Allowing participants to join before host

The allow participants to join before host feature allows participants to join the meeting before the host joins or when the host cannot attend the meeting. If you select this option, participants can join the meeting before the host joins or without the host. Participants can join anytime before the scheduled start time, or just 5, 10, or 15 minutes before the scheduled start time by enabling this feature.

If you do not select join before host, the participants will see a pop up dialog that says "The meeting is waiting for the host to join." If you are the host, there is a login button to login and start the meeting as the host.

You can also enable email notifications when participants join before host.

Requirements for allowing participants to join before host

• Account owner or administrator privileges to enable at the account or group level
• Zoom desktop app for Windows, macOS, or Linux: Global minimum version or higher
• Zoom mobile app for Android or iOS: Global minimum version or higher

Limitations of allowing participants to join before host

• If you want to use a 5, 10, or 15 minute designation for how early participants can join meetings before the start time, the meeting cannot use your personal meeting ID (PMI). Instead, the meeting ID must be generated automatically to apply custom join limits.
• The meeting cannot have end-to-end encryption enabled.
• If the host does not join the meeting or is not logged in when joining, there are no host controls, such as recording, mute/unmute all, lock meeting, or remove participants.

How to enable or disable join before host for all meetings

To enable or disable join before host option when scheduling meetings:

Account

If you enable Allow participants to join before host for all members on your organization, it will automatically be enabled for any newly scheduled meetings. However, members will have the option to disable it when scheduling a meeting. To force this setting on for all meetings, you must lock the setting.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation menu, click Account Management then Account Settings.
3. Click Meeting tab.
4. Under Schedule Meeting, click Allow participants to join before host toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
6. (Optional) To allow custom join before host time limits, select the Participants can join check box, choose how early participants can join meetings, then click Save. 
7. (Optional) To prevent all users in your account from changing this setting, click the lock  icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

Group

If you enable Allow participants to join before host for all members of a specific group, it will automatically be enabled for any newly scheduled meetings. However, members will have the option to disable it when scheduling a meeting. To force this setting on for all meetings, you must lock the setting.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator with the privilege to edit user groups.
2. Click User Management then Groups.
3. Click the applicable group name.
4. Click the Meeting tab.
5. Under Schedule Meeting, click the Allow participants to join before host toggle to enable or disable it.
6. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at the account level and needs to be changed at that level.
7. (Optional) To allow custom join before host time limits, check the Participants can join check box, choose how early participants can join meetings, then click Save. 
8. (Optional) To prevent all users in the group from changing this setting, click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

User

If you enable Allow participants to join before host in your meeting settings, it will automatically be enabled for any newly scheduled meetings. However, you will have the option to disable it when scheduling a meeting.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Settings.
3. Click Meeting tab.
4. Under Schedule Meeting, click Allow participants to join before host toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the group or account level. You need to contact your Zoom admin.
6. (Optional) To allow custom join before host time limits, select the Participants can join check box, choose how early participants can join meetings, then click Save.

How to enable join before host for an individual meeting

When Allow participants to join before start time is enabled, the host can join the meeting without being logged in. If you are the host, but do not have hosts controls, such as recording, leave the meeting and login in the Zoom application. Start the meeting again from your Meeting list.

• If one meeting is running and someone tries to start a second meeting with join before host on scheduled by the same host:
  • If started by a Zoom Room, the second meeting will start and close the first meeting without warning.
  • If started by the host, they will have the option to close the first meeting and start the second.
  • If started by a participant, they will receive a message that the host has another meeting in progress.
   
• If Waiting Room is enabled in your meeting settings, join before host will not work for your meetings, unless you have waiting room set to allow certain users to bypass.
• If you would like the meeting to be recorded without the host attending, you will need to turn on automatic cloud recording for the meeting.