Mass-deploying preconfigured settings for Mac

IT Admin may choose to install Zoom with preconfigured settings on the Zoom Client for Mac. This installation requires configuring a .plist file and installing it along with the Zoom for IT Admins Installer for Mac.

Settings can be enforced and/or set as just the default settings, which the end-user can still modify after deployment.

Note: Boolean values for plist keys can be noted as the following:

• The value for False can be represented by either 0, NO, no, false, or FALSE
• The value for True can be represented by either 1, YES, yes, true, or TRUE

This article covers:

• Downloading the installer
• Priority of settings
• Creating and configuring the .plist file
  • Recommend default settings
  • General settings
  • Meeting settings
  • Chat settings
• Deploying Zoom

Learn how to install with preconfigured settings on a Windows machine.

Downloading the Installer

Go to Download Center, and click on Download for IT Admin; or download directly from https://zoom.us/client/latest/ZoomInstallerIT.pkg

Priority of settings

Settings can be configured in multiple places. While some can only be configured by the Zoom Admin or IT Admin, some settings can be configured by the end-user as well. If settings conflict, Zoom will use the following priority:

• Priority 1: Setting deployed via us.zoom.config.plist NOT set under PackageRecommend
• Priority 2: Web setting locked for the account or group
• Priority 3: Client setting selected by the user
• Priority 4: Settings deployed via us.zoom.config.plist set under PackageRecommend
• Priority 5: Web settings that are not locked

Creating and configuring the .plist file

If you want to configure options for the Zoom desktop client on Mac, you need to create a .plist file. If you don't configure the .plist file, Zoom will be deployed with the default configuration.

Recommended default settings

Settings can be configured via plist, either as enforced or as recommended defaults using the PackageRecommend key. If the settings are listed under the PackageRecommend key, the Mac client will install with those settings configured, but users will be able to change those options after deployment.

To set the settings as recommended settings, move or add the settings under <key>PackageRecommend</key>. For example, if you want to have the Mac client "Automatically enter full screen when viewing shared content" by default, but not allow Google or Facebook login, the plist file would be:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
 <key>nogoogle</key>
 <true/>
 <key>nofacebook</key>
 <true/>
 <key>PackageRecommend</key>
      <dict>
          <key>ZAutoFullScreenWhenViewShare</key>
          <true/>
      </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

General settings

The .plist file can contain the following keys:

Notes:

• (A) Please have an account admin or owner contact Support to acquire your account ID.
• (B) Please have an account admin or owner contact Support to have this enabled for use. The owner will also need to edit a role to have view/edit access to Device Policy Management. The required token can then be retrieved from the Device Policy Management page.

Meeting settings

The .plist file can contain the following keys:

Note: For the following settings, all value types are Boolean.

