Online meeting etiquette: a practical guide

Today meetings, lessons, consultations and even gatherings of mahalla activists increasingly happen through a screen. But online meetings have their own rules: one microphone left on can derail a whole meeting, and a carelessly shared screen can show everyone your private messages. In this guide we look at how to take part in meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Telegram video calls: the technical check before a meeting, your space, lighting, background and clothing, joining and showing your name, the microphone and taking turns to speak, raising your hand and the chat, sharing your screen, the organiser’s responsibilities, what to do when the internet drops, joining from a phone and how to behave in an online lesson. At the end you will find common mistakes, a practice exercise and a checklist.

Platforms and the main buttons

The four most widely used tools look different, but their main buttons are almost the same.

• Zoom: an app for computers and phones; you can also join through a browser.
• Google Meet: runs in the browser and uses your Google account. On a phone it opens in its own app or through the Gmail app.
• Microsoft Teams: used mostly in companies and universities. Meetings are usually linked to a work account and calendar.
• Telegram: one-to-one video calls and video chats in groups. Handy for informal, quick meetings.

Every video call app has these buttons on its bottom bar (names as in the English interface):

• Mute / Unmute: turns the microphone off and on. The icon is a microphone.
• Start Video / Stop Video (“Turn on/off camera” in Meet): turns the camera on and off.
• Participants (“People” in Teams): the list of attendees. This is also where you change your name.
• Chat: written messages.
• Raise Hand: asking to speak. In Zoom it sits in the Reactions menu; in Teams it may be next to React.
• Share Screen (“Share screen” in Meet, “Present now” in older versions; “Share” in Teams): showing your screen.
• Leave: leaving the meeting. The organiser also has “End meeting for all”.

If you cannot find a button, open the “More” menu (three dots): many features are tucked away there.

Before the meeting: the technical check

Before an important meeting, check everything at least a day ahead, and run a quick check again 15–20 minutes before it starts.

1. Internet. Sit closer to the Wi-Fi router. If others at home are downloading large files or watching videos at the same time, your connection will slow down. Keep mobile data on your phone ready as a backup.
2. App updates. Old versions of Zoom and Teams sometimes fail to start or demand an update right before the meeting. Open the app the day before and install any update. If you join through a browser, make sure the browser is up to date too.
3. Microphone and speakers. In Zoom, Settings → Audio has Test Speaker and Test Mic buttons. In Teams, Settings → Devices → Make a test call records a short test call and plays it back. In Meet, the screen before you join shows the state of your microphone and camera.
4. Headphones. Headphones sharply reduce echo and background noise. A headset with a microphone is even better. Check the charge of wireless earphones in advance.
5. Camera. Wipe the lens with a soft cloth. If your laptop has a camera shutter, make sure it is open.
6. Battery. Plug your laptop or phone into the charger. Video calls drain the battery quickly.
7. Link and passcode. Find the meeting link, Meeting ID and Passcode (if there is one) in advance. Do not hunt for them among emails and messages at the last minute.

If you are using a platform for the first time, make a five-minute test call with someone close to you.

Space, lighting, background and clothing

Space and lighting

Choose a quiet room and let the people at home know when the meeting is. Close the door and turn off the television.

The main lighting rule: the light source should be in front of you, not behind you. If a window is behind you, the camera will show only a dark silhouette. It is best to sit facing the window or side-on to it. In the evening, place a desk lamp behind the screen, pointing at your face.

Keep the camera at eye level. If the laptop sits on the desk, the camera looks up at you from below, so put a few books under it. Your face and shoulders should be in the frame, and your head should not be pressed against the top edge.

Background

The wall or shelf behind you should be plain and tidy. Clothes lying around, an unmade bed or personal documents should stay out of shot. If you cannot find a tidy spot, blur your background: in Zoom under Background & Effects, in Meet under Visual effects, and in Teams under the background effects (Background) in the camera settings, choose “Blur”. As a virtual background, pick a simple, calm image; a beach or outer space is distracting in a formal meeting.

Clothing

Dress for an online meeting the same way you would for a meeting in the office. Fine stripes “shimmer” on screen and very bright white makes your face look darker, so plain, calm colours work better.

Joining and taking part

Join 5 minutes early

Open the link 5 minutes before the start. Many meetings have a waiting room (Waiting Room or Lobby) where you wait until the organiser lets you in. Once inside, mute your microphone and check how you look on camera.

Showing the right name

The attendee list should show your real name, not “iPhone 12”, “User” or “Admin”. This matters especially in lessons and formal meetings: the organiser needs to know who is taking part.

