How to Connect Zoom and Slack in 2024

If your team uses both Slack and Zoom, you’re probably wondering how to make your life easier. If you want to connect Zoom and Slack, you’ve come to the right place.

In this post, we run through all your options to connect Slack and Zoom - and we’ve even gone and started working on our own too.

As well as all the methods to connect Slack and Zoom, this post includes:

1. What is the difference between Slack and Zoom?
2. What does the Slack-Zoom partnership mean?
3. Using the Zoom Slack integration for meetings
4. How do I schedule a Zoom meeting in Slack?
5. Slack Zoom shortcut options

1 - What is the difference between Slack and Zoom?

The biggest difference between Slack and Zoom is the communication focus. 

Slack is a messaging app at its core - with the option to add video and audio conferencing. 

Zoom puts video conferencing first but offers Zoom Teams Chat, Zoom Phone, and other options.

The table below highlights the blow-for-blow differences between Slack and Zoom’s collaboration capabilities.

2 - What does the Slack-Zoom partnership mean?

In 2019, Slack and Zoom signed a contract aligning product roadmaps. This partnership makes it easier to use Slack and Zoom together and removes the need for many companies to migrate from Slack to Zoom Team Chat.

The connection between Slack and Zoom isn’t complete yet but already lets Slack users join Zoom meetings from  Slack channels. 

People in Slack can view participants in an ongoing Zoom meeting. 

Users can also access notifications that allow them to join meetings at the touch of a button. 

Future Slack users will also be able to make calls with Zoom Phone.

According to Slack and Zoom, the two companies have a multi-year roadmap. There is a plan to bring more of Slack’s features into Zoom.

For now, the partnership only affects voice and video meetings. There’s still no native way to connect Zoom Team Chat with Slack.

Does Zoom work with Slack?

Zoom does work with Slack. Throughout the rest of this post, we document all the ways Zoom works with Slack.

3 - Using the Zoom Slack integration for meetings

Prerequisites for Zoom Slack integration

The Zoom Slack integration allows users to start an instant Zoom meeting within Slack. This means meetings created in Slack appear on your Zoom account. 

The Slack integration is part of the Zoom marketplace. You’ll also find a Zoom integration in the Slack marketplace.

Here’s what you need to use the in-built integration:

• A Slack account and a Zoom account linked to the same email address
• A Zoom Pro, Business, Education, or API subscription
• A Zoom Phone subscription (for outbound calls)

Once you’ve got the prerequisites, here’s how to set up the Zoom Slack integration:

Step 1: Approving the Slack Zoom Integration

To add Zoom functionality in Slack, a Zoom account admin has to approve Slack. Do this from inside the Zoom integrations marketplace:

• Sign in to your Zoom account
• Use the Zoom Marketplace and search for Slack
• Click the toggle to pre-approve the Slack installation

When you approve the Slack Zoom integration, this will give Zoom permission to:

• View information about user identity
• Add the ability for people to mention @zoom or direct message through Zoom
• Add slash commands and shortcuts (we’ll come back to these in a minute)
• View the name, email domain, and business icon for the workspace the user is connected to
• View email addresses of people in a workspace
• Send messages as Zoom

With Zoom pre-approved, the next step is installing your Zoom app within Slack.

Step 2: Add Zoom to Slack 

With Slack approved, you're free to implement it from the Zoom app page in the Slack directory.

• Click Add to Slack
• On the Zoom website click Add to Slack
• Choose Allow to grant access between both apps
• Open your Slack workspace and click Zoom on the Recent Apps list
• Select Authorize Zoom

Once you’ve added a Zoom app to your workspace, all of your members will need to connect their Zoom accounts to Slack to use it. 

Step 3: Use Zoom in Slack

Type the /zoom command into your message field on any channel or direct message. This sends colleagues a prompt to join a meeting. When the other person clicks Join, the Zoom window will open in their browser. 

Zoom prompts users to join with a button to Open Zoom.US; then, each user will need to sign-in to start a meeting. If you want to make a call via Zoom Phone, you’ll need a Phone subscription. 

Got one already? Great, then:

• Type /Zoom Call into the message field in your Slack app, followed by the display name of another Slack user, or their phone number. If you enter a display name for a user that has more than one phone number, you can select the one you want to call.
• Click on the Call command.
• Click on Open Zoom.US to start the call

4 - How do I schedule a Zoom meeting in Slack?

Type the /zoom slash command into the message field of any conversation. This command works in direct messages and channels. Send the message and all members of the channel or message will see a meeting prompt. Click the Join button to open Zoom in your browser.

When prompted, you’ll need to open Zoom.us. Select the Sign in option to enter your details and begin the meeting. 

To start a call with Zoom, a Slack team owner needs to visit Settings and Permissions.

In the Settings tab, expand Calls and click Enable calling in Slack, using: and choose Zoom.

Selecting the Call button will launch an instant Zoom meeting. 

5 - Slack Zoom shortcut options 

Another way to connect Zoom and Slack is by using the /Zoom shortcuts in your Slack workspace. 

In any Slack workspace connected with Zoom, you can use commands like:

• /Zoom: The prompt for launching an instant meeting
• /Zoom meeting [topic]: This command starts a meeting on Zoom with a topic title, so your other attendees know what the conversation is about.
• /Zoom Join [Meeting ID]: This command lets you join meetings already in progress.
• /Zoom Call [Number or name]: This command launches a Zoom outbound call if you have a Zoom Phone subscription. 
• /Zoom Help: This command lists all the Zoom commands available from within a Slack workspace. 

These shortcuts take users straight to Zoom functions within Slack.