In channels, you can start an instant meeting with channel members, send messages, files, and images.

Public channels can be previewed to see channel description, members, and recent messages before joining, and existing channels can be searched and joined easily.

Public channels have a maximum of 10,000 members, paid channels have a maximum of 5000 members, and free channels have a maximum of 500 members. .

Windows | macOS | Linux

How to view and join channels

• You can access Zoom’s desktop client by logging in.
• You can view the list of channels you are a member of by clicking the Contacts tab, followed by Channels. You can also see which channels are public or private from the chat list.

• You can also clon the Chat  tab

•  in the left-side panel to see a list of available channels.

• You can view the available channels by clicking on the plus icon and then clicking Join a Channel.
• You can find a channel using the search bar, then hover your mouse over the channel name for the following options:
  • Review more information about the channel, including its description, members, and recent messages (if previous messages are available to new channel members). You can join the channel by clicking Join Channel, or you can close the preview by clicking Close.
    This preview is available only for public channels, and requires version 5.9.0 or higher (except for Linux, which requires 5.9.3 or higher).
  • Join: Joins the selected channel immediately.

How to start a channel?

You can star important channels, which will appear under STARRED in your chat panel, allowing you to quickly find them later.

• Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
• Click the Chat tab.
• Click the channel you want to star.

• Click the star icon
  .The starred channel will appear in the STARRED section of the chat panel.

How to create a channel

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Click the Contacts  tab.
3. Click Channels to see a list of channels you currently belong to.
4. Click the plus icon , then click Create a Channel.
5. Enter the required information to create a new channel:
   • Channel Name: Enter a display name to help others identify your channel.
   • Channel Type: Select the channel type.
     • Public: Anyone in your organization can join your channel.
     • Private: Only invited people can join your channel.
   • External users can be added: If checked, users not in your organization can be added to the channel.
     Note: If you enable this option, make sure to review the channel privileges of external users.
     • By all channel members: Members internal and external to your organization can add external members.
     • By members in your organization: Only members internal to your organization can add external members.
   • Add Members: Enter a name to search for people to invite, then click the name to add them to the invite list.
     Note: You can invite individual users, or you can select an existing channel to invite all members of that channel. You must be a member of the channel to invite all of its members. For the Linux client, you can only invite individual users.
   • Managing Posting Permissions: Choose which members of the channel can post.
     • Anyone: The channel is open to everyone.
     • Only admins can post.
     • You can only post in the channel if you’re the admin or a specific member.
6. Click Create Channel.

How to edit a channel’s name and privacy settings

Your channel’s title and privacy settings can be customized if you are the admin.

Note: If you are listed as an admin, you can edit the channel.

• Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
• Access channels using the Contacts or Chat tabs:
  • Click the Contacts tab, then click Channels to see a list of channels you currently belong to. Select a channel, then click Edit.

• Click the Chat
  tab, then select a channel in the left-side panel. Click the info icon
  , then More Options, and lastly Edit Channel.
• You can change the following channel settings:
• Channel Name: Enter a display name to help others identify your channel.
• Channel Type: Select the channel type.
• Public: Anyone in your organization can join your channel.
• Private: Only invited people can join your channel.
• Privacy: Change privacy settings.
• External users can be added: If checked, users not in your organization can be added to the channel.
• By all channel members: Members internal and external to your organization can add external members.
• By members in your organization: Only members internal to your organization can add external members.
• New members can see message history: New members can see chat messages made before they join.
• Click Save Changes.

How to edit a channel’s description and posting permissions

Users can identify a channel by reading the description. Posting permissions can be changed as well.

Note: You can only change posting permission in the Windows and macOS clients.

• Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
• Click the Chat tab.
• Click the channel you want to customize

• Click the info icon
  .
• Customize these settings
• Channel Info: Click Edit (if there’s an existing description) or Add a channel description. Enter a description and click Save. Channel members can view the description by clicking the info icon
  then Channel Info.
• More options
  • Manage Posting Permissions: Select which channel members are allowed to post in the channel.
    • Everyone: All channel members can post in the channel.
    • Admin only: Only the admin can post in the channel.
    • Admin, plus specific people: Only the admin and specified members can post in the channel.

How to invite members to a channel

Note: After inviting a member to a channel, you can send direct messages to them only if they’re in your contacts directory.

• Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
• Click the Chat tab.
• Click the channel you want to invite members to.

• Click the info icon then click Add members.
• Use the text box to search for users, select the users you want to invite, then click Add.

• Note:
  • Users can be invited individually, or all members of an existing channel can be invited. All members of the channel must be members of the channel for you to invite them. Linux users can only be invited individually.
  • Zoom users can only be invited if their admin allows it. Before inviting an external user, review their channel privileges.

How to directly message channel members

In order to send a direct message to a member of a channel, they must be in your contacts list. To add a member as a contact, simply obtain their email address.

