Set Up and Manage Meeting Like a Webinar

Learn how to run a Zoom meeting to replicate the features of a webinar.

Our campus Zoom account comes with a minimal supply of Zoom webinar licenses and thus we cannot grant every request for use of a webinar. There are ways that you can manage your Zoom meetings to replicate the features that come with a webinar license while also providing security from your meeting getting taken over by unwanted or disruptive attendees. For more security recommendations, visit our Meeting Security Options help page.

Security Options for Meeting Access

Below is a list of possible security settings to apply to your meetings to ensure your meetings are secure as possible.

• Passcode protect your meetings - requires participants to enter a passcode before being allowed access to your meeting.
• Use the waiting room feature - allows the host to control who enters the meeting and when.
• Require meeting authentication - limits meeting access to those with a Zoom or University Zoom account.
• Use the registration feature (opens in a new tab) - individuals must register to attend your meeting.
• Remove problem participants and prevent from rejoining - allows the removal of a problem participant from your meeting and bans them from rejoining the meeting.

Limit Participant Interactions - Before the Meeting

The following settings can be adjusted prior to your meeting from within your account profile in the University Zoom web portal. Once you are signed in to the web portal, select Settings in the left navigation bar and then select the Meetings tab.

Disable Send Files via Meeting Chat

This will prevent participants from posting inappropriate images of files into the meeting chat, which can be very disruptive. This setting is located in the In-Meeting (Basic) section.

Screen Sharing for Host Only

This will prevent participants from sharing their screen at any time during the meeting. Hosts and Co-Hosts will be able to share their screen when this is enabled. This will prevent unwanted attendees from sharing inappropriate content in the event that they gain access to your meeting. This setting is located in the In-Meeting (Basic) section.

Enable the Screen sharing option and then select Host Only for Who can share? Select Save to save your changes.

Disable Annotation

This will prevent participants from interacting with anything that is being shared by a Host or Co-Host. This is important as it also prevents unwanted attendees from drawing or writing inappropriate things on your shared screen in the event that they gain access to your meeting. This setting is located in the In-Meeting (Basic) section.

Disable the Annotation option. The option will turn gray when it is disabled.

Optionally, if you want to leave the annotation setting enabled, you can select the checkbox to allow Only the user who is sharing can annotate.

Limit Participant Interactions - During the Meeting

The following settings can be adjusted during your meeting to provide better control over the participants.

• Mute or disable microphones and/or video - limits participant access to their microphone and/or video so they can't say or show something inappropriate.
• Limit access to chat - control whether participants are able to text chat during your meeting.
• Enable Q&A feature (opens in a new tab) - allow participants to ask questions during the meeting, and allows host/co-hosts to moderate and answer those questions.

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