• Zoom: Participants → hover over your name → More → Rename. You can also type your name in the window before joining.
• Google Meet: the name comes from your Google account. If you join without an account, type your full name in the name field.
• Teams: the name comes from your work account; when joining as a guest, you enter it yourself.

A good format is “First name Surname” or, if needed, “First name Surname, organisation”. For example, “Sardor Aliyev, Group 3”.

The microphone and taking turns

Keep your microphone muted when you are not speaking. Keyboard clicks, a car outside, tea being poured into a piyola: everyone hears all of it. Useful shortcuts (Windows):

• Zoom: Alt + A for the microphone, Alt + V for the camera. While muted, you can hold down Space to speak temporarily (if this is enabled in the settings).
• Google Meet: Ctrl + D for the microphone, Ctrl + E for the camera.
• Teams: Ctrl + Shift + M for the microphone, Ctrl + Shift + O for the camera.

Rules for taking turns: do not interrupt others; if there are many participants, say your name before you speak (“Dilshod here, I have a question”); keep your point short and signal that you have finished with “that’s all” or “thank you”. If two people start talking at once, give way: “please, go ahead”.

Raising your hand and the chat

In a large meeting, use the Raise Hand button to ask to speak. In Zoom it is Reactions → Raise Hand, in Meet the Raise hand button, and in Teams the Raise button (inside the React menu in some versions). Once you have spoken, remember to lower your hand (Lower Hand), or the organiser will think you have another question.

The chat is for links, questions and short comments. When writing in the chat:

• check who the message is going to: “Everyone” or one person privately;
• do not start long debates that distract the speaker;
• posting an important link in the chat is easier than reading it out.

Camera etiquette

When your camera is on, everyone can see you, even when you are not speaking.

• Look at the screen, and when you speak, look into the camera if you can: the other person feels you are looking at them.
• Do not eat, scroll through your phone or do other work.
• If you need to leave the room, turn the camera off for a moment.
• If family members wander into the shot, calmly turn the camera off and come back a little later; nobody will be surprised.
• If the organiser asks for cameras on, do not keep yours off without a reason. If your internet is slow, explain briefly in the chat.

Sharing your screen

Screen sharing is how you show everyone a presentation, a spreadsheet or a document. It is where most awkward moments happen, so prepare in advance.

1. Close unnecessary windows. Private chats, your banking app and other work files should not be left open.
2. Turn off notifications. Switch on Do not disturb in Windows and mute sound notifications from Telegram and other messengers. Otherwise a message like “Are you coming to the wedding tomorrow?” will pop up on screen in front of the whole department.
3. Share one window, not the whole screen. In Zoom, clicking Share Screen shows a list of open windows; choose the one you need. In Meet use Share screen → A window or A tab, and in Teams Share → Window.
4. If you need sound when showing a video, turn on “Share sound” in Zoom, or the audio option when sharing a browser tab in Meet.
5. Make the text bigger. A spreadsheet that looks fine on your large monitor may be unreadable in someone else’s small window. Zoom in with Ctrl and +.
6. Stop sharing. When you have finished, click Stop Share (or Stop presenting).

When you start sharing, ask: “Can you see my screen?” For how to build the presentation itself, see our article on preparing presentations.

Running a meeting as the organiser

If you are the one calling the meeting, its success depends on you.

1. Agenda. Send a short agenda of 3–5 points with the invitation: what will be discussed and who is preparing what.
2. Time. State the start and end times clearly. An online meeting is more tiring than an in-person one, so it is best to keep it within 45–60 minutes. If it has to be longer, take a short break.
3. Link and security. Send the link only to participants and do not post it in public groups. Turn on the waiting room (Waiting Room) and a passcode.
4. Starting. Start on time; do not wait 10 minutes for latecomers. In the first minute, restate the purpose and the agenda.
5. Permission to record. Before recording the meeting, ask everyone for permission and explain why the recording is needed and where it will be kept. A person’s voice and face are personal data. Give those who do not agree the option to turn off their camera.
6. Managing turns. Call on raised hands in order, ask quieter people for their views, and politely steer discussions that wander off topic back on track.
7. Follow-up message. Within an hour of the meeting, send a short email or message: what was agreed and who will do what by when. For the rules of writing it, see our article on email etiquette.

Sample agenda (illustrative):

Subject: Weekly team meeting, Monday, 10:00–10:40
Item 1: Last week’s results, 2 minutes each
Item 2: Report deadline for the new client
Item 3: Plan for next week
Link: meeting link

Sample follow-up message (illustrative):

Thank you, everyone. Summary of today’s meeting:
— The draft report will be ready by Wednesday (owner: Nodira).
— Client meeting on Thursday (owner: Jasur).
Next meeting: Monday, 10:00.

