Want to learn how to launch a Webex test meeting, configure your settings, and improve your conferencing experience? We’ve got you covered.
The Cisco Webex Meetings platform is a powerful and intuitive conferencing solution ideal for keeping teams connected, training staff members, and hosting brainstorming sessions. You can even use it to host meetings with the Apple Vision Pro!
While Webex Meetings is an extremely intuitive conferencing platform, it can still take a little getting used to, particularly if you’re more familiar with tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
If you’re using Webex for the first time for an important meeting or customer call, launching a test meeting is a great way to get used to the app. Plus, it can help you detect pesky video or audio issues before your meeting begins.
Here’s how to launch your own test meeting and configure your settings.
How to Run a Webex Test Meeting
The good news is that running a Webex test meeting is pretty simple. It’s similar to hosting a test call on Microsoft Teams to ensure all your settings are working properly. First, I’d recommend setting up an account – you can sign up for free here. Alternatively, you can choose from one of the Webex paid plans to access more features, like the Webex AI assistant.
Notably, the free plan limits your meetings to 40 minutes and allows only up to 100 attendees, but you still get screen sharing, unlimited whiteboarding, and local meeting recordings.
Once you have your account, visit the Webex Test Meeting website, then enter your name and email address. If it’s your first time using the service, you’ll be prompted to download the Webex app. Click on the installer file to download Webex Meetings.
You don’t have to download the app to join the meeting, but it will give you access to more features you can configure. If you want to join from a browser instead, simply confirm that you want to “Open Cisco Webex Meeting” when your browser displays a notification.
Choosing your Settings with Webex Meetings
Next, you must tell Webex how you want to hear people in your meeting. This only makes sense if you invite someone else to the call, but it’s still worth experimenting with the settings if you’re new to the platform. Webex allows you to choose between a few options.
You can use your computer audio (such as your speakers or a connected headset). You can also choose the “call me” option to have the system call your number so you can listen to the meeting through your smartphone. If you prefer to use your phone as your microphone too, you can use the “Call in” meeting to “dial into” the conversation.
Alternatively, you can completely turn your microphone off. This could be a good option if you want to attend a meeting in a room with a bunch of other employees using a shared microphone.
Aside from adjusting your audio settings, you can also:
- Click Mute to mute your microphone when you join the meeting. You’ll see a button allowing you to Unmute the microphone whenever you want to speak.
- You can turn your camera on or off when you start a meeting. You can also click Start Video or Stop Video at any point during the meeting. If you click the arrow button next to this option, you can choose a virtual background for your meeting.
Once you’re ready to launch the meeting, click Join Meeting and click OK if a message tells you there’s no “host”.
Test your Microphone, Speaker, and Camera Settings
Once you join your Webex test meeting, you’ll see a welcome screen, your camera feed (if you enabled your camera), and your participant list on the right-hand side of the screen. You’ll also see a menu at the top of the page, where you can experiment with different features.
If you’re new to Webex Meetings, the first thing I recommend is checking your camera, speaker, and microphone settings. Click Audio at the top of the page, then scroll to “Speaker, Microphone, and Camera.”
