Restricting in-meeting features for users joining meetings

Admins can restrict which in-meeting/webinar features are available when joining or hosting an internal meeting or webinar. However, with the follow user in-meeting policy, admins can also enable policies that will restrict certain in-meeting features even when joining an external meeting or webinar. These include restricting users on the account from transferring files, sharing their screen, using/viewing in-meeting chat, adding annotations during a screen share, sharing a whiteboard, recording a meeting, viewing captions, and more. Once enabled, the policy will follow the user no matter the device the user sign in to Zoom with to join meetings. 

Requirements for restricting in-meeting features when joining meetings

Table of Contents

Priority of settings

As settings can be configured in multiple places, with some only configurable by a Zoom or IT Admin and others configurable by the end user, it's imperative that admins understand which settings take priority over others and how conflicting settings are handled. 

If settings conflict, Zoom will use the following priority:

  1. Settings deployed and locked through ZDM.
  2. Setting deployed through MSI/GPO with zConfig.
  3. Settings deployed with the Restrict in-meeting features for users joining meetings setting
  4. Client setting selected by the user.
  5. Setting deployed through MSI/GPO with zRecommend.
  6. Web settings that are not locked.

How to restrict users from using selected features when they join a meeting

Restrict in-meeting features for the entire account

This setting allows account owners or admins to restrict all users in the account from using selected features when they join a meeting.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture or initials, then click Admin Center.
  3. In the side menu, click Settings .
  4. Click the Meeting tab.
  5. Under In Meeting (Advanced), navigate to Restrict users from using selected features when they join a meeting.
  6. Click Select Features to Restrict.
  7. Select the check box next to the feature you want to restrict:
  8. Under Restrict use of this feature in, select when the feature restriction should be applied:
  9. To lock the feature restriction, under Locked, click the lock icon  unlocked-button.png.
    Note: If the restriction is set to All Meetings, and the restriction is locked, this will override any in-meeting settings set at the User, Group, or Account level.
  10. Click Save.

Restrict in-meeting features for a group of users

This setting allows account owners or admins to restrict all users in a group from using selected features when they join a meeting.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit groups.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture or initials, then click Admin Center.
  3. In the side menu, click Users .
  4. Click Groups.
  5. Click the applicable group name from the list.
  6. In the General configuration section, click Edit product settings.
  7. Click the Meeting tab.
  8. Under In Meeting (Advanced), navigate to Restrict users from using selected features when they join a meeting.
  9. Click Select Features to Restrict.
  10. Select the check box next to the feature you want to restrict:
  11. Under Restrict use of this feature in, select when the feature restriction should be applied:
  12. Under Locked, click the unlocked-button.png, to lock the feature restriction.
    Note: If the restriction is set to All Meetings, and the restriction is locked, this will override any in-meeting settings set at the User level.
  13. Click Save.