Enabling and adding a co-host

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The co-host feature allows the host to share hosting privileges with another user, allowing the co-host to manage the administrative side of the meeting, such as managing participants or starting/stopping the recording. The host is the only user who can assign a co-host. There is no limitation on the number of co-hosts you can have in a meeting or webinar.

Learn more about co-host controls.

This article covers:

Prerequisites for enabling and adding a co-host

  • Zoom desktop client
    • Windows: version 3.5 or higher
    • macOS: version 3.5 or higher
    • Linux: version 3.5 or higher
  • Zoom mobile app
    • Android: version 3.5 or higher
    • iOS: version 3.5 or higher
  • Pro, Business, Education, or API Partner plan

How to enable co-host

Account

To enable the Co-host feature for all members of your organization:

  1. Sign into the Zoom web portal as an administrator with the privilege to edit account settings
  2. In the navigation panel, click Account Management then Account Settings.
  3. Click the Meeting tab.
  4. Under In Meeting (Basic), verify that the Co-host setting is enabled.
  5. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.
  6. (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

To enable the co-host feature for a group of users:

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator with the privilege to edit groups.
  2. In the navigation panel, click User Management then Groups
  3. Click the applicable group name from the list, then click the Meeting tab.
  4. Under In Meeting (Basic), verify that the Co-host setting is enabled.
  5. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On 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.
  6. (Optional) If you want to make this setting mandatory for all users in this group, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

User

To enable the co-host feature for your own use:

  1. Sign into the Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation panel, click Settings.
  3. Click the Meeting tab.
  4. Under In Meeting (Basic), verify that the Co-host setting is enabled.
  5. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.
    Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the group or account level, and you will need to contact your Zoom administrator.

Co-host limitations 

Co-hosts do not have access to the following controls, as they are only available to the host in a meeting:

  • Start closed captioning and assign someone or a third-party to provide closed captioning
  • Start live streaming
  • End meeting for all participants
  • Make another participant a co-host
  • Start waiting room (co-hosts can place participants in waiting room or admit/remove participants from the waiting room)

Co-hosts also cannot start a meeting. If a host needs someone else to be able to start the meeting, they can assign an alternative host. Learn more about co-host controls.

How to assign a co-host during a meeting

  1. Start the meeting as the host. 
  2. In the meeting controls, click Participants .
  3. Hover over the name of the participant who is going to be a co-host, and choose More.
  4. Click Make Co-Host.

Once a participant has been made a co-host, they'll have access to the co-host controls.

  1. Start the meeting as the host. 
  2. In the meeting controls, tap Participants .
  3. Tap the name of the participant who is going to be a co-host, and tap Make Co-Host.

Once a participant has been made a co-host, they'll have access to the co-host controls.

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