Description	Default state and value	Plist key
Always use PMI for instant meetings	Disabled, 0	UsePMI
Disable camera when joining a meeting	Disabled, 0	ZDisableVideo
Disable sending video from the Zoom client	Disabled, 0	zDisableSendVideo
Disable receiving video from the Zoom client	Disabled, 0	zDisableRecvVideo
Disable use of computer audio for meetings and webinars	Disabled, 0	DisableComputerAudio
Automatically mute the microphone, when the screen is locked during meeting	Enabled, 1	MuteWhenLockScreen
Enable Original Sound for audio	Disabled, 0	EnableOriginalSound
Auto-connect audio with computer audio when joining a meeting	Disabled, 0	zAutoJoinVoip
Automatically adjust microphone levels	Enabled, 1	AudioAutoAdjust
Uses the system default speaker	Disabled, 0	SetUseSystemDefaultSpeakerForVOIP
Uses the system default microphone	Disabled, 0	SetUseSystemDefaultMicForVOIP
Automatically enable dual monitor	Disabled, 0	zDualMonitorOn
Automatically enter full-screen when viewing shared content	Enabled, 1	zAutoFullScreenWhenViewShare
Automatically resize content to fit window when viewing shared content	Enabled, 1	zAutoFitWhenViewShare
Disables annotation when screen-sharing or viewing a screen share	Disabled, 0	zDisableAnnotation
Silence system notifications when sharing desktop	Enabled, 1	EnableDoNotDisturbInSharing
Disables the use of the Whiteboard feature in meetings	Disabled, 0	DisableWhiteboard
Provide Optimize for video clip option when sharing	Enabled, 1	EnableShareVideo
Allows the sharing of audio only when screen sharing	Enabled, 1	EnableShareAudio
Enter full-screen when starting or joining a meeting	Disabled, 0	FullScreenWhenJoin
Always show meeting controls (Enables Always show meeting controls)	Enabled, 1	AutoHideToolbar
Use HD video when joining a meeting	Disabled, 0	zUse720PByDefault
Remote control all applications	Enabled, 1	zRemoteControllAllApp
Hide non-video participants by default	Disabled, 0	zHideNoVideoUser
Always mute microphone when joining a meeting	Disabled, 0	MuteVoipWhenJoin
Show the length of time that the user has been in a meeting	Disabled, 0	ShowConnectedTime
Confirm before leaving a meeting	Enabled, 1	ConfirmWhenLeave
Disable in-meeting file transfer (sending or receiving files)	Disabled, 0	zDisableFT
Disable in-meeting 3rd party file transfer	Disabled, 0	DisableMeeting3rdPartyFileStorage
Disable screen share when starting or joining a meeting	Disabled, 0	DisableScreenShare
Disable Remote Control	Disabled, 0	DisableRemoteControl
Prevent incoming call notifications while in a meeting	Disabled, 0	HidePhoneInComingCallWhileInMeeting
Allow clipboard access during remote control sessions	Disabled, 0	EnableShareClipboardWhenRemoteControl
Disable Remote Support	Enabled, 1	DisableRemoteSupport
Disable the use of closed captioning	Disabled, 0	DisableClosedCaptioning
Disable the use of manual, user-entered captioning	Disabled, 0	DisableManualClosedCaptioning
Disable the use of Q&A in webinars	Disabled, 0	DisableQnA
Disable the use of slide control	Disabled, 0	DisableSlideControl
Enable mirroring of your video	Enabled, 1	EnableMirrorEffect
Enables side-by-side mode by default	Disabled, 0	EnableSplitScreen
Disables local recording	Disabled, 0	zDisableLocalRecord
Disables cloud recording	Disabled, 0	zDisableCMR
Disables Virtual Background	Disabled, 0	DisableVirtualBkgnd
Disable video filters	Disabled, 0	DisableVideoFilters
Set the specified screen capture mode: 0 - Auto 1 - Legacy operating systems 2 - Share with window filtering 3 - Advanced share with window filtering 4 - Advanced share without window filtering	0 (Auto)	SetScreenCaptureMode
Disable in-meeting chat	Disabled, 0	zDisableChat
If enabled, the client will use the following ports for media transmission: Audio: 8803 Screen share: 8802 Video: 8801	Disabled, 0	EnableIndependentDataPort
The Zoom Room will verify the server certificate	Disabled, 0	EnableSSLVerification
Enables a reminder for upcoming meetings	Disabled, 0	EnableRemindMeetingTime
Set max number of participants displayed in Gallery View to 49 participants per screen	Disabled, 0	Enable49Video
Show self as the active speaker when speaking	Disabled	EnableSpotlightSelf

Note: For the following settings, all value types are String:

Description	Default state	Plist Key
Set maximum sending bandwidth Note: If bandwidth is restricted through web settings, the web restrictions override restrictions set in the client.	Disabled	BandwidthLimitUp, amount (all values in Kbps)
Set maximum receiving bandwidth Note: If bandwidth is restricted through web settings, the web restrictions override restrictions set in the client.	Disabled	BandwidthLimitDown, amount (all values in Kbps)
Set path for local meeting recording files	/Users/User Name/Documents/Zoom	RecordPath, your_recording_path
Set proxy bypass rule for the Zoom client	Disabled	ProxyBypass, bypass_rule
Set the proxy server for the Zoom client	Disabled	ProxyServer, proxy_address
Set proxy server to client with PAC URL	Disabled	ProxyPAC, your_pac_url
Set noise suppression level Auto - 0 Low -1 Medium - 2 High - 3	Auto (0)	SetSuppressBackgroundNoiseLevel

Chat settings

The .plist file can contain the following keys:

Note: For the following settings, all value types are Boolean.

An example .plist file with settings from above enabled by default can be found here.

Once the .plist file is complete, it will need to be named us.zoom.config.plist. When deploying, as long as this file is in the same folder as the ZoomInstallerIT.pkg, the installation will automatically put the .plist file into the /Library/Preferences folder.

You can also deploy IT packages through JAMF, Intune, AirWatch and other solutions, and push the .plist through them. The Zoom client will also try to read the us.zoom.config.plist. located in the /Library/Managed Preferences folder.