When the internet drops and joining from a phone

When the internet drops

Everyone loses their connection now and then; what matters is staying calm.

1. Do not close the app: first wait a few seconds for it to reconnect on its own.
2. If it does not, turn on mobile data on your phone and connect your laptop through a Hotspot, or join directly from the phone.
3. Once you are back, write briefly in the chat: “Sorry, my internet dropped, I’m back.”
4. If the connection is slow, turn off your camera: audio needs far less data.
5. If you cannot get in at all, message the organiser and ask for the summary afterwards.

Joining from a phone

If you have no computer, a phone is enough. Zoom, Meet and Teams all have mobile apps, and most people already have Telegram installed.

• Do not hold the phone in your hand: stand it upright on a stand or a pile of books, with the camera at eye level.
• Use headphones, as the phone speaker can be heard across the room.
• Turn on “Do Not Disturb” so that incoming calls do not interrupt the meeting.
• Check your battery and remaining mobile data in advance.

In an online lesson and in everyday situations

As a learner in an online lesson

In online learning, the quality of a lesson depends a great deal on the learner too. Come to the lesson with a notebook and pen, and close other windows. If you have a question, raise your hand or write in the chat: the teacher cannot watch every participant at once. If you are moved into Breakout Rooms (small group rooms), be active: turn on your camera and introduce yourself to your groupmates.

The examples below are illustrative and the names are made up.

Example 1: a student on an online course

Madina lives in Karshi and studies on an online computer literacy course in the evenings. Before each lesson she plugs in her laptop, puts on her headphones and joins 5 minutes early. She has renamed herself “Madina Ergasheva” in Zoom. When the teacher asks her to show her task, Madina shares only her Excel window rather than the whole screen, because her family group chat is open in Telegram.

Example 2: an employee’s weekly meeting

Bobur works for a company in Tashkent, and every Monday his department meets on Teams. He prepares to give his report in 2 minutes and keeps his microphone muted when he is not speaking. One day his home internet drops: Bobur switches to mobile data on his phone, is back within a minute and posts a short apology in the chat.

Example 3: an online gathering of mahalla activists

Gulchehra opa, a mahalla activist, opens a video chat in a Telegram group to discuss neighbourhood improvements. Some of the participants are older, so the day before she posts simple instructions in the group: which button to press and how to turn on the microphone. At the start of the gathering she reminds everyone of the rules: “We keep our microphones off when not speaking, and raise a hand to ask for the floor.” At the end she posts a written summary of the decisions in the group, so those who could not join stay informed too.

Job interviews often take place by video as well. The technical rules are the same as in this article, but preparation has its own particular points; we cover them in detail in our guide to preparing for a video interview. For general advice, see preparing for an interview.

Common mistakes, a practice exercise and a checklist

Common mistakes

• A microphone left on. A private conversation, family chatter or noise is heard by everyone. Mute as soon as you join.
• Starting with “Can you hear me?”. The technical check happens before the meeting, not during it.
• A window behind you. Your face is invisible, only a silhouette. Turn towards the light.
• Sharing the whole screen. Private messages and notifications pop up in front of everyone.
• The wrong name. Nobody knows who “Samsung A52” is. Use Rename.
• Sending a private message to the whole chat. Check the recipient before you send.
• Recording without permission. Do not record a meeting or screen without participants’ consent, and do not share such recordings.

Practice exercise

Hold a 15-minute test meeting with a friend or family member.

1. Create a meeting in Zoom, Meet or Teams and send the link.
2. Test your microphone and speakers through the settings.
3. Choose your spot: light on your face, camera at eye level.
4. Change your display name to “First name Surname”.
5. Practise muting and unmuting with the keyboard shortcut.
6. Raise your hand and post a link in the chat.
7. Turn off notifications, share a single window, then stop sharing.
8. Try blurring your background.
9. Turn off Wi-Fi and rejoin from your phone.
10. At the end, write a three-line follow-up message.

Pre-meeting checklist

• App updated, link and passcode to hand.
• Internet, microphone, camera and headphones tested.
• Battery charged or plugged in.
• Light in front of me, tidy background, suitable clothing.
• Correct name, microphone muted, joined 5 minutes early.
• Unnecessary windows closed, notifications off.
• Backup: mobile data and the phone app.

Online meeting etiquette is a simple but very noticeable skill in modern work and study. Run a few meetings by these rules and they will become second nature, and you will feel confident in any online meeting.

If you would like to learn to use computers and online tools systematically with a teacher, take a look at our association’s free computer literacy programme and other training programmes. When you are ready, submit an application and our specialists will get in touch.