1. Launch Zoom on your desktop.
2. Select the Chat  tab.
3. Click the channel you would like to invite.
4. ClickNext, click Members under the info icon.r over the members you want to add as a contact.
5. Click the ellipses icon (…) then View Profile. Copy the member’s email address.
6. Follow the instructions to add a contact.

External contacts

In chats, users added to your contact list who are not in the same account as you will be labeled as External.

At the top of the chat window, External is listed next to the user’s name:

A participant who is not a member of the account will be listed as External in a group chat:

Android | iOS

How to view and join channels

• Zoom’s mobile app requires you to log in.
• Click on Contacts.
• To see the channels you’re subscribed to, tap the Channels tab.

• To see a list of public channels, tap on the plus icon in the top-right corner.
• Find a channel by entering its name into the search bar.

• If you tap the channel, you will be able to see more information about it, including the name of the channel, the members of the channel, and the recent messages (if previous members of the channel can view the previous messages from the channel).
  Note: A preview of this version is available only for public channels, and requires the latest version 5.9.0 or higher.
• Click on Join Channel to join the channel, and close this preview if you want to leave it.

How to start a channel?

By staring channels that you find important, they will appear in your chat panel under STARRED and you will be able to quickly view them and reply to them.

• Log in to Zoom from your mobile device.
• Select Contacts from the drop-down menu.
• You can view the list of channels you are currently a part of by tapping the Channels tab.

• To add a channel to your favorites, tap the star icon at the top.
• You can find information about a channel by tapping the info icon next to the name, then clicking the star icon.
  At the top of your channels list, you will see a starred channel listed in the Starred section.

How to create a channel

• Log in to Zoom on your mobile device.
• Click on Contacts.
• You can view a list of your current subscription channels by tapping the Channels tab.
• Then click Create a New Channel from the top-right corner.
• Provide the following information:

• • Channel Name: Enter a display name to help others identify your channel.
  • Select the privacy setting for your channel:
    • Private: Only invited people can join your channel.
    • Public: Anyone in your organization can join your channel.
  • External users can be added: Allow members external of your organization to be invited to the channel.
    Note: If you enable this option, make sure to review the channel privileges of external users.
• Click Next.
• Use the text box to search for members, select the members you want to invite, then click OK.

How to edit a channel’s name and privacy settings

If you created a channel, you can change its name and change channel privacy settings.

1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
2. Tap the Contacts tab.
3. Tap the Channels tab to see a list of channels you currently belong to.
4. Tap the channel you want to edit.
5. Tap the info icon in the top-right corner.
6. You can change the following channel settings:
   • Channel Name:
   • Provide a name for your channel to help other users identify it.
   • By tapping More Options, users will be able to adjust their privacy settings, including:
     • External users can be added:
     • You will have the ability to invite members from outside your organization to join the channel.
     • New members will see previous messages and files:
     • When a new member joins, they will be able to view chat messages made before joining the channel.

What is the best way to edit the description of a channel?

An explanation of the channel is provided in the channel description to aid users in identifying it. A channel description can be used to provide information about the channel.

• To access Zoom on your mobile device, you will need to sign in.
• Click the Contacts tab at the top of the screen.
• You can see a list of all the channels to which you currently belong by tapping on the Channels tab.
• To edit a channel, simply tap on it.
• From the top-right corner, you will see the info icon.

• Click the Description icon and change or enter the description.
  The description can be viewed by channel members by following steps 1 through 5.

How to invite members to a channel

Note: In order to send direct messages to someone you invite to a channel, you must have their email address in your contact list.

• To sign into the Zoom mobile app, you will need to create an account.
• Tap Contacts on the left-hand side of the app.
• You will be able to see a list of the channels to which you currently belong by tapping the Channels tab.
• You will be able to invite members to the channel that you choose.
• Simply tap on the info icon just to the right of the screen.

• After that, tap on the Add Members button.
• Select the members you want to invite from the search box, and then click on the OK button to invite them.
  Note:
  • A user can be invited individually or a channel can be selected to invite everyone in that channel. In order to invite all of the members of the channel, you must be a member.
  • If the admin of the channel allows it, you can invite users external to Zoom. Before inviting external users, review their channel privileges.

How to directly message channel members

Direct messages can only be sent to members in your contact list after they have been invited to a channel. Add the email address of a member as a contact by following these steps.

1. Start Zoom on your computer.
2. You will see a tab called Contacts.
3. To see a complete list of the channels that you are currently signed up to, tap on the Channels tab.
4. From the list, tap on the particular channel you would like to view.
5. From the list, tap on the particular channel you would like to view.
6. On the Members tab, tap the name of the member you would like to view.
7. Select which email address you would like to copy.
8. Add the member as a contact by following the instructions.

External Contacts

You will be able to label users who belong to different accounts as External in your chats:

When a contact’s profile information is clicked, the External label will also appear on their profile picture:

Any participant who is not a member of the account will have External next to their name in a group chat: