How to Play Zoom Games During Your Next Meeting

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Due in no small part to the events of the last couple of years, using videoconferencing services like Zoom has become an essential tool to stay in touch with friends and family while also serving as a valuable communications platform for work activities. Whether you are using Zoom to hold a team-building meeting or want to spice up a digital get-together with some entertaining activities, you can take advantage of Zoom’s very own game library to have some shared fun. Learn more about how to play Zoom games during your next meeting and help bring some much-needed entertainment. 

You May Not Know This, But Zoom Offers Users an Impressive Game Library 

Regardless of your taste in what constitutes a fun game, Zoom has several types of games available for you to enjoy solo or with others. This collection of games includes Pictionary, Words With Friends, Werewolf With Friends, Uno, Codenames, Guess Who?, 20 Questions, Scattergories, Bingo, and several traditional card games. For more dedicated board game enthusiasts, there is also Tabletop Simulator, which allows you incredible options for online entertainment, such as jigsaw puzzles and dominoes and the ability to fully create your own custom board game or recreate a personal favorite. 

If you are interested in more team-building and work-related activities, you and your colleagues may enjoy a rousing session of Conference Call Bingo on Zoom using digital bingo cards. While the traditional format of being the first to complete an entire bingo line still winning some sort of prize remains, the normally numbered squares are replaced with things like someone’s pet appearing or being heard on screen, having someone be dropped from the Zoom call, or two people taking a drink simultaneously. Another excellent option is Zoom Robot Training, a team-building exercise where detailed instructions are conveyed to a call member who has shared their screen and must effectively cooperate and communicate with teammates to finish successfully. 

Other excellent options to serve as icebreakers include Five Things, where someone has fifteen seconds to name five things or items related to an assigned topic, such as famous fictional detectives (Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Ms. Marple, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys). Once the round has concluded, the person who just went selects a new topic and individual for the next entry. 

Make Sure You Have Permission and Check for the Latest Software Updates 

Like Zoom itself, Zoom games must be downloaded and correctly installed unless you access a hosted game through the service. In addition, Zoom needs to be running the latest version to operate effectively, much as having the various apps on your smartphone or other devices updated to the most current possible. This also extends to being able to play Zoom games, so if you should encounter any difficulties involving game performance, you should check to ensure that Zoom is running the latest update. 

While Zoom games help by making video conferencing more entertaining for those involved, some games may not perform as smoothly as expected if you are not the owner of the account hosting the entertainment. Therefore, you should install or reinstall the latest Zoom client version for your preferred operating system. Whether attempting to run games as a member of an organization’s Zoom account or having owner-level access, you may need to reach out to your network administrator for permission to download and install the apps. 

Open and Run Zoom Games to Make your Next Meeting One to Remember 

After installing or updating the Zoom client for your PC, select and open the application. It should be noted that personal accounts will be able to see the App icon in the taskbar at the top of the window, whereas member accounts may not have the same level of access. Next, select the Discover page and start searching through the collection to determine which games fit your needs. You will need to search for Zoom games manually due to the lack of easy searchability and categorization. Once you decide which game you want to try, select the Add button and provide authorization to download the app on the following web page. 

After the game or app has finished successfully installing, the desktop client app will open again. Any downloaded content can be subsequently accessed via the My Apps icon (assuming you have access or are using a personal account). Whether you are serving as the host for a Zoom meeting or attending as a guest, you have two options for launching games. The first option involves selecting the game, opening it and choosing Share Link or Start Meeting to share a link to the game. If you are a guest in a Zoom meeting, you can simply join the meeting and start playing games by selecting the Apps tab on your screen. 

As opposed to having to get through a potentially boring Zoom meeting without any form of entertainment, engaging with others in a quality Zoom game can make a world of difference. Check out our other articles to learn more about making video conferences and other office activities as comfortable as possible.

About Dan Martin: Daniel Martin is a technology researcher and writer with more than a decade of experience. He is a professional librarian and an experienced tech teacher, writer and blogger. Specializing in technology, Dan has taught courses in technology and writing at the college level, developed web pages for businesses and higher educational institutions, written on tech topics for leading national publications and created numerous how-to guides.