If you spend half your day in Zoom meetings, you know how hard it is to remember who’s who, what you’ve discussed, or just to break the ice without sounding awkward. If you’ve heard about Warmly, it promises to fix a lot of that by bringing context and insights right into your calls. This guide is for anyone who wants to try Warmly with Zoom—whether you’re running sales calls, team check-ins, or just want to stop second-guessing someone’s job title during a meeting.
I’ll walk you through the whole process, step by step, and call out what’s worth your time (and what’s just fluff). Let’s get your meetings running smoother, without any hand-wavy jargon.
What does Warmly actually do for Zoom meetings?
Before we get into the weeds, let’s get real on what you’re signing up for. Warmly is a tool that connects with Zoom to show you info on your meeting participants—think LinkedIn-style insights, company details, and custom name tags—right inside your Zoom window. It’s meant to help you prep fast and avoid awkward “Remind me what you do again?” moments.
It’s a nice idea, especially if you’re in lots of external meetings or sales calls. But if you only meet with your own team, or you already know everyone, it’s probably overkill.
What works: - Quick context on guests or prospects so you’re not caught off guard. - Custom backgrounds and name tags that make you look like you’ve got it together. - Icebreaker prompts that aren’t totally cringe.
What doesn’t: - It’s only as good as the data it pulls—sometimes it can be out of date or just not that helpful. - If your org is weird about privacy or strict with integrations, getting it set up may be a hassle.
If that sounds useful for your workflow, let’s get you set up.
Step 1: Check the basics before starting
You’d be surprised how many people bang their heads against the wall because something obvious tripped them up. Save yourself time:
- You need a Zoom account. (Any basic, pro, or business account will do.)
- You need a Warmly account. You can sign up for free, but some features are paid.
- Admin permissions: If your company locks down Zoom apps, you may need IT to approve the Warmly app.
- Supported devices: Warmly works best on desktop. If you’re on a Chromebook or tablet, expect hiccups.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure if you can install Zoom apps, ask IT before you waste 20 minutes trying.
Step 2: Sign up for Warmly
Go to Warmly’s signup page. You’ll need to:
- Use your work email (most features are aimed at work meetings).
- Grant permissions for Warmly to access your calendar and contacts (otherwise, it can’t pull info).
- Set a password and confirm your email.
Heads up: If you’re privacy-conscious, read what permissions you’re granting. Warmly needs access to your Zoom meetings to show you insights, but if you’re not comfortable with that, this integration isn’t for you.
Step 3: Connect Warmly to Zoom
Here’s where most people run into trouble, so don’t rush it.
- Log in to your Warmly dashboard.
- Look for “Connect Zoom” or “Integrations.” The location moves around as they update the UI, but it’s usually in the main sidebar.
- Click “Connect Zoom.” This will open the Zoom App Marketplace in your browser.
- Approve permissions: Zoom will ask if you allow Warmly to access your meetings and user info. Click “Allow” if you’re good with it.
- You’ll be bounced back to Warmly. If everything worked, you’ll see a confirmation.
If you get an error:
- If it says “admin approval required,” you’ll need to send the request to your IT team.
- If it fails with a vague message, try logging out of both Zoom and Warmly, then repeat.
Ignore: Any prompts asking you to “invite your team” right now. Get it working for yourself before you drag others in.
Step 4: Install the Warmly app for Zoom
Warmly’s integration is a Zoom App, which you run inside the Zoom desktop client—not just a browser plugin or Chrome extension.
- Open the Zoom desktop app.
- Click on “Apps” in the main Zoom menu. (If you don’t see it, your Zoom version might be old. Update Zoom first.)
- Search for “Warmly” in the Zoom App Marketplace.
- Click “Add” or “Install.” Follow the prompts.
Once it's installed, you’ll see Warmly as an app in your Zoom client.
If the Apps section is missing:
- Make sure you’re using the Zoom desktop app (not just the web).
- Update Zoom to the latest version.
- If it still doesn’t show, your IT admin may have disabled Zoom Apps.
Step 5: Set up your Warmly profile and preferences
This is where you make Warmly actually useful, not just another icon in your Zoom window.
- Customize your name tag and virtual background. Add your name, pronouns, job title, or even a fun fact.
- Sync your calendar. Warmly can scan upcoming meetings and pull in details—just follow the prompts to connect Google or Outlook Calendar.
- Choose what info to display: You can decide what other people see about you (and what you see about them).
Don’t overthink it:
You don’t need to fill out every field or upload the perfect headshot. Start simple. You can tweak it later.
Step 6: Test it out in a real (or practice) Zoom meeting
Don’t wait for a big client call to see if Warmly actually works.
- Start a test Zoom meeting (invite a colleague if you want).
- Open the “Apps” section and launch Warmly.
- You should see a sidebar with info about the participants—company, title, recent news, and more.
- Try playing with the icebreakers, name tags, or custom backgrounds.
What to look for: - Is the info accurate? Sometimes, Warmly guesses wrong or pulls outdated data. - Does the app slow down your Zoom? If so, try disabling other Zoom apps/extensions.
If it’s not showing info:
Double-check your calendar and contact sync. Sometimes, Warmly needs a few minutes to pull new data.
Step 7: Fine-tune your Warmly settings
After your test, take five minutes to adjust:
- Notifications: Warmly can ping you before meetings with summaries. Decide if you want this or if it’s just more noise.
- Privacy: Check what Warmly shares with others in the meeting. Not everyone wants their pronouns or “fun fact” shown by default.
- Integrations: If you use Salesforce, HubSpot, or other CRM tools, you can connect those, too—but this is optional and honestly only worth it if you’re in sales.
Ignore:
Any “premium” features unless you know you’ll use them. The basics are enough for most people.
Step 8: Roll it out to your team (if you want)
If you love it, you can invite your team to join. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Make it optional: Not everyone loves new apps, and some might be wary of privacy.
- Send a quick “how-to” doc: Save your coworkers the hassle—send them this guide or a quick Loom video.
- Ask for feedback: If people hate it or find it distracting, don’t force it.
Common gotchas and honest limitations
Let’s not pretend any tool is magic. Here’s what trips people up with Warmly and Zoom:
- Data accuracy: Warmly depends on third-party data. Sometimes it nails it, sometimes it’s way off.
- Zoom app permissions: If your company is strict, getting approval can be a pain.
- Lag or bugs: Occasionally, the app sidebar doesn’t load or gets stuck. Restart Zoom or reinstall the app if this happens.
- Privacy concerns: Some folks don’t want their info shared, period. Respect that.
If it feels like more work than it’s worth, don’t force it. These tools should make meetings easier, not more complicated.
Keep it simple (and iterate)
That’s it—you’re up and running with Warmly in Zoom. Don’t stress about perfecting every setting or getting your whole team on board overnight. Start small, see what actually helps, and skip the features that just add clutter. Meetings are messy enough already—let’s not make them worse with too many bells and whistles.