The waiting room

With the waiting room on, whoever arrives does not get in on their own. You hear a chime and a red number appears on the «Participants» button in the bottom bar: opening the panel, at the top you find the «Access requests», with «Approve» and «Deny» next to each name. Whoever is waiting is marked «Waiting».

It is switched on at creation, in the «Options» step, with the «Enable lobby» switch; afterwards, from the «Edit» icon on the meeting row.

When to keep it on

It is the difference between the two sentences you read under the switch:

• on — «Participants will wait for the organizer’s approval before entering the room.»
• off — «Anyone with the link will enter the room directly after providing their name and surname. No approval required.»

For an internal meeting among colleagues the waiting room is a nuisance. For a meeting whose link may get around — a client, a candidate, a webinar — it is the only thing that tells you who is coming in.

If someone is left outside

Whoever is waiting sees «Waiting for approval from the organizer…» and the «Notify the organizer» button: you get a notification and an email. If you do not notice, the request is still there: open the Participants panel and look at the top. Whoever is refused reads «The organizer denied your request».

Questions this guide answers

• how do I approve who wants to get in
• what is the waiting room
• how do I let everyone in without approving
• a participant is stuck waiting