously, it was only for meetings of 3 or more people.)
Companies and organizations using Zoom for business should consider switching to a paid license at this opportunity.
Zoom is used for web meetings and online seminars, but it has a wide variety of functions, and some people who use it for the first time may be confused.
Among the functions of Zoom, one that is convenient to learn how to use is “split screen“.
This time, for those who are not familiar with how to use Zoom, we will introduce the benefits of split screen and how to set it up in an easy-to-understand manner.
This article is for people who:
- People unfamiliar with Zoom
- People who want to know the contents of the split screen of Zoom
- People who don’t know how to split screen on Zoom
What is Zoom’s split screen function?
Zoom’s screen split is a function that allows you to change the layout of the screen displayed on a device such as a personal computer (PC).
By using the split screen function, even when the host of the web meeting is displaying the material by screen sharing, you can listen to the host and other participants while seeing the face of the host and other participants.
If you do not make any settings related to display, the material and the host/participant’s face may overlap, or only one of them may be displayed.
If you need to see the faces of the participants while sharing your screen, be sure to use the Zoom screen split function that we will introduce below.
How to change from speaker view to split screen view
Now let me show you how to split screen with Zoom. Since the operation method is slightly different depending on the type of device used, we will explain it separately.
Personal computer (PC) display settings
When you start a web meeting with Zoom, an icon called “View” is displayed at the top right of the screen. When using the browser version of Zoom on a personal computer (PC), you can split the screen by clicking this and selecting “Gallery View”.
It is a specification that allows you to see the faces of up to 25 participants on one screen, or 49 depending on the settings.
If you want to cancel the split screen, just tap any participant or user.
Also, in the case of Zoom on a personal computer (PC), the displayed participants can be fixed. Click “…” at the top right of the screen of the participant you want to pin and select “Pin”.
We recommend using the pin function if you have a large number of Zoom participants and can’t concentrate when switching between multiple screens.
Note that in this case, you are only pinned to your screen, not what other participants see.
It is also convenient to split the screen in left and right display mode while sharing the screen
Zoom not only has a split screen that shows participants’ faces evenly, but also screen sharing and the ability to display the participant’s video screen to the left and right.
The method for setting the horizontal display mode is as follows.
- Zoom meeting participants start screen sharing
- Other participants select “View” at the top right of the screen
- Select either “left-right display: speaker” or “left-right display: gallery”
You can adjust the display ratio by placing the cursor on the split screen boundary and dragging it.
It is recommended to use Zoom’s left-to-right display mode when viewing webinars that use materials with a lot of text.
However, this feature is only available to those viewing the shared screen. Note that the person sharing the screen cannot use the left-right display mode.
Smartphone app display settings
The Zoom app on your phone will show the person speaking on the screen (speaker view) when you start a web meeting, unless you have changed the default Zoom settings.
If you want to switch to split screen view, swipe right to switch to split screen view (Gallery view).
When you want to exit the split-screen view, swipe left to reveal the person speaking.
In the case of the Zoom app on your smartphone, the screens are arranged as follows, so it is convenient to remember.
| Safe driving mode | speaker view | gallery view |
|---|---|---|
| Video/audio stops | See who is currently speaking or who you’ve pinned | Can split screen |
In the case of the Zoom app for smartphones and tablets, up to 4 people can be displayed in split screen.
Supplementary information: Useful layout types and functions
Before using Zoom’s split screen, let’s check the types and functions of video layouts that are useful to know.
Zoom has three video layouts
The types of Zoom screen layouts are shown in the table below.
| layout name | overview |
|---|---|
| speaker view | The person who is commenting will be displayed large and the other participants will be displayed on the screen If it is a meeting with only two people, you will be displayed on the top of the screen and the other person will be displayed on the bottom |
| gallery view | The screen is split and the faces of up to 25 or 49 participants are displayed.If there are many participants, scrolling the screen is required. |
| mini window | You can minimize the Zoom window You can switch during the meeting, and you can talk while minimizing |
There is also a way to minimize the Zoom screen in a mini window without displaying the screen and perform other operations.
Selecting the appropriate screen layout according to the content of the meeting and the screen to be shared will make Zoom easier to use.
Ability to hide participants with video off when split screen
If you are in a meeting using the split screen feature in Zoom, you can hide any participants whose video is turned off.
The specific setting method is as follows.
- Right-click (or select the point in the box) the participant
- Select “Hide non-video participants”
To cancel the display, click “View” displayed in the upper right of the screen and select “Show non-video participants”. (For PC)
We recommend using this function when you want to see the faces of the participants as much as possible even though there are many participants in the meeting.
Video recording is possible even during split screen
Zoom can also record while splitting the screen and looking at the cameras of all participants.
If you operate Zoom by following the steps below, the meeting will be automatically recorded, which is very convenient.
- Log in to Zoom
- Open “Settings”
- Change the ‘auto record’ toggle to blue (ON)
However, with the free plan, recording can only be done on the HDD of your computer.
With a paid plan, you can record on the Zoom cloud, share the video with others by sharing the URL, and save the gallery view and speaker view as separate files.
If you frequently hold meetings using Zoom or if the meetings are long, we recommend subscribing to a paid plan for greater convenience.
What to do when you can’t split the screen with Zoom
If you can’t switch from gallery view to split screen even after trying the methods introduced earlier, the following may be the cause.
- All participants other than myself have video off and video off participants are hidden
- only one participant
- there is some other problem
As long as you are able to participate in the Zoom meeting, you will not be able to use the split screen depending on the version of the app or the OS of the device (Android, iOS, etc.). Then join the Zoom meeting.
Also, if you don’t have a stable network environment, you can’t use Zoom itself, let alone the screen split function.
It is recommended to check the network environment such as Wi-Fi in advance, especially before an important meeting.
summary
Zoom’s split screen function makes it easy to see participants’ faces and materials even in web meetings and webinars with a large number of participants.
Zoom is attractive not only for personal computers (PCs), but also for smartphones and tablets.
Also, there are many useful functions when splitting the screen, so if you are new to Zoom, please try using it little by little.
First, let’s use the screen split function to conduct a fulfilling meeting or webinar, referring to the operation method introduced this time.