Chatting in a Zoom meeting

Through Zoom’s in-meeting chat feature, you can direct a private message to a participant or send an instant message to other users inside a meeting. Whether participants can chat or disable chat entirely depends on you as the host. If each participant doesn’t have a profile photo, or if there is no profile photo, the user can choose in settings to view their initials in chat.

Note:

The host of a meeting will never be able to see private messages sent to individual participants. A chat transcript is not included if the host saves the chat.

It is possible to save meeting chats to your computer manually or automatically, as well as to the cloud. For meetings you host, you can automatically save the meeting chats on your computer or manually save the transcript of the chat. On the cloud, public chat messages can also be recorded and stored as transcripts. Individual conversations are not recorded.

Prerequisites for using chat during Zoom meetings

• Zoom desktop client
  • Windows: 5.0 or higher
  • macOS: 5.0 or higher
  • Linux: 5.0 or higher
• Zoom mobile app
  • Android: 5.0 or higher
  • iOS: 5.0 or higher
• Web client
• In-meeting chat enabled
• Emoji support
  • Zoom desktop client
    • Windows: 5.7.3 or higher
    • macOS: 5.7.3 or higher

How to chat in Zoom meetings on desktop

Windows | macOS | Linux

Chat with everyone

1. To chat during a meeting, click the Chat button.
2. Click Everyone under To:.
3. Messages can be entered in the chat window.
4. Type your message and press Enter.

Send a private message

Private chat in a meeting is a feature that allows participants to communicate privately. Participants cannot see each other’s private messages.

1. Chat is available in the meeting controls when you are in a meeting.
2. Choose the participant you wish to chat directly with in the To: drop-down menu.
3. In the window of the chat, type your message.
4. The message will be sent.
   A (Direct Message) notification will appear above the message in the chat window.

Chat while screen sharing

In the meeting controls toolbar, click Chat when screen sharing is active. Other participants will not be able to see the floating chat window.

An unread message icon is displayed next to Chat when new chat messages are received while screen sharing. Open Chat by clicking the icon.

Use emojis in meeting chat

1. The Emoji panel will open when you click Emoji in the chat window.
2. Use the search bar or scroll through the list to find the emoji you are looking for.
   Note:
3. Emojis can also be added with the simple typing of: followed by at least two characters to search for matching emojis. In the case of :jo, the emojis found in the response will be :joy:, :joy_cat:, and :joystick:. For macOS and Windows, you will need the version 5.8.0 of this program.

Send a file in a message

You can also send a file from a third-party service in chat if the host has enabled file transfer.
The file source can be selected and sent by clicking File when entering your message.

Manage chat settings

Changing the meeting’s in-meeting chat settings is up to you as host.

1. During a meeting, click the Chat button.
2. You can view in-meeting chat settings by clicking the ellipses icon.
3. There are several options available:
   • Save chat:
   • A TXT file contains all the chat messages. These files are stored locally.
   • Participants can chat with:
   • You can choose who can chat with you.
     • No one:
     • Disables chatting in meetings.
     • Host and co-hosts:
     • Messages are only sent to them. Users can privately communicate with the host.
     • Everyone:
     • Only public messages can be sent. All participants can see public messages. Private messages, however, can still be sent to the host.
     • Everyone and anyone directly:
     • Any participant can send a private message. Everyone can see public messages. The host is not able to see private messages sent to a particular participant.

How to chat in Zoom meetings on mobile

Android | iOS

Chat with everyone

1. Tap More, followed by Chat, in a meeting.
2. Tap Everyone to choose the Send to: option.
3. Tap Send when you are done.
4. The message will be sent.

Send a private message

During a meeting, participants can communicate privately with each other if the host has enabled private chat. The host cannot view the contents of private chats.

1. Tap More from the top of the screen in a meeting and then tap Chat from the bottom.
2. To chat directly with a participant, select their name from the Send to: drop-down menu.
3. In the chat box, write your message.
4. Click on Private Messaging to send it.
   There will be a notification above the message indicating that it is a direct message.

On your screen, you can see incoming chats. Choose More, followed by Chat.

Manage chat settings

Changing the meeting’s in-meeting chat settings is up to you as host.

1. Tap More, then select Security while you are in a meeting.
2. Tap the button under Allow Participants to: Chat with while in the meeting.
3. Here are the options you can select from:
   • No one:
   • Turns off chat during meetings.
   • Host Only:
   • Users can only send messages to the host and their co-host. Private messages can still be sent to the host by participants.
   • Everyone Publicly:
   • Only public messages can be sent by participants. Everyone can see the public messages sent by participants. The host will still be able to receive private messages from participants.
   • Everyone:
   • Participants can send public or private messages. Public messages are visible to all participants. Private messages are sent to a specific participant, and are not visible to the host.

How to chat in Zoom meetings on the web client

Web client

Chat with everyone

1. Click Chat from the meeting controls while in a meeting.
2. Select Everyone in the Meeting from the To: drop-down menu.
3. Click the chat window and type your message.
4. The message will be sent.

Send a private message

During a meeting, participants can communicate privately with each other if the host has enabled private chat. The host cannot view the contents of private chats.

1. Click Chat from the meeting controls while in a meeting.
2. You can chat directly with a participant by selecting them from the drop-down menu.
3. Use the chat window to send a message.
4. To send a private message, you need to press Enter.
   Upon message receipt, you will see a (Direct Message) notification appearing next to the message in the chat window.

Manage chat settings

Changing the meeting’s in-meeting chat settings is up to you as host.

1. Click Chat from the meeting controls while in a meeting.
2. In-meeting chat settings can be viewed by clicking the ellipses icon.
3. Options include:
   • Participants can chat with:
   • Participants can choose who they chat with.
     • No one:
     • Enables no-one chat.
     • Host and co-hosts:
     • You can only send messages to everyone when you are the host or co-host. But participants can still privately message the host, even if they are not the host or co-host.
     • Everyone:
     • Messages sent by participants will always be public. All participants will be able to view public messages. Those who wish to communicate privately with the host may do so as well.
     • Everyone and anyone directly:
     • Messages can be sent either to the host or to other participants. All participants are able to see the public messages. Messages sent in private are only visible to the participant to whom they are addressed, and not visible to the host.