Enabling Focus mode for meetings

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 and their tasks. This feature gives the host and co-hosts view of all participants’ videos without other participants seeing each other. This extends into 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 a participant’s content should be shared with others, they can easily begin sharing the participant’s screen with others.

The article covers:

• How to enable focus mode
  • Account
  • Group
  • User

Prerequisites for enabling focus mode for meetings

• A Zoom account

How to enable focus mode

Account

To enable Focus mode for all users 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 menu, 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 appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
6. (Optional) Select the check box next to Allow host to enable focus mode when scheduling, then click Save. This option allows users to schedule meetings with focus mode to start automatically when the meeting starts, in order to provide fewer distractions to all meeting participants.
7. (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.

Group

Note: If you signed up for a new Zoom account after August 21, 2021; or the New Admin Experience is enabled on your account, the Group Management page has been renamed to Groups.

To enable or disable Focus mode for a group of users:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit groups.
2. In the navigation menu, click User Management then Group Management.
3. Click the applicable group name from the list.
4. Click the Meeting tab.
5. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Focus Mode 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) Select the check box next to Allow host to enable focus mode when scheduling, then click Save. This option allows users to schedule meetings with focus mode to start automatically when the meeting starts, in order to provide fewer distractions to all meeting participants.
8. (Optional) If you want to make this setting mandatory for all users in the group, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

User

To enable or disable Focus mode for your own use:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click 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 appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at the account or group level and needs to be changed at that level.
6. (Optional) Select the check box next to Allow host to enable focus mode when scheduling, then click Save. This option allows you to schedule meetings with focus mode to start automatically when the meeting starts, in order to provide fewer distractions to all meeting participants.