Understanding Webinars premium features and capacity rules for Zoom Webinars
This article explains the updated webinar scheduling experience that aligns with license type. If you have both a higher-capacity Zoom Webinars license and a lower-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license, this article details when and how webinars premium features will function.
Requirements for Webinar premium features and license capacity
Which users are affected by this change?
Only users who have both of these license types are affected:
For example, if you have a Zoom Webinars 5000 license and a Zoom Webinars Plus 500 license, you'll need to choose between capacity and webinars premium features when scheduling webinars.
What if I only have a Zoom Webinars license or only a Zoom Webinars Plus / Events license?
If you only have one license type, your experience doesn't change:
What happens if my licenses change?
If your license combination changes (adding or removing licenses), the system will apply these rules:
- If you add a lower-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license to an existing Zoom Webinars license, existing webinars remain at Zoom Webinars capacity without premium features. You can switch to the premium feature from the Webinars schedule page.
- If your Zoom Webinars license is replaced by a same or higher-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license, premium features will be applied.
- If your Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license is downgraded to Zoom Webinars, premium features will be removed, and Zoom Webinars capacity is applied.
How do Webinar premium features and capacity work?
What are webinars premium features?
Webinars premium features include capabilities available in Zoom Webinars Plus and Zoom Events licenses, including production studio, backstage, simulive, resource links, breakout room, RTMP not available in the standard Zoom Webinars license.
What is changing with webinars premium features?
Zoom is updating the webinar scheduling experience to align with license entitlements. If you have a higher-capacity Zoom Webinars license and a lower-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus or Zoom Events license, you'll need to choose between using your higher webinar capacity or enabling webinars premium features at a lower capacity.
Why is this change being implemented?
This update ensures that license entitlements match their intended use. Previously, hosts could use webinars premium features from a lower-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license with their higher-capacity Zoom Webinars license, which wasn't the intended license usage.
Scheduling and managing Webinar premium features or capacity
How do I choose between capacity and premium features?
When scheduling a new webinar, you'll see a License type option to choose between:
- Higher capacity with standard webinar features
- Premium features with lower capacity
Note: The scheduling interface will clearly display what capacity will be available with each option.
Can I change my selection after scheduling a webinar?
Yes, you can edit your webinar settings at any time before the webinar starts. Once the webinar begins, you cannot change between premium features and standard features.
What happens to webinars I scheduled before this change?
Webinars scheduled before this change will run as originally configured. If you edit an existing webinar after this change is implemented, the new rules will apply and you'll need to choose between capacity and premium features.
Can I have both high capacity and premium features?
To have both high capacity and premium features, you would need a Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license with the same or higher capacity as your Zoom Webinars license.
Managing license changes in active Webinars
Note: Switching from a Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license to a higher-capacity Zoom Webinars license is not supported during a live webinar—even if premium features aren’t in use. The only mid-webinar upgrade allowed is to a higher-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license. Learn more about switching between license types during a live webinar.
What happens if my license changes during a live webinar?
Changes to your license during a live webinar follow these rules:
- If you add a larger capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license while running a standard Zoom Webinars webinar, there will be no change to the available features.
- If you add a larger capacity Zoom Webinars license while running a Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events webinar, there will be no change to capacity.
- If you add a larger Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license while running a Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events webinar, capacity will increase to match the new license.
- If your license is removed or reduced during a live webinar, current attendees can remain, but no new attendees can join if you exceed the new capacity.
Will attendees know if premium features are enabled?
Attendees won't explicitly be notified about which feature set is being used. However, they will experience the premium features if they're enabled.
While you can switch from a Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license to a higher capacity Webinars Plus / Events license during a live webinar, you can’t switch from a Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license to a higher-capacity Zoom Webinars license during a live webinar—even if you're not using premium features.
For example, if you start a webinar using your Zoom Webinars Plus 500 license and realize you need more capacity, you cannot upgrade to your Zoom Webinars 3000 license mid-webinar.
- To increase capacity while the webinar is live, you must either use or upgrade to a higher-capacity Zoom Webinars Plus / Zoom Events license.
- To use your higher-capacity Zoom Webinars 5000 license, you would need to end the current webinar and start a new one using your Zoom Webinars license.
Tip: To avoid disruptions, schedule your webinar with your higher-capacity Zoom Webinars license if you anticipate needing more attendees.
