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Student Learning Programs Center for Teaching and Learning

Another Game Changing Tip for Remote Learning

By Melissa Santos
Undergraduate Learning Consultant
Class of 2021, Psychology

We’ve all been there before. It’s a minute before an important meeting is about to start, and you’re digging through your email to find the Zoom invite link. Once you finally get the email, you click the link, which opens a new tab, which asks you for the 100th time if it’s okay to open the link in Zoom. Finally, you’re on the call. Even though this whole ordeal didn’t last that long, you’re still a little frazzled as you settle into the meeting. 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past quarter, it’s this: the fewer “little things” I have to think about, the less exhausted I am at the end of a day at Zoom University. Managing Zoom links for classes, meetings, and office hours is one of those “little things” that used to frustrate me to no end.

The first step to ending that frustration was integrating my Canvas account with Google Calendar, so that all my classes and office hours links automatically populate my calendar schedule. (If you haven’t done this yet, I highly recommend you do that first.) The next step was integrating my calendar with Zoom. Rather than going to calendar to find Zoom links, joining a meeting is just one click away. 

Zoom app home window

If you’re ready to make Zoom U a whole lot easier on yourself, follow these steps to integrate your calendar with Zoom. This hack works for those who use Google Calendar, Exchange, or Office365 (Outlook). However, if you’re an Apple Calendar user, it is possible to sync your calendar with Google Calendar so you can still take advantage of this feature.

How to Integrate Calendar and Zoom in 5 Easy Steps 

Step 1

Log into www.stanford.zoom.us with your SUNET login. 

Stanford Zoom landing page

Step 2

Go to the Profile tab and scroll down to Calendar and Contacts Integration. Click Configure Calendar and Contacts Service.

Zoom profile tab with Configure Calendar and Contacts Services highlighted

Step 3

Choose the account you’d like to connect with Zoom. Ideally, this is the calendar account where you store all your Zoom events. I prefer Google Calendar, so I selected my personal Google account. 

You’ll be prompted to log into your calendar account and grant Zoom access to your information. 

Calendar permissions

Step 4

Make sure all your events are on your calendar with the Zoom url listed under the meeting “location.” Here’s how it looks on Google Calendar:

Sample of Google Calendar meeting

Step 5

You’re all set. Now, Zoom events will start showing up on your Upcoming Meetings feed on Zoom. Simply click Join (or Start, if you are the host). 

Zoom home window

Now that you’ve saved yourself an extra 5–10 minutes a day, consider taking a brisk walk, messaging a friend, or checking out more tips and resources at academicskills.stanford.edu.

Bonus Tip: When saving events on your calendar, add the meeting passcode in the meeting description. For days when your internet connection is unstable, you can call into classes via cellphone or landline, which usually requires you to input the Meeting ID and passcode. 

To call into class: 

  1. Dial US : +1 650 724 9799 or +1 833 302 1536 (Toll Free) – save these numbers in your contacts now!
  2. Enter Meeting ID + Password.
    The meeting ID is usually in the Zoom link (for example, the Meeting ID for this meeting is "934-0486-xxxx: and the Stanford Zoom https://... address. 

BONUS Bonus tip: Your Academic Skills Coaches are here for you throughout the quarter. If you need help, reach out and schedule a Zoom session with us at academicskills.stanford.edu.