The Problem:
Your mom likes to join Zoom meetings but cannot physically touch the onscreen “Join” button that I described in the article “How to Fix the 2023 Problem in Joining Zoom Meetings on Echo Show or Fire TV”. Individuals with dexterity or range-of-motion issues may benefit from a voice-controlled method of joining a Zoom Meeting.
The Solution:
If your mom uses an iPhone or iPad, Siri can join the Zoom meeting with just her voice! This solution relies on the Zoom meeting information already being entered into her Google Calendar. I have included the full details from Zoom Support on Using Siri with Zoom.
Here is a YouTube video of it in action:
· If you are the Zoom Meeting Host, you can choose Google Calendar to be the distribution mechanism, and it will automatically go to her Google Calendar.
Suppose she wants to join a Zoom Meeting created by others. You can enter that Zoom Meeting information remotely into your mom’s Google Calendar by adding her Google Calendar as a separate calendar to your Google Calendar. Be sure to enter the full meeting details, e.g., https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83720807180?pwd=gwonNB3YUVz0Jh2ipbAncT8QVq8Crb.1
Set up your mom’s iPhone/iPad
· Install the Google Calendar app
o Get her a Google account
· Install the Zoom app
o Sign up for a free Zoom account for her
In the Zoom app
· Enable Siri Shortcuts
o Tap More- Siri Shortcuts
o Add the “Join the Next Meeting” and “View Today’s Meetings” shortcuts
Notes:
· Be sure to enable Siri voice control
· If your mom does not have the Siri Shortcuts App installed, you can get it here.
· If the Siri commands seem a bit complex for your mom to say, you can rename them in the Shortcuts app.
You will also need to specify the Google Calendar
More- Meetings- Synced Calendars
Tap “Local Calendar” to be sure to remove any calendars except the one where your mom’s Zoom meetings are kept
· Tap “Integrated Calendar” checked
Be sure to enable “Auto Connect Audio” so that your mom doesn’t get that annoying prompt
More- Meetings
Set “Gallery View as default”
There is another trick that you can use so that tapping the onscreen “Join” button is not required.
Be sure to turn this OFF. You will need to tap the “Join” button the first time
How your mom will join Zoom Meetings
Your mom can join Zoom Meetings using her voice, if the full Zoom Meeting details are in her Google Calendar AND It’s time for the meeting.
Your mom just needs to say: “Hey Siri, Join Next Meeting”
When she gets this popup, she can say “Yes” or “OK” or “Start”
Note: Your mom will have to wait until the meeting has actually started to join the meeting
She may get this popup when exiting a Zoom meeting the first time, Tap “Allow”.
If she gets this error when “Joining next meeting” “ You have no next meeting, ready to do it?”
Tap “Cancel” or say “Hey Siri, Cancel”
Then try :
“Hey Siri, View Today’s Meetings”
If you get the response, “OK, you have no meetings today”, check the Google Calendar to be sure the Zoom meeting is there.