Using focus mode in a Zoom Room

Focus mode is designed with the digital learning environment in mind, allowing students to stay attentive or work on their tasks while under supervision, without being distracted by others. This feature gives the host and co-hosts a view of all participants’ videos without other participants seeing each other. This includes screen sharing, as the host and co-host can view and switch between each participant’s shared screen, while the participants can only view their own content. If the host finds that a participant’s content should be shared with others, they can easily begin sharing.

Aside from the host, co-hosts, and participants spotlighted by the host, participants in focus mode only see their own video and other participants' names, nonverbal feedback, reactions, and audio when unmuted.

The article covers:

• How to enable focus mode
  • Account
  • Specific Zoom Rooms 
• How to use focus mode in a Zoom Room
  • How to engage focus mode as the host or co-host of a meeting
  • How to end focus mode

Prerequisites for using focus mode in Zoom Rooms

• Start a meeting as the host
• Zoom Rooms global minimum version or higher
• Zoom Rooms controller global minimum version or higher

Notes:

• Participants on older client versions are still affected by Focus mode (their videos blanked to others, video and shared content only visible to host), but will not see any notifications regarding Focus mode. Only the host must be on the required version to initiate Focus mode.
• Besides Zoom Rooms, focus mode can also be initiated from the desktop client and mobile apps. 

How to enable focus mode

Account

To enable Focus mode for all users and Zoom Rooms in the account:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation panel, click Account Management then Account Settings.
3. Click the Meeting tab.
4. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Focus Mode toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog displays, 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.
6. (Optional) If you want to make this setting mandatory for all users in your account, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

Specific Zoom Rooms 

To enable or disable Focus mode for a specific Zoom Room:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation panel, click Room Management then Zoom Rooms.
3. Find and click on the name of the Zoom Room you want to edit. 
4. Next to the name of the Zoom Room, click Room Settings. 
5. Click the Meeting tab.
6. Under In Meeting (Basic), click the Focus Mode toggle to enable or disable it.
7. If a verification dialog displays, 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.

How to use focus mode in a Zoom Room

How to engage focus mode as the host or co-host of a meeting

1. Start a meeting as the host or co-host.
2. Tap More on the Zoom Room Controller.
3. Tap Start Focus Mode .
4. Tap Start to confirm.
5. When Focus mode begins, you and the participants are notified with a banner along the top of the video window. Additionally, the focus mode  icon is always visible in the top-left corner of the video window, next to the encryption icon, while focus mode is active.

Once focus mode has been started, participants in focus mode will only see the video of the host, co-hosts, any participants spotlighted by the host, and their own video. They will only see other participants' names, their nonverbal feedback or reactions, and hear them when unmuted.

Participants’ shared screens are only visible to the host and co-hosts, but the host can allow all other participants to view as well:

1. Tap Share Screen .
2. Tap the Advanced Sharing Options button. 
3. In the Shared screens can be seen by section, tap All participants.
4. (Optional) To return to just host and co-hosts viewing shared content, select Host only.
   Note: These options are only available when in Focus mode.

How to end focus mode

1. Tap More on the Zoom Room Controller.
2. Tap Stop Focus Mode .