Sharing video clips in Zoom synchronously
Use these instructions to synchronously share one or more video clips during a Zoom meeting. This can include segments of DVDs, or other formats of video media (.mp4, .avi, etc.).
Note that sharing video clips during a synchronous class session is taxing on the internet connection and the computer processor (for you and your students). If there is an asynchronous way of sharing the same content that will fit in with your pedagogical goals, that may be a more effective option.
Built-in media players on Macs and PCs sometimes have problems screen sharing videos. When showing video clips, we recommend using the free and open source VLC media player.
VLC media player is available to download from https://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html
If you do not already have VLC on your computer, download the appropriate version for your computer (PC, Mac, etc) and install it.
To facilitate screen sharing audio or video content, it's best to have that content open on your desktop before you start your meeting. If you have several files you want to share, open them in separate windows - this will allow you to easily select separate windows that correspond to the content you want to share in Zoom.
Steps for Screen Sharing video clips:
Prepare your video clip.
Open the video file or DVD (preferably with VLC player) and have it ready to play in a separate window. Cue the video to the start of the section you want to share and pause the video, and leave this window open on your desktop.
Launch your Zoom meeting.
Prepare your Zoom session for video sharing. Much like turning off the lights, drawing the blinds, and making sure everyone is quiet before starting a film in a traditional classroom, each participant should
toggle off cameras
- mute microphones
- and you (the Host) should disable Chat: left-click the Security icon
and, under Allow participants to:, deselect the word Chat.
- Click on the green Share Screen icon
in the meeting control toolbar. This will display a window showing the windows that you can share:
- Select the window that you want to share. The window you select will be highlighted in blue. In this example, the window selected also has the orange and white cone icon of the VLC media player.
- Select both boxes (Share computer sound and Optimize Screen Sharing for Video Clip) at the bottom of this screen
- Share computer sound - ensures that the audio that accompanies your video clip is also shared. If there is no audio that accompanies the video clip, then it is ok to leave this unticked.
- Optimize Screen Sharing for Video Clip - ensures that the shared video is of the best possible quality.
- Click on the blue Share button, and your screen share will begin. The screen being shared should be surrounded by a green frame (but don't worry if you do not see this frame).
- Play the video (you paused the video at your start point in step 1). When playing your clip, displaying it full screen may make it more viewable for your audience. Usually, full screen mode can toggled on and off by clicking on an icon that looks something like one of these:
or 
- You should be able to see the screen sharing control bar (If you don't see the screen share menu below, try hovering your mouse over the green bar that says "You are screen sharing". This should make the control bar visible):
- Note that you can Stop Share or Pause Share with this tool bar. If you have another video or file that you want to share, and it is already open on your desktop, you can click on New Share and select a different window to share, without stopping or pausing! This allows you to switch from one screen share to the next, without having to pause or lose time during your session to find the file location.
- When finished sharing, click on Stop Share and you will resume your Zoom meeting. Remember to ask people to unmute and toggle their cameras back on, if you want to continue the meeting. You can also reenable chat, through the Security tool
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