Zoom admit Waiting Room users while in a Breakout Room

Posted on: 01/26/2021

Zoom's Waiting Room & Breakout Rooms are both great features. One of the issues addressed with Zoom 5.4.9 released on January 11, 2021, is if the Host was in a breakout room, the host didn't know if someone was in the Waiting Room. This issue has been resolved with this update from Zoom.

Before January 11, 2021 release, when the Host joined a breakout room and someone joined the meeting and came into the Waiting Room, there was no way for the host to know that someone was in the waiting room.

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Waiting Room & Breakout Rooms

The Waiting Room allows the Host to control when a participant joins a meeting. Breakout Rooms will enable you to split up your Zoom meeting into separate sessions. This is handy for having department discussions. Educators and teachers can use breakout rooms for their students.

With the 5.4.9 update, the Host is notified of the Waiting Room participants, even while currently in a Breakout Room. The host can admit each participant one at a time or all at once. If pre-assignments for breakout rooms are active, participants will be asked to join their pre-assigned breakout rooms. Otherwise, the host can assign participants directly to the breakout room of their choosing.

Three options for Breakout Rooms

When you are hosting a meeting and want to use Breakout Rooms, you have three options:

Assign automatically
Assign manually
Let participants choose room (Self-select)

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Frequently Asked Questions about the Waiting Room and Breakout Rooms

What if I don’t have a Waiting Room or Passcode enabled?

If neither is enabled, Zoom will enable a Waiting Room for your meetings.

What is the difference between a Passcode and a Password?

A password is used to sign in to your Zoom account. Passcodes are meant to be shared with your invited meeting participants along with the meeting ID for access. You should never give anyone your Password.

Can I use a Passcode and the Waiting Room?

Yes. You must use one, but you can also use both the passcode and waiting room.