How to Take Notes in Zoom

There are a few methods you can choose for taking meeting notes on Zoom calls. You can dual-screen and type notes in a note taking app (eg. google docs, Evernote, OneNote), you can handwrite notes or use a free transcription tool (like tactiq.io) to transcribe notes for you. Whichever way works best for you, taking meeting notes is a must to capture the next steps, key points and meeting action items. So here are a few pro tips to make your zoom note taking a breeze. 

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Firstly, is there a notes section in Zoom?

Within the Zoom app (desktop or browser), there is no note taking feature or section. To take notes you will need to use a note taking app or document apps such as Microsoft Word, Evernote, Onenote, Notion, Google Docs, etc in addition to your Zoom window. Alternatively, you can use a free transcription tool to transcribe notes for yourself. 

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How do you take notes in a Zoom meeting?

Option 1: take notes with a free live transcript Zoom tool

The best method to take notes during a Zoom meeting is to transcribe the meeting so you can actually stay focused. If it’s not possible to transcribe the meeting yourself, you can always ask someone else (a teacher or coworker) to transcribe and share it with you.

On Zoom it’s difficult to take notes and still pay attention. It’s so easy to lose your focus and miss crucial information while taking notes. That’s why it makes much more sense to record a transcript of the Zoom meeting and pay attention rather than taking detailed notes yourself. It allows you to be more engaged in the conversation or information.

How do I get a transcript from a Zoom meeting?

You can use a free transcription tool, like tactiq.io, to get a transcript of your Zoom meeting whilst also taking meeting notes. Tactiq includes a notes box that allows you to write notes in the same window as your Zoom call, whilst the app transcribes the entire conversation. Here’s how it works

1. Get the free tactiq.io chrome extension
2. Open your Tactiq integrations page and connect to Zoom
3. Now when you open a Zoom meeting in chrome as a meeting host, Tactiq automatically turns on closed-captions and transcribes the meeting
   

Write your own notes in the Tactiq widget to save them with the transcription

Tactiq then saves the Zoom transcription and notes as a document to your google docs and tactiq account

(you can also set up tactiq to save transcriptions to google docs from desktop app Zoom meetings when they are recorded and have closed-captions)

Option 2: Use a notetaking extension to takes notes in Zoom

If you prefer to type notes rather than transcribing them, there are several free Zoom extensions that allow you to take notes while on zoom.  You will need to install/add these apps to Zoom and set them up. Because they are integrated with Zoom you can write and share notes during your Zoom meeting in the same window.

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Free notetaking apps to try for Zoom meeting notes: Fellow for zoom 

Option 3: Open Zoom and your note-taking app side-by-side

If you need to write notes for better understanding or for any other reasons, an easy way to take zoom meeting notes is by positioning your Zoom window and a note-taking app window side by side. This way you can see both the Zoom screen and your notes at the same time.

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How do I save notes from the Zoom meeting?

To autosave the in-meeting chat with notes and comments shared in your Zoom,  following the steps above. Notes will be available in your Tactiq App.

How to take better notes while on a zoom meeting using a template

Pro tip: if you are going to manually take notes, you need to use a template. When you use a template for notes, you make it so much easier to write things down in neat sections and structure your notes and thoughts.

This means you never get a messy block of notes that makes no sense when you look back at them. Instead, you sort your notes as you type/write them, so when it comes to reviewing time they are already in order. It also makes it much easier to remember notes as you’re mentally cataloguing them into the assigned buckets of your template, which helps with organising the information in your brain. Double smart.

Here’s what we mean: before your zoom, write a key points or an agenda in Tactiq widget. Then when you take notes on Zoom, type your notes into these sections.