This guide explains what you need to use Zoom.
To use Zoom, you need an account. Leiden University offers an account to every student, teacher and employee. Click here to get access to your account.
You can use Zoom on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
Hardware requirements and recommendations
Minimum hardware requirements:
- Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks or Windows 7
- Browser: Edge, FireFox, Chrome en Safari voor Mac
- Single core 1 GHz
- 1 GB RAM
Recommended hardware requirements:
- Mac OS 10.14 Mojave of Windows 10
- Browser: Rand, FireFox, Chrome en Safari voor Mac
- Dual core 2 GHz of hoger
- 4 GB RAM
See this list for complete Zoom hardware requirements.
Internet requirements and recommendations
Minimum internet requirements:
- Broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE)
- 1.2Mbps (download) for webinar participants (large session with speaker-only video enabled)
- 1.5Mbps (upload/download) for when attending a group session
- 3.0Mbps (upload/download) for when you attend a group session but also share your own video in 1080p
Bandwidth recommendations:
Recommended bandwidth for meetings and webinar panelists:
- For group video calls:
- For gallery display and/or 720p HD video: 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (upload/download)
- Receiving 1080p HD video requires 2.5Mbps (upload/download)
- Sending 1080p HD video requires 3.0Mbps (upload/download)
Recommended bandwidth for webinar participants:
- For 1:1 video calling: 600kbps (download) for high quality video and 1.2Mbps (download) for HD video
Tablets and phones
Supported operating systems (iOS and Android)
- iOS 8.0 or later:
- Send and receive video using a front or rear camera:
- iPhone 4 or later, iPad Pro, iPad Mini, iPad 2 or later, iPod touch 4th generation, iPhone 3GS (no front camera)
- iPadOS 13 or later
- Android 5.0x or later
Supported browsers for web start
- iOS/iPadOS: Safari5+, Chrome
- Android: Webkit (default), Chrome
Processing requirement
- Any 1GHz single-core processor or better (non-Intel)
Bandwidth recommendations
The bandwidth used by Zoom is optimized for the best experience based on the participants' network. It will automatically adapt for 3G or WiFi.
Recommended bandwidth over WiFi:
- For 1:1 video calling: 600kbps (up/down) for high quality video and 1.2 Mbps (upload/download) for HD video.
- For group video calling: 600kbps/1.2Mbps (upload/download) for high quality video. To view the gallery: 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (upload/download).
See this list for full zoom hardware requirements for phones and tablets.
Processing requirement
- Any 1 GHz single core processor or better (non-Intel)
Recommendations for the bandwidth
The bandwidth used by Zoom is optimised for the best experience based on the participants' network. It will automatically adjust for 3G or WiFi.
Recommended WiFi bandwidth:
- For 1:1 video calling: 600kbps (up/down) for high quality video and 1.2 Mbps (upload/download) for HD video
- For group video calling: 600kbps/1.2Mbps (upload/download) for high quality video. For gallery viewing: 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (upload/download)
See this list for complete Zoom hardware requirements for phones and tablets.
Please note that you are likely to experience a reduced experience if you use hardware and internet that do not meet the recommended requirements.
For more about using Zoom, go to the Zoom Learning Center. This is a free online platform with short courses for both new and experienced Zoom users. For detailed help, please refer to the university manuals.