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Zoom is finally adding this essential feature on Windows and macOS
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The days of having to update your video conferencing software before joining a call are over as Zoom has announced that its bringing automatic updates to its Windows and macOS clients.

Not only do updates provide new features and functionality but they are also used to patch software bugs and other vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers to launch cyberattacks and infect your devices with malware.

Just like with other software companies, Zoom routinely releases updates for its desktop clients and mobile apps. However, not all of these updates are installed by end users which can put their devices and data at risk.

For this reason, Zoom is now rolling out a new automatic update feature for its Windows and macOS clients to ensure that everyone is running the latest version of its software before starting a call.

Enabling automatic updates

According to a new blog post from Zoom, in order to turn on automatic updates in its Windows or macOS clients, you'll first need to open the software's Settings menu, head to the General tab and select the “Automatically keep my Zoom up to date” option.

From here, you'll be prompted to enter admin credentials to allow the company's automatic update feature permission to run but this will only be required when enabling this setting for the first time.

Going forward, when a new version of Zoom is available and you're not already in a video call, you will be prompted to install the update. If you ignore this prompt, don't worry as the update will be installed automatically the next time you restart your Zoom client.

If you're not keen on receiving frequent updates, the “Slow” option is selected by default which focuses on maximum stability instead of giving you access to the latest features. Power users though can enable the “Fast” option which will let you download and install the latest features and updates as soon as they become available. It's also worth noting that critical security updates are pushed out by Zoom to everyone regardless of which option they've selected.

While some end users will need to enable automatic updates by themselves, if you're part of an organization that uses Zoom while working from home, your IT admin will need to enable this feature for you.

We've also rounded up the best video conferencing software and best online collaboration tools

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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This all-new version of Microsoft Teams will take over your working life
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Small businesses will now be able to utilise video conferencing software and online collaboration tool much easier with the launch of the first ever stand-alone version of Microsoft Teams.

Available now, Teams Essentials provides small businesses with an affordable meeting solution that is ideal for hybrid work environments. At just $ 4 per user per month, the software giant's new offering is one of the most competitively priced video conferencing and collaboration solutions on the market today.

“We know how difficult the past 20 months have been for small businesses,” noted Microsoft's corporate vice president of Modern Work, Jared Spataro. “They’ve had to demonstrate extreme flexibility to adapt, often with limited access to tools and technology. Teams Essentials is built specifically to meet the unique needs of small businesses, enabling them to thrive in this new era of work.”

Microsoft Teams Essentials

SMBs that sign up for Teams Essentials will be able to hold unlimited group meetings for up to 30 hours and meetings with up to 300 people but they'll also get access to 10GB of cloud storage per user.

Teams Essentials also includes all of the existing and upcoming capabilities available in the free version of Teams such as easy invitations that only require an email address, Outlook Calendar and Google Calendar integration, virtual backgrounds, Together mode, always-available chats, polls and more.

Small businesses interested in purchasing Teams Essentials subscriptions for their employees can do so directly through the Teams website or from a variety of Microsoft Cloud Partners including ALSO, Crayon, Ingram, Pax8, Rhipe, TD Synnex, Telefonica (ES), Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone (IT) and Wortmann AG.

While Teams Essentials makes sense for small businesses that want to continue using their existing office software, for just $ 1 more at $ 5 per user per month, they can sign up for Microsoft 365 Business Basic which also includes access to the web and mobile versions of Microsoft's Office apps, 1TB of cloud storage per user, business-class email, Teams meetings recordings with transcripts and more.

Looking to improve your video calls? Check out our roundups of the best video conferencing software, best business webcams and best headsets for conference calls

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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This new Gmail update will help you avoid hybrid working confusion
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Showing up alone to an in-person meeting could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new Gmail update.

With workers across the world slowly returning to office life (if they haven't adopted hybrid working of course) physical meetings are unfortunately becoming more common once again.

But as many workforces balance home and office working, this can lead to confusion about who will actually be at a meeting in-person, and who will be there virtually – something Gmail and Google Calendar now hope to have fixed.

RSVP in Gmail

Going forward, Gmail users will now be able to specify whether they will be attending a meeting either virtually or in-person in their email RSVP.

The function had initially been added to Google Calendar back in July 2021, but is now available within Gmail RSVPs for extra functionality. Users will now see a drop-down arrow next to the “Yes” option in a meeting invite where they can select “Yes”, “Yes, in a meeting room” and “Yes, joining virtually” choices.

RSVP in Gmail

(Image credit: Google Workspace)

“With these RSVP options, you can indicate how you plan to join a meeting—in the meeting room, or virtually,” a Google Workspace blog announcing the feature noted. “Then, both the organizer and guests will be able to see how attendees are planning to attend the meeting in the event detail. This will help meeting attendees know what to expect when joining a meeting, and prepare accordingly.”

The blog did highlight that the new RSVP options are not shared with contacts on other platforms, such as Microsoft Outlook.

Google says the feature has begun rolling out now, and will be available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers, within the next few weeks.

The news comes shortly after the launch of a new “Focus time” feature in Google Calendar that will allow users to block out periods of time where they can avoid meetings and get their heads down for actual work.

Setting such a marker in your Google Calendar will also allow users to automatically decline meetings, meaning no last-minute rush to finish off work.

Need extra help? These are the best calendar apps around

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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