Disable Private Chats in zoom App

Overview

Participants in a meeting can send private messages to other participants through the private chat feature. Hosts are not able to view private messages between participants. The host and participants can still send each other private messages when private chat is disabled. This prevents participants from privately messaging each other. In addition, hosts may disable the chat feature for all participants.

Notes:

• All users in an account or specific groups within an account can be disabled from using private chat.
• Attendees of webinars cannot use private messaging. Sending private messages to individual panelists is not available. They can only send public messages to all panelists (including the host).

Prerequisites

• Host privileges in meeting
• Zoom desktop client for Windows or macOS, version 4.x for host and participants to control chat access
• Zoom mobile client for iOS or Android, version 4.x for host and participants to control chat access

Enabling private chat for all meetings

It is impossible to enable private chat if the chat feature is disabled. In order to enable private chat, the chat feature must be enabled.

Account

To enable Private chat for all users in the account:

1. Admins with the ability to edit account settings should sign into the Zoom web portal.
2. Navigate to Account Management and click on Account Settings.
3. Select a meeting.
4. Chat and Private chat should be enabled under In Meeting (Basic).
5. If they are not enabled, please toggle them on. To verify the change, click Turn On in the confirmation dialog.
6. Click the Lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm this action if you want this setting to be mandatory for all users in your account.

Group

Note: 

The Group Management page has been renamed to Groups on your Zoom account if you registered for a new account after August 21, 2021 or if you enabled the New Admin Experience in your account.

Adding private chat to a group of users can be done as follows:

1. If you are an administrator with the ability to edit groups, sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator.
2. Click User Management, and then click Group Management in the navigation panel.
3. In the dropdown list, select the appropriate group, and then click the Settings button.
4. Select the Meeting tab from the dropdown list.
5. Make sure Private Chat and Chat in Meeting (Basic) are enabled under In Meeting (Basic).
6. You should be able to toggle them on or off by clicking the toggles. Click Turn On if a verification dialog appears, and the change will become effective.
   Note:
7. A grayed out option means that the options have been locked at the account level, and therefore they cannot be changed by the individual.
8. The lock icon has the option to be made mandatory for all members of the group. Click the lock icon, then click Lock to confirm the setting if you want it to be mandatory.

User

You can enable Private Chat for your own use by following these steps:

1. You need to enter your e-mail address and password in order to log into the Zoom web portal.
2. On the left hand side of the window, highlight Settings and click it.
3. You will be directed to a tab called Meetings.
4. Make sure that the Chat and Private chat options are enabled in In Meeting (Basic).
5. You can enable them by clicking the toggles if they are disabled. Click Turn On to allow the change to take effect if a verification dialog appears.
   Note:
6. A grayed out option means that the option has been locked either at the account level or with the group. For more information, please contact your Zoom administrator.

Controlling private chat access in a meeting

Participants can choose whether to chat with no one, with everyone, or just with the host in the course of a meeting. Click here for additional information on in-meeting chat.

1. As a host, you need to begin a meeting.
2. Go to the Meeting Controls page and click Chat.
3. If you click More, you will have the option to choose an option for Participant Can Chat With: at the bottom of the Zoom Group Chat window.
   • No one: This disables participants from chatting in the meeting.
   • A message can only be sent to the host and cannot be distributed to anyone else. However, participants are still able to send the host private messages.
   • Only everyone publicly: All messages are sent publicly. Everyone can see public messages. Private messages can still be sent to the host.
   • Messages can be sent both publicly and privately. All participants can see public messages. Individuals can see private messages.

Disabling private chat for all meetings

For all of your meetings, you can turn off private chat. Participants cannot send private messages to other meeting participants when private chat is disabled in a meeting.

Note:

This feature can be disabled and locked by account owners and admins.

1. Log in to the Zoom web portal by entering your email address and password.
2. You will be directed to a page called Settings once you have done this.
3. To locate the Private chat feature, click on the In Meeting (Basic) button.
4. To disable the private chat feature, click on the Private chat toggle.
5. Make sure that you save the changes.

In this article, you will discover how you can control the in-meeting chat.