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Participating in meeting breakout rooms

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Breakout rooms are sessions that are split off from the main Zoom meeting. They allow the participants to meet in smaller groups, and are completely isolated in terms of audio and video from the main session. Breakout rooms can be used for collaboration and discussion of the meeting, with automated and translated captioning available to facilitate discussions. 

Webinar attendees can also join breakout rooms. 

Prerequisites for participating in meeting breakout rooms

  • Invitation to join breakout rooms from the meeting host
  • Zoom desktop client for Windows, macOS, or Linux: Global minimum version or higher
  • Zoom mobile app for Android or iOS: Global minimum version or higher

  • Users joined into the Zoom meeting from the following platforms can be assigned to and participate in breakout rooms:
    • Zoom desktop client
    • Zoom mobile app
    • Chrome OS client
    • Web client
    • Phone dial-in
    • H.323/SIP devices
    • Zoom Room

Notes: 

  • Only the host or co-host joined with the desktop client can assign participants to breakout rooms.
  • The host and co-host can move between any breakout rooms.

How to join a meeting breakout room

  1. The host will need to invite you to join the breakout room.
  2. Click Join.
  3. If you choose Later, you can join by clicking Breakout Rooms in your meeting controls.
  4. Click Join Breakout Room.

    You will have access to full controls similar to the meeting.

How to self-select a breakout room

If the host has allowed participants to self-select and join breakout rooms of their choosing, participants will be able to view and select from a list of breakout rooms the host has created. They will be able to enter and leave breakout rooms freely. 

Note: Participants not joined with the desktop or mobile app (version 5.3.0 or higher) will not be able to self-select a breakout room. The host will need to facilitate moving these participants manually.  

  1. Click Breakout Rooms in your meeting controls.
    This will display the list of open breakout rooms created by the host. 
  2. (Optional) Click Expand All to expand all available rooms and see which participants are in that particular room. 
    Note: The Expand All and Collapse All options require version 5.9.6 or higher. 
  3. Hover your pointer over the number to the right of breakout room you wish to join, click Join, then confirm by clicking Join. 
  4. Repeat as necessary to join other breakout rooms, or click Leave Room to return to the main session. 

How to ask for help

If you click Ask for Help, it will notify the meeting host that you need assistance and they will be asked to join your breakout room.

  1. Click Ask for Help in the meeting controls.
  2. Confirm that you would like assistance by clicking Invite Host.

How to record while in a breakout room

  1. Ask the host for permission to record. The host needs to allow recording before opening the breakout rooms. If the host has already open the breakouts rooms, they can join your breakout room to allow you to record.
  2. Click Record in the meeting controls to start a local recording.
  3. Click the pause or stop icon in the meeting controls to pause or stop the recording.

    The recording can also be stopped or paused by clicking the indicator in the top left corner.

Learn more about local recording.

How to leave the breakout room

You can leave the breakout room and return to the main meeting session at any time, or you can leave the meeting entirely from the breakout room.

  1. Click Leave Breakout Room. 
  2. Choose if you want to leave the breakout room or the entire meeting.
  3. When the host ends the breakout rooms, you will be notified and given the option to return to the main room immediately, or in 60 seconds.

Linux

How to join a meeting breakout room

  1. The host will need to invite you to join the breakout room.
  2. Click Join.
  3. If you choose Later, you can join by clicking Join Breakout Room in your meeting controls.
  4. Click Join breakout room.

    You will have access to full controls similar to the meeting.

How to self-select a breakout room

If the host has allowed participants to self-select and join breakout rooms of their choosing, participants will be able to view and select from a list of breakout rooms the host has created. They will be able to enter and leave breakout rooms freely. 

Note: Participants not joined with the desktop or mobile app (version 5.3.0 or higher) will not be able to self-select a breakout room. The host will need to facilitate moving these participants manually.  

  1. Click Breakout Rooms in your meeting controls.
    This will display the list of open breakout rooms created by the host. 
  2. (Optional) Click Expand All to expand all available rooms and see which participants are in that particular room. 
    Note: The Expand All and Collapse All options require version 5.9.6 or higher. 
  3. Click Join next to the Breakout Room you wish to participant in, then confirm by clicking Join again. 
  4. Repeat as necessary to join other breakout rooms, or click Leave Room to return to the main session. 

How to ask for help

If you click Ask for Help, it will notify the meeting host that you need assistance and they will be asked to join your breakout room.

  1. Click Ask for Help in the meeting controls.
  2. Confirm that you would like assistance by clicking Invite Host.

How to leave the breakout room

You can leave the breakout room and return to the main meeting session at any time, or you can leave the meeting entirely from the breakout room.

  1. Click Leave Breakout Room. 
  2. Choose if you want to leave the breakout room or the entire meeting.
  3. When the host ends the breakout rooms, you will be notified and given the option to return to the main room immediately, or in 60 seconds.

iOS

How to join a meeting breakout room

  1. The host will need to invite you to join the breakout room.
  2. Tap Join.
  3. If you tap Later, you can join by tapping Join Breakout Room .
  4. Tap Join.
    You will have access to full controls similar to the meeting

How to self-select a breakout room

If the host has allowed participants to self-select and join breakout rooms of their choosing, participants will be able to view and select from a list of breakout rooms the host has created. They will be able to enter and leave breakout rooms freely. 

Note: Participants not joined with the desktop or mobile app (version 5.3.0 or higher) will not be able to self-select a breakout room. The host will need to facilitate moving these participants manually.  

  1. Tap Breakout Rooms on the top-left side of the meeting controls.
    This will display the list of open breakout rooms created by the host. 
  2. Tap the Breakout Room you wish to participant in and then tap Join. 
  3. Repeat as necessary to join other breakout rooms, or click Leave Room to return to the main session. 

How to ask for help

If you tap Ask for Help , it will notify the meeting host that you need assistance and they will be asked to join your breakout room.

  1. Tap Ask for Help .
  2. Confirm that you would like assistance by tapping Invite Host.

How to leave the breakout room

You can leave the breakout room and return to the main meeting session at any time, or you can leave the meeting entirely from the breakout room.

  1. Tap Leave.

  2. Choose Leave Breakout Room. 
  3. When the host ends the breakout rooms, you will be notified and given the option to return to the main room immediately, or in 60 seconds.

Android

How to join a meeting breakout room

  1. The host will need to invite you to join the breakout room.
  2. Tap Join.
  3. If you choose Later, you can join by tapping the Join Breakout Room .
    You will have access to full controls similar to the meeting.

How to self-select a breakout room

If the host has allowed participants to self-select and join breakout rooms of their choosing, participants will be able to view and select from a list of breakout rooms the host has created. They will be able to enter and leave breakout rooms freely. 

Note: Participants not joined with the desktop or mobile app (version 5.3.0 or higher) will not be able to self-select a breakout room. The host will need to facilitate moving these participants manually.  

  1. Tap Breakout Rooms on the top-left side of the meeting controls.
    This will display the list of open breakout rooms created by the host. 
  2. Tap the Breakout Room you wish to participant in and then tap Join. 
  3. Repeat as necessary to join other breakout rooms, or click Leave Room to return to the main session. 

How to ask for help

If you Ask for Help , it will notify the meeting host that you need assistance and they will be asked to join your breakout room.

  1. Tap the screen to display meeting controls.
  2. Tap Ask for Help in the top-left corner.
  3. Confirm that you would like assistance by tapping Ask for Help.

How to leave the breakout room

You can leave the breakout room and return to the main meeting session at any time, or you can leave the meeting entirely from the breakout room.

  1. Tap Leave. 

  2. Choose Leave Breakout Room
  3. When the host ends the breakout rooms, you will be notified and given the option to return to the main room immediately, or in 60 seconds.

Telephone

When joining a breakout room by telephone, you do not need to do anything to join. Once the host starts the breakout rooms, you will be notified that you have been added to a breakout room.

Participating in the breakout room

You will be able to mute and unmute like you can in the main session. Use *6 to mute or unmute.

Returning to the main room

You will be notified when the host has ended the breakout rooms and that you will be returning to the main room in 60 seconds. Press # to join the main room immediately.

Web client

How to join a meeting breakout room

  1. The host will need to invite you to join the breakout room.
  2. Click Join in the notification pop-up.
  3. If you choose Later, you can join by clicking Breakout Rooms in your meeting controls.
    You will have access to full controls similar to the meeting.
    Note: The web client doesn't support local recording.

How to ask for help

If you click Ask for Help , it will notify the meeting host that you need assistance and they will be asked to join your breakout room.

  1. Click Ask for Help in the meeting controls.
  2. Confirm that you would like assistance by clicking Invite Host.

How to leave the breakout room

You can leave the breakout room and return to the main meeting session at any time, or you can leave the meeting entirely from the breakout room.

  1. Click Leave Breakout Room. 
  2. Choose if you want to leave the breakout room or the entire meeting.
  3. When the host ends the breakout rooms, you will be notified and given the option to return to the main room immediately, or in 60 seconds.

Chrome OS

How to join a meeting breakout room

  1. The host will need to invite you to join the breakout room.
  2. Click Join in the notification pop-up.
  3. If you choose Later, you can join by clicking Breakout Rooms in your meeting controls.
    You will have access to full controls similar to the meeting.

How to self-select a breakout room

If the host has allowed participants to self-select and join breakout rooms of their choosing, participants will be able to view and select from a list of breakout rooms the host has created. They will be able to enter and leave breakout rooms freely. 

Note: Participants not joined with the desktop or mobile app (version 5.3.0 or higher) or ChromeOS app (version 5.0.0 (4241.1207) or higher) will not be able to self-select a breakout room. The host will need to facilitate moving these participants manually.  

  1. Click Breakout Rooms in your meeting controls.
    This will display the list of open breakout rooms created by the host. 
  2. Click Join next to the Breakout Room you wish to participant in, then confirm by clicking Join again. 
  3. Repeat as necessary to join other breakout rooms, or click Leave Room to return to the main session. 

How to ask for help

If you click Ask for Help , it will notify the meeting host that you need assistance and they will be asked to join your breakout room.

  1. Click Ask for Help in the meeting controls.
  2. Confirm that you would like assistance by clicking Invite Host.

How to leave the breakout room

You can leave the breakout room and return to the main meeting session at any time, or you can leave the meeting entirely from the breakout room.

  1. Click Leave Breakout Room. 
  2. Choose if you want to leave the breakout room or the entire meeting.
  3. When the host ends the breakout rooms, you will be notified and given the option to return to the main room immediately, or in 60 seconds.

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