Zoom In-Meeting Settings: Step-by-Step Instructions
When hosting a Zoom meeting, take these steps to ensure maximum security.
Before you start
Designate co-host(s)
We recommend designating a co-host to help you manage the meeting, monitor participants, and help remove any disruptive participants if necessary. Co-host(s) are participants who share most of the controls that hosts have.
Step 1: Click on Participants to open the Participants panel.
Step 2: Right click on a participant and select Make Co-Host to make a participant a co-host.
Does your meeting have panelists, speakers, and/or presenters? Making them co-host(s) is the easiest way to allow them to unmute their microphones, share their screen, and or/start their video, even when other participants cannot.
Enable the waiting room
Step 1: You can enable the waiting room anytime during the meeting by selecting Security > Enable Waiting Room in the host controls.
Any participant who is not a host or alternative host will be placed in the waiting room.
Step 2: When you are ready to admit participants to the Zoom meeting, admit attendees from the waiting room one by one selecting the Admit button next to the attendee’s name, or admit them all at once by using the Admit All button.
Remove any attendees whom you do not want to admit using the Remove button.
Disable participant screen share
For maximum security, we recommend disabling screen sharing.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Uncheck Share Screen
Does your meeting have panelists, speakers, and/or presenters? Making them co-host(s) is the easiest way to allow them to share their screen, even if participants cannot. Co-host(s) can share screen at any time regardless of settings.
Do you need to allow participants to share screen?
Step 1: Just before allowing a participant to share screen, select Security > Share Screen.
Step 2: When participant(s) have finished sharing their screen(s), select Security and uncheck Share Screen to disable screen sharing for participants for the remainder of the meeting.
Disable the ability for participants to chat
For maximum security, we recommend disabling chat.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Uncheck Chat. Participants will not be able to chat with the host, co-host(s) or other participants.
Do you need to allow participants to chat with hosts/co-hosts?
Step 1: In the host controls, click Chat to open the chat window.
Step 2: Click the three dots on the right in the chat window.
Step 3: Select Participant Can Chat with: Host and co-hosts to allow participants to send chats to meeting host and co-host(s) only.
If necessary, you can also allow participants to chat with Everyone or Everyone and anyone directly. However, this is recommended only if necessary and if the meeting has been secured.
Disable the ability for participants to rename themselves
For maximum security, we recommend disabling the ability for participants to rename themselves.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Uncheck Rename Themselves. Participants will not be able to change their name as it appears in the meeting.
Disable the ability for participants to unmute themselves
For maximum security, we recommend disabling the ability for participants to unmute themselves if participants do not need to actively participate in the session via audio.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Uncheck Unmute Themselves. Participants will not be able to unmute their microphones during the meeting.
Co-host(s) can unmute themselves at any time regardless of settings.
Do you need to allow individual participants to unmute their microphones?
Step 1: As host or co-host, you can roll your cursor over a participant’s name in the Participant window and select Ask to Unmute.
Step 2: The participant will see a pop-up that says The host would like you to unmute and they can select Stay Muted or Unmute.
Disable the ability for participants to start their video
For maximum security, we recommend disabling the ability for participants to start their video.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Uncheck Start Video. Participants will not be able to start their video during the meeting.
Co-host(s) can start their video at any time regardless of settings.
Do you need to allow individual participants to start their video?
Step 1: Just before allowing a participant to start their video, select Security > Start Video.
Step 2: When participant(s) have finished sharing their video(s), select Security and uncheck Start Video to disable video for participants for the remainder of the meeting.
Disable the ability for participants to annotate
For maximum security, we recommend disabling the ability for participants to annotate.
Step 1: Click Share Screen
Step 2: Select a screen to share and click Share
Step 3: Select More > Disable Annotation for Others
Do you need to allow individual participants to annotate?
Step 1: Click Share Screen
Step 2: Select a screen to share and click Share
Step 3: Select More > Enable Annotation for Others
Step 4: When participant(s) have finished annotation, select More > Disable Annotation for Others
Lock the meeting
If all of the participants have joined the meeting, for additional security you can lock the meeting to keep any additional participants from joining.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Check Lock Meeting. No participants will be able to join the meeting.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you lock your meeting, be sure that participants have an alternative way of contacting you or your co-hosts during the session. This way if a participant drops out of the meeting or has been inadvertently locked out, they will have a way to let you know so that you can unlock the meeting to let them in.
Remove unwanted participants
In case of meeting disruptions, the host and co-hosts can remove unwanted participants and/or suspend all participant activities.
If a participant behaves inappropriately and needs to be removed, you can remove the participant and they will not be allowed back into the meeting.
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Select Remove Participant
Step 3: A Remove Participant panel opens containing the participant’s name. Select Remove to permanently remove the participant from the meeting.
Suspend participant activities
If multiple participants are disrupting the meeting in various ways, you can turn off all participants’ video, audio, and ability to share their screen. Also lock the meeting to prevent participants from joining.
To suspend all participant activities,
Step 1: Select Security in the host controls
Step 2: Select Suspend Participant Activities
A pop-up appears asking Suspend all participant activities? Select Suspend.
Please see this video for more information about Zoom Security Basics.
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