Admin deployment of Zoom Apps 

Due to security policies or other requirements, account admins may want to limit access to certain Zoom Apps or disable access entirely. Understanding these concerns, Zoom has provided multiple methods of controlling access to Zoom Apps, including account- and group-level disablement, admin pre-approval of specific Zoom Apps, as well as MSI, plist, and GPO options to limit access on the desktop client directly.

This article provides details on the default access to Zoom Apps, how to enable Zoom Apps for use within the Zoom desktop client, and how to pre-approve Zoom Apps for use. We have more information regarding how to install and use Zoom Apps, in-meeting security options to suspend Zoom App use, and other frequently asked questions.

This article contains:

• Default Zoom Apps access
• Zoom Apps data access
• How to require pre-approval of Zoom Apps
• How to pre-approve Zoom Apps
• How to enable Zoom Apps visibility on the desktop client

Prerequisites for admin management of Zoom Apps

• Account owner or admin privileges

Default Zoom Apps access

There are no account requirements to access and use Zoom Apps, but there are a few settings that can be configured to suit your account’s security and privacy needs. If account admins allow the Zoom Apps button to be visible and pre-approval of Marketplace apps has been disabled, users can see the Zoom Apps button in the desktop client and are able to install apps immediately from within the desktop client or Marketplace.

For single-user accounts (free or paid), Zoom Apps are enabled and visible in the desktop client, and pre-approval of Marketplace apps is not required since there are no other users to pre-approve for. When additional users are added to the account, the owner will be reminded that their users can install Zoom Apps and that pre-approval is disabled; they – as with owners of new multi-user accounts – are guided to manage that setting for their account. Existing multi-user accounts have Zoom Apps enabled and visible in the desktop client by default, while pre-approval of Marketplace apps is required in Marketplace settings.

	Visibility in desktop client	Marketplace Pre-Approval of Apps
Single-user accounts (Free and Pro)	Yes	N/A
Existing multi-user accounts	Yes	Enabled

Note: Some larger accounts deviate from these defaults for security and/or compliance reasons. Zoom has already communicated these defaults to owners and admins of those accounts.

Zoom Apps data access

Zoom Apps may have access to meeting data (the meeting topic, full participant list, meeting URL, and a recording of the meeting) and certain user data (for example, user profile information).

In a meeting, Zoom Apps can only access meeting data depending on the app user’s role (in other words, whether the user is the meeting owner (the user the meeting belongs to) or a participant. Some Zoom Apps may require access to meeting data that only the original host of the meeting is able to provide – such as the meeting topic, full participant list, meeting URL, and recording – so those Zoom Apps can only be used in the meeting when the owner is present. Trying to access this app without the owner present in the meeting will provide an error message.

Other Zoom Apps can be used without the host present, but they are limited in what data they can access in a meeting. For example, if a participant joins a meeting without the owner present and opens a Zoom App, that app will only have access to that participant’s data, such as their display name.

All participants in a meeting are notified when any Zoom App accesses meeting content, such as video, audio, chat and/or meeting files through the Active Apps Notifier, which provides information on the currently in-use apps that have access to meeting content and which participant(s) is using them. Clicking on a listed app opens the app’s marketplace page to provide more information about the app and its permissions.

Additionally, the host of the meeting may immediately suspend all use of Zoom Apps, at any time, through the in-meeting security controls.

How to require pre-approval of Zoom Apps

By default for most accounts, pre-approval of any Marketplace apps is required. If you do not want to require that apps be pre-approved before they can be installed by users, or want to adjust which apps require pre-approval, you can change your permissions.

1. Sign in to https://marketplace.zoom.us/ as an account owner or admin.
2. In the top-right corner of the Marketplace, click Manage.
3. In the My Admin Dashboard section, click Permissions.
4. Click the Require publicly listed apps on the Zoom App Marketplace to be pre-approved for your users toggle to enable or disable it. 
5. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.
6. (Optional) Select the Allow publicly listed apps created by Zoom to be installed without admin pre-approval check box to exempt Zoom-created apps from pre-approval by an admin.
7. (Optional) Select the Allow publicly listed apps created by users in your account to be installed without admin pre-approval check box to exempt apps created by a member of your organization from pre-approval by an admin.

Notes:

• If pre-approval of Zoom Apps is disabled, users on your account will be notified of the updated permissions to use Zoom Apps. This notification requires version 5.9.6 or higher.
• If pre-approval of Zoom Apps is enabled, an email notification will be sent out to ALL USERS in your account.

How to pre-approve Zoom Apps

Owners or admins can search for any apps on the Marketplace and pre-approve them for individual users, user groups, or a combination of both. Once an app is pre-approved, users will be notified on the desktop client of its availability and it can be installed by users on the account or specific groups you've pre-approved it for.

If you have additional questions about a Zoom App's permissions and what info you would be granting the Zoom App access to, please refer to the Developer guide on OAuth scopes and permissions. 

Note: If you have not approved an app in the App Marketplace, users on your account can request to install the app. You will then receive an email from noreply@zoom.us with further details.

1. Sign in to https://marketplace.zoom.us/.
2. Search for an app and click on the icon to select it.
3. In the Who can install section, enable the Pre-approve toggle.

By default, Allow all users on your account to install this app is selected. If you would like to instead pre-approve the app for certain users or groups:

1. Select Allow specific users or user groups to install this app.
2. Click Add users.
3. Add users with the following options: 

• Add an individual user: Enter the email address of the user in your account and click Add. Repeat this process as necessary to include additional users.
• Add a user group: Enter the group name of the user group in your account and click Add. Repeat this process as necessary to include additional user groups.

Notes:

• A combination of individual users and user groups can be given access to a pre-approved app.
• When a Zoom App is pre-approved for users and/or groups of users, they will be notified of the pre-approval to use this Zoom App.

How to enable Zoom Apps visibility on the desktop client

Access to the Zoom Apps button on the desktop client can be controlled at the account, group, and user levels, as shown below, but this will only affect users when they are signed-in to your account.

If you require Zoom Apps to be disabled on the desktop client directly, regardless of which account they are signed-in to, please refer to the DisableZoomApps option available for MSI, plist, and GPO deployment.

Account

To allow Zoom Apps to be visible in the desktop client 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 panel, click Account Management then Account Settings.
3. Click the Zoom Apps tab.
4. Verify that Zoom Apps Quick Launch Button is enabled. This allows users on your account to see the Zoom Apps button  on the desktop client.
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 allow Zoom Apps to be visible in the desktop client 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 panel, click User Management then Groups.
3. Click the applicable group name from the list, then click the Zoom Apps tab.
4. Verify that Zoom Apps Quick Launch Button is enabled. This allows users in this group to see the Zoom Apps button  on the desktop client.
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 your account, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

User

To allow Zoom Apps to be visible in the desktop client for your own use:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation panel, click Settings.
3. Click the Zoom Apps tab.
4. Verify that Zoom Apps Quick Launch Button is enabled. This allows you to see the Zoom Apps button  on the desktop client.
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. You need to contact your Zoom admin.