Zoom Changes

Zoom regularly provides new versions of Zoom that offer new features and bug fixes. Follow their Release Notes to stay up-to-date, and make sure to use the latest version of Zoom to take advantage of all available features. Contact your IT support team if you need assistance with upgrading. 

Summer and Fall 2020 Changes & Security improvements

• Zoom cloud recording retention period will be reset to 30 days
• Passcode changes
• Sign in requirements
• Personal Meeting IDs
• Join Before Host
• Mute participants upon entry
• Always show meeting control toolbar
• Recording
• Allow users to sign in with work email
• Technical Summary of Changes in Zoom

Berkeley-specific Changes

Fall 2020 Changes

Zoom cloud recording retention period will be reset to 30 days

Changes implemented between September 15 - October 20, 2020

Due to storage limitations in Zoom Cloud, UC Berkeley will be resetting the Zoom cloud retention period to 30 days between Sept. 15 to Oct. 20, 2020. If you currently have cloud recordings (from meetings or webinars) stored in Zoom, you will receive an email communication with instructions and options to download and store your recordings to access in the future.  

Summer 2020 Security improvements

Passcode changes

Changes effective August 4, 2020

All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:

• Require a password when scheduling new meetings
• Require a password for instant meetings
• Require password for participants joining by phone
• Require a password for Personal Meeting ID (PMI)

This change is being put in place in advance of Zoom’s upcoming Meetings Waiting Room and Passcode Requirements, September 27, 2020.

Sign in requirements

Changes effective August 15, 2020

All participants and hosts will be required to sign into a Zoom account prior to joining meetings hosted by UC Berkeley.

• See How to sign into your UC Berkeley Zoom account for how to sign in, and Zoom Service Updates for Improved Security for more details about this change.
• External participants or those who are not eligible for a UC Berkeley-provided Zoom account can still join meetings, but they will need to sign in using a Zoom account. They can create a free, consumer Zoom account or can dial in via the phone if they cannot use a Zoom account. 

Personal Meeting IDs

Changes effective August 4, 2020

All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:

• Personal Meeting ID (PMI) will no longer be the default meeting option for regular meeting or instant meetings, although you can still use a Personal Meeting ID. See: Using Personal Meeting ID (PMI) – Zoom Help Center

Join Before Host

Changes effective August 4, 2020

All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:

• Join Before Host setting will be disabled by default so that a meeting will not start until the host starts the meeting. Participants who try to join before the meeting has started will see a pop up dialog that says "The meeting is waiting for the host to join."
• This setting can be updated if needed, see: Join Before Host

Mute participants upon entry

Changes effective August 4, 2020

All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:

• Participants will be muted upon entry by default to prevent audio disruption to meetings
• This setting can be updated if needed. Learn more about Mute All And Unmute All – Zoom Help Center

Always show meeting control toolbar

Changes effective August 4, 2020

All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:

• The host’s Meeting Control Toolbar will default to always being shown during a meeting, but can be updated if needed.

Recording

Changes effective August 4, 2020

All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:

• To be more consistent with our other cloud services, we have switched the default to only authenticated users can view cloud recordings, meaning anyone who is signed into a Zoom account.
• When you share a meeting, you can adjust the setting to either limit it to only people in UC Berkeley, or to make it available to the whole Internet. See the “Settings for Sharing” section of Zoom’s Managing Cloud Recordings help article for more details.

Allow users to sign in with work email

Changes to be implemented - Date TBD

Users with UC Berkeley Zoom accounts will be required to use their CalNet credentials. See: How to sign into your UC Berkeley Zoom account

Users without UC Berkeley Zoom accounts or CalNet IDs should follow these instructions: How to sign into Zoom at UC Berkeley if you don't have a CalNet ID

Technical Summary of Changes in Zoom

To view list of older changes made in Zoom, see: Older UC Berkeley Zoom Changes