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Mastering the Art of Shared Control: Adding a Host to Your Zoom Meeting

So, you want to share the captain’s chair in your Zoom meeting? You’ve come to the right place. Adding a host, or co-host, to a Zoom meeting is simpler than you might think and dramatically increases the flexibility and manageability of larger or more complex online gatherings. Let’s dive into exactly how you do it.

Essentially, there are two primary ways to add a host to a Zoom meeting:

During the Meeting: This method is immediate and grants control in real-time.
Scheduling in Advance: Ideal for planned co-leadership, this method assigns host privileges before the meeting begins.

Let’s break down each approach:

During the Meeting: Promoting Participants to Co-Host

This is the most common and arguably easiest method. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Identify the Participant: During your Zoom meeting, click on “Participants” in the meeting controls at the bottom of your screen. This will open a panel on the right side of your Zoom window displaying a list of everyone in the meeting.
Locate the Target: Find the name of the person you want to promote to co-host.
Grant Co-Host Privileges: Hover over their name. You’ll see options appear, including “More”. Click on “More.” A menu will appear.
Select “Make Co-Host”: From the menu that appears, select “Make Co-Host”. Zoom will then ask you to confirm this action. Click “Yes” to confirm.
Confirmation: The participant will receive a notification that they are now a co-host.

Key Advantage: This approach provides immediate delegation of responsibilities.

Scheduling in Advance: Assigning Host Privileges Ahead of Time

This method is particularly useful when you know beforehand who will be helping you manage the meeting. It requires a little planning but ensures a seamless handover from the get-go.

Method 1: Assigning a Co-Host Through Meeting Options

Schedule the Meeting: Begin by scheduling your Zoom meeting as you normally would. This can be done via the Zoom desktop application or through the Zoom web portal.
Edit the Meeting: Once the meeting is scheduled, find it in your list of upcoming meetings and click to “Edit” the meeting details.
Show Advanced Options: Scroll down to the “Options” section and click on “Show” to reveal advanced options.
Add Co-Hosts: Look for the “Co-Hosts” field. Here, you can enter the email addresses of the people you want to designate as co-hosts. These email addresses must be associated with Zoom accounts.
Save the Meeting: Click “Save” to finalize the changes.

Important Note: The individuals you designate as co-hosts using this method must have Zoom accounts associated with the email addresses you provide. If they don’t, the co-host designation will not work.

Method 2: Alternative Hosts (A slightly different approach)

Instead of “Co-Hosts” as described above (which requires a Business or Education Zoom license), most Zoom plans can use “Alternative Hosts”. This option grants most of the same privileges as a true co-host.

Schedule the Meeting: As before, schedule your meeting through the Zoom application or web portal.
Edit Meeting Details: Locate the scheduled meeting and click to edit its details.
Find “Alternative Hosts”: Scroll down within the scheduling options to find the “Alternative Hosts” field.
Enter Email Addresses: Enter the email addresses of the people you want to be able to start the meeting and have alternative host privileges. Again, these email addresses must be linked to Zoom accounts.
Save Changes: Save the meeting details.

Key Difference: “Alternative Hosts” can start the meeting in your absence, a feature that true “Co-Hosts” as defined by the earlier method cannot do.

Understanding Host, Co-Host, and Alternative Host Permissions

It’s crucial to understand the different levels of access and control each role offers:

Host: The original scheduler and ultimate authority figure. The host has full control over the meeting, including starting and ending the meeting, managing participants, recording, sharing screens, and using breakout rooms.
Co-Host: Shares most of the host’s privileges, including managing participants, recording, muting/unmuting, and using breakout rooms. However, a co-host cannot end the meeting for all participants (only the host can). They also typically cannot modify meeting settings defined by the host.
Alternative Host: Can start the meeting and has similar permissions to a co-host. They can manage participants, share screens, record, and use breakout rooms. However, like co-hosts, they cannot end the meeting for all participants if the original host is not present. If the original host joins, they regain ultimate control.

Best Practices for Managing Hosts and Co-Hosts

Communicate Roles Clearly: Before the meeting, discuss with your co-hosts or alternative hosts their specific responsibilities. This ensures a smooth workflow and prevents confusion.
Test Functionality: If you’re relying heavily on co-host or alternative host features, conduct a brief test meeting beforehand to ensure everyone understands their roles and that the permissions are working correctly.
Designate Backups: For critical meetings, consider having multiple co-hosts or alternative hosts in case one experiences technical difficulties.
Be Mindful of Security: Only assign co-host or alternative host privileges to trusted individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I make someone a host instead of a co-host during the meeting?

Yes, you can transfer the host role to another participant. In the “Participants” panel, hover over their name, click “More,” and select “Make Host.” Be aware that this relinquishes your host privileges.

2. Can I revoke co-host privileges during a meeting?

Absolutely. In the “Participants” panel, hover over the co-host’s name, click “More,” and select “Reclaim Host” if you want to take back full control, or “Remove Co-Host” to simply remove their elevated privileges.

3. What happens if the host leaves the meeting?

If the host leaves the meeting without assigning a new host, a co-host (if present) will typically be promoted to the host role. If no co-host is present, the meeting may end automatically, depending on the meeting settings. If you have designated “Alternative Hosts,” one of them will automatically become the host.

4. Can a participant become a co-host if they join via phone?

No. Co-host privileges can only be granted to participants who join via the Zoom application (desktop or mobile). Phone participants have limited functionality.

5. How many co-hosts can I have in a Zoom meeting?

Zoom allows you to have unlimited co-hosts. However, practically speaking, it’s best to keep the number of co-hosts manageable to avoid confusion.

6. Do co-hosts need a paid Zoom account?

While a paid Zoom account isn’t strictly required for co-hosts during the meeting if assigned in-meeting, it is often required for assigning them as a co-host during scheduling, and it’s generally recommended for smoother functionality and access to advanced features.

7. Can I assign a co-host using the Zoom mobile app?

Yes, you can assign a co-host during a meeting using the Zoom mobile app. The process is similar to the desktop version: tap “Participants,” select the participant’s name, and then tap “Make Co-Host.”

8. Why can’t I see the “Make Co-Host” option?

There are a few potential reasons:

You are not the host: Only the host can assign co-host privileges.
The participant is not using a Zoom account: Ensure the participant has joined the meeting through the Zoom application.
Your Zoom version is outdated: Update your Zoom application to the latest version.

9. Can co-hosts manage breakout rooms?

Yes, co-hosts have the ability to manage breakout rooms, including assigning participants and moving between rooms.

10. If I schedule a recurring meeting, do I need to re-assign co-hosts for each instance?

No. If you assign co-hosts when scheduling a recurring meeting, they will retain their co-host privileges for all instances of that meeting.

11. Is there a way to automatically assign co-hosts when a meeting starts?

Unfortunately, Zoom doesn’t have a feature to automatically assign co-hosts upon meeting start. You’ll need to manually assign them during the meeting or beforehand through the scheduling options.

12. Can a co-host record the meeting?

Yes, co-hosts can record the meeting, provided the host has enabled recording permissions for participants or co-hosts. The recording can be saved to the cloud or locally on the co-host’s computer. The host can disable this permission if they don’t want co-hosts to be able to record.

By understanding these methods and nuances, you can effectively leverage the power of shared control in Zoom meetings, creating more collaborative and productive online experiences. Go forth and conquer those virtual landscapes!