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How to Turn On the Waiting Room in Zoom

Tap a step to follow along in order.

  1. Open "Settings" on the Zoom website

    Log in on the Zoom website and go to "Settings" in the left-hand menu.

  2. Find "Waiting Room" under "Security"

    Look for the "Waiting Room" option in the "Security" section.

  3. Turn on the toggle to enable it

    Turning on the toggle applies the waiting room to every meeting you create going forward.

  4. Admit participants individually during the meeting

    Once the meeting starts, a list of waiting participants appears, and the host must click "Admit" for each one before they can join.

  5. Why it's useful

    Even if the meeting link leaks to the wrong person, only people the host reviews and admits can actually join, which keeps out anyone who wasn't invited.

Worried about a meeting link ending up in the wrong hands?

Even if a meeting link leaks to someone it wasn't meant for, requiring the host to review and admit each participant keeps uninvited people from joining the call.

Combining it with a passcode for extra safety

For meetings with outside guests, pairing the waiting room with a meeting passcode adds a second layer of protection -- someone would need both the link and the passcode just to reach the waiting room, before a host even has to make an admission decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I show a message on the waiting room screen?

Yes -- the waiting room settings let you set a custom message or logo image that waiting participants see before they're admitted.

Can specific participants skip the waiting room?

Yes -- turning on an option like "let authenticated users skip the waiting room" lets specific signed-in users join immediately without waiting.