The information provided in this article generally applies to all Zoom meetings, regardless of where they are scheduled: directly in Zoom through the web portal or desktop application, in Outlook or Google, or in Canvas or Blackboard. 

 

Meeting Waiting Rooms 

The Zoom Waiting Room places participants in a 'waiting room' before they are permitted to join the meeting. As a meeting host, you control when participants enter the meeting. You can admit participants from the Waiting Room individually or as a group. 

Tip! If you choose to use the Waiting Room, you may consider assigning a co-host to help admit participants who join after your meeting has started.   

Enabling the Waiting Room for a new meeting 

The Waiting Room feature can be set when scheduling a new meeting. You can find the Waiting Room option in the Security section of the screen (or under Advanced Options if you are scheduling the meeting using the Zoom desktop application). 

 

Checking the Waiting Room checkbox will enable the Waiting Room for the meeting you are scheduling. 

Enabling the Waiting Room for an existing meeting  

To enable the Waiting Room for previously scheduled meetings, you will need to edit the meeting settings. To access meeting settings:

1. Go to the Zoom web portal at princeton.zoom.us. 

2. Select Meetings from the navigation menu.  

3. In the meeting list that displays, hover over the listing for the meeting you want to update. Start and Edit control buttons display.   

4. Click the Edit button to display meeting settings. 

5. In the Security section, check the Waiting Room checkbox to enable a waiting room for the meeting.  

6. Click Save to save the settings for the meeting.   

Enabling the Waiting Room for all meetings you schedule 

Rather than specifying the Waiting Room for every meeting you schedule, you can configure the Waiting Room as a default setting for all future meetings that you create. To update your account settings:    

1. Go to the Zoom web portal at princeton.zoom.us. 

2. Select Settings from the navigation menu. The Security settings display.  

3. Enable the Waiting Room by selecting the Status toggle.  
   
   
     

Using and customizing the Waiting Room 

For more information about using the advanced features of the Waiting Room or customizing the look of your Waiting Room, see Zoom’s support articles:

• Waiting Room
• Customizing the Waiting Room
  
  

Meeting Passcodes 

A Passcode is 1- to 16-digit number that acts as a key for participants to gain entry to your Zoom session. As the meeting host, you can either accept the auto-generated code or create one of your own.

Tip! Enabling Passcode will allow participants to join the meeting before you (the host) so long as you also select the "Join before host" option when the meeting is scheduled.   

Adding a Passcode to a new meeting 

The Passcode feature can be set when scheduling a new meeting. The Passcode option is listed in the Security section of the screen (or under Password as 'Require meeting password,' if you are scheduling the meeting using the Zoom desktop application). 

 

Checking the Passcode checkbox will generate a unique Passcode that will be included in the invite details for the meeting you are scheduling. 

Adding a Passcode to an existing meeting  

Important!  If previously scheduled meetings are edited to include a Passcode, you must share the passcode with invited attendees by resending the meeting invite with the Passcode. If Passcodes are added to new meetings, the Passcode will automatically be embedded into the meeting link (assuming you haven't changed this setting for your account) 

To enable a Passcode for a previously scheduled meeting, you will need to edit the meeting settings. To access meeting settings:

1. Go to the Zoom web portal at princeton.zoom.us.
2. Select Meetings from the navigation menu. 
3. In the meeting list that displays, hover over the listing for the meeting you want to update. Start and Edit control buttons display.   
4. Click the Edit button to display meeting settings.
5. In the Security section, check the Passcode checkbox.  The unique Passcode for the meeting displays.
6. Copy the passcode.
7. Click Save to save the settings for the meeting.   
8. Paste the copied passcode into the meeting invite and resend, or share it with the meeting participants, separately. 
   
   

Related resources

For additional information on Zoom security and best practices, see:

• Zoom: Security and Privacy Best Practices