Be prepared: Update on Zoom use at Herts and available features from Sept 2025
From 01 September 2025, students and staff will no longer have access to the subscription version of Zoom.
- Microsoft Teams has significantly evolved over the past few years and is part of our institutional Microsoft licence, naturally integrating across other MS365 applications. While Zoom may have different features that some users prefer over Teams, the University has agreed that it is no longer necessary to run an additional online meeting platform.
- Many staff and students already use Teams for meetings, chat, and online teaching sessions, and this will become the standard from Sem A 2025. Your student Teams account also allows you to record and transcribe any Teams meetings you organise.
If you are a current Zoom user, find out what you need to do to prepare
If you have meeting recordings saved to Zoom cloud storage, please move them now as you will lose access from 01 September 2025.
At Herts, Zoom and Teams are used for online taught sessions and meetings with lecturers. Information about which platform is used on your programme will be provided on your programme and module sites. Students have access to both platforms for your own independent online meetings.
Zoom
Teams
Get the most out of Teams
Zoom
Download the Zoom app
You can host and join meetings in Zoom without downloading the app. However, the app is recommended for a better experience and enhanced features.
- Go to herts-ac-uk.zoom.us
- Select the Sign-in button
- Enter your Herts username @herts.ac.uk in the pop-up box and select Next
- Enter your Herts username and password on the StudyNet sign-in page
- Select Yes on the Stay signed in? pop-up box
- Select the drop-down arrow next to Resources (top right of screen)
- Select Download Zoom Client
- Select the Download button underneath Zoom Client for Meetings
- After the application has downloaded, you will see the icon for Zoom on your desktop
This 'Accessing Zoom at Herts' video takes you through these steps.
Joining meetings on Zoom
If you have been sent a link to a Zoom meeting or you are following a link from a Canvas site:
- Select the link
- Select the Join this meeting button
- Select the Sign in SSO button
- Check the Company Domain in herts-ac-uk and select Continue
- Select Open Zoom meetings in the pop-up box. If you have not downloaded Zoom, select Launch Zoom and you will use Zoom using your browser.
Sign-in with your Herts username and password when prompted. This information may be used to log attendance on your course, therefore you should not attend as Guest.
Scheduling and starting Zoom meetings
Using the Zoom app
- Open the Zoom app from your desktop
- Select Sign in
- Select SSO
- Check herts-ac-uk is entered in the Company Domain box
- Enter your Herts username @herts.ac.uk as prompted
- Select Open Zoom Meetings in pop-up box
Using Zoom in your browser
- Go to herts-ac-uk.zoom.us
- Select Sign-in
- Select or enter your Herts username @herts.ac.uk when prompted
Zoom guidance
Once you are signed in with your Herts account, use Zoom Support for guidance about taking part in a meetings, scheduling, and hosting.
Getting started with Zoom meetings on Zoom Support
MS Teams
Download Teams onto your Windows or Mac computer/laptop
- Go to microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-teams/download-app. Microsoft Teams will automatically detect the system you are using (Mac or Windows)
- Select Download the app button.
- Open the downloaded file and follow the instructions provided to Install Microsoft Teams.
- After installation. Open the Microsoft Teams application and log in using your Herts account.
Download Teams onto your mobile device
Taking part in taught sessions and meetings with your lecturers using Teams on your mobile phone is not recommended, due to the small screen and a poor quality screen or camera sharing experience for other participants. If you do not have your own PC or laptop, you can use these devices in the LRCs.
- Download the Microsoft Teams app from the iOS app store or Google Play store for Android.
- Log in using your Herts username@herts.ac.uk and select Sign in.
- Choose ‘work or school’ account type.
- Log in using your Herts a username@herts.ac.uk and password.
- Select Ok to allow Teams access to the microphone.
Join a Teams meeting organised by your lecturer as part of your course
In Canvas, meeting links are included in pages or on the module menu option Teams.
- Select the meeting link
- Select Open your Team app (if you have previously downloaded the app) or select Continue on this browser
- Sign in with your Herts username and password when prompted. This information may be used to log attendance on your course, therefore you should not attend as Guest.
Join a meeting that isn’t part of your course
e.g. organised by other students
- select Calendar, choose a meeting to join, and select Join.
- To test your video and audio settings go to your profile picture, select Settings, Devices, and Make a test call.
Set up a Teams Meeting
- From Calendar, select New meeting in the top right corner and add title, location, attendees, etc and click Schedule.
Once you have signed-in to Teams, you can use Teams Meetings guidance on Microsoft 365 help and learning to guide your use of meeting functions and schedule and host your own meetings.
Teams recording by students
Students able to record any Teams meetings that you schedule for yourself and manage the meeting roles of people you invite.
- If you’d like to record a meeting or session, make sure you ask other members for their permission first.
- If a meeting is being recorded, this will show at the top of the screen so everyone is aware.
- If the meeting is organised by staff, you will not be able to record it.
Here are some useful resources to help you get started with the recording feature:
- Add co-organizers to a meeting in Microsoft Teams
- Roles in Microsoft Teams meetings
- Video: How to add a co-organiser
Saving meeting recordings
- Recording will be automatically saved into the OneDrive of the organiser for a period in accordance with University recording retention policy, which is currently 70 days plus 90 days in the recycle bin.
- Remember that you will lose access to your OneDrive 6 months after the end date of your course and will need to save any recordings, or other files they wish to keep, to a new location.
- Please delete any recordings from your One Drive that you no longer need.
You can also transcribe the meeting by selecting the 'Start Transcription' option from the Record and Transcribe feature on the meeting control bar. Once started, a live text transcription of audio with speaker attribution will be available to all meeting participants and a downloadable copy of the transcript will be available post the meeting.
Get the most out of MS Teams
- Upload your photo or an image to Teams. Teams will use your initials until an image is added which can lead to confusion as many people have the same initials. Make yourself known to your lecturers and fellow students for a more personal experience. Change your profile picture
- Keep the focus on you—not what’s behind you! Create the perfect virtual setting by choosing, uploading, or blurring your background. Follow the Microsoft instructions
- Turn down the noise. Fine-tune your notifications so that you can focus on the activity that's most important to you. Select your profile picture at the top right-hand corner of Teams and select Settings and Notifications. From there you can fine-tune what notifications you receive and where those notifications show up.
Select the help button at the bottom left of the screen to find Topics, Training, and What’s new, or take a look at the Microsoft Teams training videos.
Visit Microsoft 365 help and learning
Get help accessing and using other functions in MS Teams and applications in MS 365 on the Microsoft Office 365 page in Ask Herts