How do I enable the waiting room in Zoom?

When setting up a Zoom meeting for your classes you can add a Waiting Room. This is a space where a participant waits alone until the host of the meeting "admits" them.

This is useful if you wish to screen each participant before allowing them to enter the Zoom meeting room.

When setting up the meeting in Canvas-Zoom, check the "Waiting Room" box

NOTE: Although there are notifications, you have to remember to view the Participants window in the Zoom meeting to see if anyone is waiting to get in, or else they may be left idling there while the meeting is in progress.

Here are a few features of Zoom meeting waiting rooms to keep in mind:

  • In Zoom, waiting rooms can be customized with your own message or greeting. Learn more here: Secure Your Meetings with Zoom Waiting Rooms
  • When a person is in the waiting room, the host can message them from the Participants window, but they can't message the host back.
  • If two or more people are in the Waiting Room, they won't be able to communicate with one another.
  • The host can broadcast a message to the waiting room, which anyone in the waiting room will receive, but they won't be able to respond.

Learn more about setting up and managing a Zoom waiting room —

See: Zoom Waiting Rooms

and: Setting up and using a Waiting Room for a Zoom meeting