Managing Zoom Meetings like a Webinar

Many features (e.g., screen sharing, polling, recording) remain consistent across meetings and webinars. Below are key differences to consider:

Configure Zoom Account

Go to Settings in your Zoom web portal and alter the permissions that participants will have in the meeting

Basic Settings

1. Scroll down to the In-meeting (Basic) section and locate Screensharing settings

2. Toggle On Screensharing to Host Only

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Recording Settings

Go to Settings in the Zoom web portal and click the Recordings tab to ensure recordings are optimal for hosting a meeting like a webinar.

1. In the Cloud recording section, select Record active speaker with shared screen

   1. Note: This setting ensures that the speaker will always be displayed in the recording

2. In Advanced cloud recording settings ensure that Display participants name in the recording is unchecked.

   1. Note: Disabling this option ensures that participants names will be protected and will not be visible when the recording is viewed by others

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Scheduling Settings

While scheduling the meeting, enable the recommended options:

1. Enable the Waiting Room to ensure that participants privileges are disabled before they join

2. In the Video section select Off for Participant video.

   1. Note: Participants will join the meeting with video off but will still be able to turn it on unless the host revokes this privilege in the in-meeting settings

3. In the advanced options of scheduling, check the Mute participants upon entry option.

   1. Note: Participants will join the meeting muted but will still be able to unmute themselves unless this privilege is revoked by the host in the in-meeting settings

In-Meeting Options

After starting the meeting, customize in-meeting settings to gain more control as the host.

1. In the meeting control bar click the Security button

2. In Allow Participants to, uncheck Share Screen, Chat, Unmute Themselves and Start Video

3. This will change participant privileges and allow the host to have more control in the meeting

4. Once privileges are revoked, admit all participants into the meeting from the waiting room

5. When participants are admitted they will join the meeting muted and with their video off. Since you edited their privileges, they will not be able to unmute themselves or turn on their camera.

   1. Note: Co-hosts will maintain their privileges even when the host disables participant permissions in the meeting.

Chat as Q&A

In Zoom Meetings, only the Chat is available, but it can be customized to be used like a Webinar Q&A.

1. Click the Chat button in the meeting controls

2. In the Chat panel, click the three dots at the bottom to view more options

3. In Participants can chat with you can choose between the following options to use the chat as a Q&A:

   1. If you want participants to only be able to send messages at a designated time in the meeting, select No One until you are ready to answer questions

   2. Select Host and co-host only if you would like participants to only be able to send questions to the host and co-host(s) of the meeting.

   3. Select Everyone Publicly to allow participants to send questions that all participants can view. Hosts can answer questions themselves or assign a co-host to answer them in the chat.

4. You can change who participants can chat with at any time throughout the meeting.

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