How to Share Audio on a Zoom Call

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Zoom allows you to share your computer audio with participants in a call. This can be helpful when you want to play some break-time background music or a video to your group. In this guide, we show you several methods of sharing audio on Zoom.

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Also read: How to Use Zoom’s Studio Effects Feature

How to Share Audio on Zoom via Screen Sharing on PC

Use Zoom’s screen sharing option when you want to share your entire screen with your Zoom call participants.

  1. Launch Zoom on your computer and start a new meeting. If you haven’t used screen sharing before, you can give it a trial run ahead of anyone else joining the meeting.
  2. Click on the green “Share Screen” button at the bottom.

  1. A new window will open. Under the “Basic” tab, select “Screen.”

  1. Tick the “Share sound” option at the bottom left to share your computer audio.
  2. Try pressing on the the small down arrow next to “Share sound.” You can choose between “Mono” and “Stereo (High-fidelity)” audio quality. The default audio quality setting is mono, but you can change it anytime, even during a Zoom call.

  1. Finally, click on the “Share” button on the bottom right to start sharing your entire screen and computer audio. Your Zoom attendees will be able to see all the actions you perform on the shared screen and hear the audio streaming from your computer. The shared portion will be highlighted with a green border.

This method is the most useful when you are going to do a PowerPoint presentation that includes a video, for example. This way, you can share your entire screen and use the audio sharing feature so that participants can have the full experience.

How to Share Audio and Video on Zoom on PC

When you want to share both video and audio on Zoom, you have several options. These are explained below.

1. From Online Platforms

Sharing audio from YouTube enables you to discuss the content of a YouTube video in real time. You can share interesting videos related to your presentation, and it can be helpful if you’re teaching online classes.

  1. Open YouTube (in a browser) while you’re on a Zoom call. Search for the video you want to share with your Zoom audience.
  2. Click on the green “Share Screen” button as shown above.
  3. Select the YouTube window from the sharing options presented.

Note: if you have multiple tabs open in your browser, you’ll need to select the YouTube tab for it to show up in Zoom.

  1. Check the box next to “Share sound” at the bottom left. Again, you can select between “Mono” or “Stereo” audio quality.

  1. Click “Share.”

  1. Hit play in the YouTube tab if the video wasn’t playing before.

Also read: How to Change Background in Google Meet

2. From Files Saved Locally on PC

There are two methods to share your offline videos with audio on Zoom:

Share Video and Audio from VLC (or Any Media Player)

  1. Open the Zoom app and start your meeting.
  2. Click the green “Share Screen” button.
  3. On the “Basic” tab, select the VLC window from the tile options.

Note: you’ll need to open VLC beforehand on your PC for it to show up in Zoom.

  1. Tick the “Sound share” checkbox in the bottom-left corner.

  1. Click “Share” to begin sharing your offline video.

  1. Go back to VLC and hit “Play.”

Also read: How Much Bandwidth Does Video Calling Use?

Share Your Own Video and Audio from Zoom

Zoom also lets you play local video and audio natively. However, you can only use .mp4 and .mov files in this method.

  1. Launch the Zoom app to start a new meeting.
  2. Click “Share Screen.”
  3. Go to the “Advanced” tab on the top of the Share window screen.
  4. Click on the “Video” option.

Note: Zoom may need to install a plugin for this feature to become functional. Allow the service to do so.

  1. Tick both checkboxes on the bottom left: “Share sound” and “Optimize for video clip.”

  1. Double-click on the “Video” option, then choose .mp4 and .mov files from your computer.
  2. Select the video you want to share and hit “Open.”

  1. Tap “Share” for the video to start streaming to participants.

Also read: How to Make a Group Video Call on Mobile Using the Most Popular Apps

How to Share Only Audio on Zoom on PC

You can also choose to only share audio on a Zoom call without sharing the video. Use this feature when you need to share a podcast or just play some soothing background music while you quickly step out from the call.

  1. Launch Zoom and begin a new meeting.
  1. Play media on Spotify (or YouTube or a media player) and search for the song or the playlist you want to share on the Zoom call.
  1. Click the “Share Screen” button at the bottom.
  1. Go to the “Advanced” tab and click on the “Computer Audio” option.

  1. You’ll see a downward-pointing arrow that hides the two audio quality options we’ve encountered above: “Mono” and “Stereo.” Pick your favorite. 

  1. Click “Share” to start sharing audio only.

  1. Hit “Play” on Spotify or your media player.

Also read: 10 of the Best Google Keep Tips You Need to Know

How to Share Audio on Zoom from Android

Zoom allows audio sharing from Android devices as well. Follow the steps below:

  1. Launch the Zoom app from your phone, log in, and start a new meeting.
  1. Tap the green “Share” button.

  1. You’ll see a list of apps from that allow you to share the audio and screen. Select “Screen” to share your on-screen activity and audio.

  1. You’ll see a pop-up asking for permission to “Start recording or casting.” This means that any activity or content displayed on your phone’s screen will be visible to the Zoom attendees. Click “Start now” to begin the session.

  1. Find the small arrow on the bottom left of the screen and expand it to find the “Share Audio” option. Click on it to turn it on.

  1. Go to the app or the file on your Android device that includes the audio you would like to share. For instance, you can play a video on YouTube or one from your phone storage.

Note: you can also mute or unmute yourself when sharing audio on a Zoom call for all of the methods we’ve mentioned above.

Also read: 9 of the Best Video Call Apps for Mobile Users

How to Stop Sharing Audio on PC and Android

Now that you know how to share audio on a Zoom call, let’s examine how to stop sharing audio when you’re done.

  1. Click on the red “Stop Share” butto at the top of your screen if you’re using the desktop app for Windows.

  1. You can also just press the “Close (x)” button on the top-right corner of the VLC player, Windows Media Player, YouTube, or Spotify if you’re sharing audio from one of those apps or platforms.
  2. On Android devices, find the small right-angled arrow again.
  3. Tap on the arrow to find the “Stop Share” button. Press it to stop sharing audio and video.

Also read: 9 Calling Apps to Make Free Phone Calls From Anywhere

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you play music in a Zoom waiting room?

Yes, you can play music while the attendees are in the waiting room, but it’s a paid feature. To use audio in the Zoom waiting room, visit the Zoom web client and log in with your credentials. Once you’ve accessed your account, go to “Settings -> Waiting room options -> Customize waiting room.” From there select “A video” from the “Participants in the waiting room will see” section and upload your video.

What are some settings you can tweak to improve the audio experience in Zoom?

You can enhance the Zoom audio experience for your listeners by changing your audio settings in Zoom. Go to “Settings -> Audio” in the app. Check the box to “Show in-meeting option to enable Original Sound.” Also make sure to enable the option to “High fidelity music mode” to optimize Zoom for high-fidelity music. In same cases, you can also try to disable “Automatically adjust microphone volume” in the Microphone section.

Why am I experiencing echo in my Zoom meeting?

The most common reason for echo in your Zoom call is that an attendee has joined the meeting on multiple devices. Mute one of the two devices to eliminate the echoing. Moving forward, keep devices with active audio away from each other.

Image credit: Unsplash All screenshots by Dharini Udani

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