Participants can give more visible feedback through gestures by using gesture recognition. This feature translates a real-world gesture into Zoom’s existing reactions, allowing for visual gestures, such as a raised hand, to automatically display a corresponding meeting reaction and allow users to more easily react during a meeting or webinar. Currently, this feature is supported for Raise Hand ✋ and Thumbs Up 👍 reactions.
Account owners and admins can enable or disable, as well as lock, this feature at the account and group level. By default, gesture recognition is disabled at the account and group levels but enabled for accounts that have meeting reactions and webinar reactions turned on.
Note: Apple also supports video effects using gestures on macOS Sonoma 14 and iOS 17. Depending on your macOS or iOS settings, these video effects may appear in your Zoom meetings, but are not controlled by Zoom. Learn how to disable these features through macOS settings.
This article covers:
Prerequisites for using gesture recognition
- Zoom desktop client
- Windows: 5.10.3 or higher
- macOS: 5.10.3 or higher
- Zoom mobile app for iOS: Global minimum version or higher
- Supported iOS devices:
- iPad with A12+ Chips
- Apple iPad Pro (2021, 5th generation)
- Apple iPad Pro (2020, 4th generation)
- Apple iPad Pro (2018, 3rd generation)
- Apple iPad 10.2 (2020, 8th generation)
- Apple iPad Air (2020, 4th generation)
- Apple iPad Air (2019, 3rd generation)
- Apple iPad mini (2019, 5th generation)
- Reactions enabled for use in the meeting by the host
How to enable gesture recognition in the client
Windows | 
macOSBefore the meeting starts you can enable gesture recognition on the desktop client.
- Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
- Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
- Click General
. - Under Reactions, select the check box to enable Activate the following emojis based on hand gesture recognition: 👍 ✋
This can also be easily enabled during a live meeting.
- Join or start a meeting.
- In the meeting toolbar, click the
next to the 
Reactions button. - Click the Recognize hand gestures option to enabled or disable gesture recognition.
A checkmark to the left of the option indicates if gesture recognition is enabled or not. This in-meeting option syncs with the client setting option above.
When in a meeting and you would like to enable the Zoom mobile app to recognize gestures:
- Tap the More
button. - Tap Meeting Settings
. - Under the Gestures section, tap the slider next to Raise Hand and/or Thumbs Up to enable gesture recognition in the meeting.
How to use gesture recognition
- Join a Zoom meeting or join a Zoom Webinar with your video turned on.
- Raise your hand and perform a thumbs up or raise hand gesture.
- Hold the gesture for a couple of moments to allow the gesture to be recognized.
The corresponding meeting/webinar reaction will display above the reactions buttonin the meeting toolbar.
- Join a Zoom meeting or join a Zoom Webinar with a supported iPad
- Raise your hand and perform a thumbs up or raise hand gesture.
- Hold the gesture for a couple of moments to allow the gesture to be recognized.
The corresponding meeting/webinar reaction will display above the reactions buttonin the meeting toolbar.
Notes on using gesture recognition
- Gesture must be performed with video on and within the video frame captured by Zoom.
- Only one hand must be visible and away from your face and body.
- For the Thumbs Up reaction, it is best to have the thumb in the upright position.
- For the Raise Hand reaction, it is preferable to use your left hand on the left side of the screen and your right hand on the right side of the screen. In both cases, your palm should be facing the camera and flat. A notification will appear when recognition begins, allowing you to stop the gesture if not intended.
- Apple also supports video effects using gestures on macOS Sonoma 14 and iOS 17. Depending on your macOS or iOS settings, these video effects may appear in your Zoom meetings, but are not controlled by Zoom. Learn how to disable these features through macOS settings.