Muting/unmuting participants in a meeting in zoom App

In a meeting, the host or co-host can manage participants, including mutting and unmuting them to manage background noise and distractions. Unless the host has restricted unmuting, all participants can also mute or unmute themselves.

The host cannot unmute another participant without their consent for privacy and security reasons. In addition, the host can schedule the meeting with Request permission to unmute participants enabled, which will prompt the attendees to pre-approve being unmuted by the host, or they can use the Ask All to Unmute option, which will ask everyone to unmute themselves.

Prerequisites for muting/unmuting participants in a meeting

• Host permissions in the meeting, or co-host permissions (set by the host)
• Unmuting using pre-approved consent:
  • Zoom desktop client version 5.2.1 or higher for Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Linux
  • Linux; Zoom mobile app version 5.2.1 or higher for Android and iOS
• To revoke pre-approved consent, follow the steps below:
  • Version 5.2.1 or higher of Zoom’s desktop client for Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • Version 5.6.0 or higher of Zoom’s iOS mobile app

Muting or unmuting a specific participant

1. Log in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Begin a meeting.
3. Select Participants from the meeting controls.
4. Hover over a participant and select one of these options:

• Ask to be unmuted:
• Ask the participant to unmute by displaying a prompt. Participants can unmute by clicking Unmute.
• Unmute:
•  Instantly unmute the participant without display a prompt.
  Note:
• This option is only available if you enable pre-approved consent to be unmuted and the participant provided consent.
• Mute:
•  Mute the participant.

Muting all participants

All participants in the meeting, as well as new participants joining the meeting, can be muted by the host or co-host.

• In the meeting controls, click Participants.
• Select Mute All.

• Press Mute All to muffle all current and new participants.
• Check Allow participants to unmute themselves if you would like participants to be able to unmute themselves at any time during the meeting.

Asking all participants to unmute

Hosts and co-hosts can also request that everyone in the meeting unmute themselves. By doing so, participants can choose whether or not to be unmuted.

• Log in to Zoom’s desktop client.
• Begin a meeting.
• In the meeting controls, click Participants.
• Click More, then click Unmute All All.

Afterwards, all other participants will be prompted to Unmute or Stay Muted.

Enabling pre-approved consent to be unmute

When scheduling a meeting, you have the option to request permission to unmute participants. By selecting this option, you will be prompted when participants join the meeting. The host will be asked for permission before muting or unmuting them. Once a permission is granted, it applies to all meetings scheduled by the same host. Groups and accounts can also set this.

Account

For all users in the account, pre-approval is required to enable the unmute feature:

1. As an administrator, you will be able to edit the account settings on the Zoom web portal.
2. Select Account Management from the navigation menu.
3. Navigate to the Meeting tab and select the Request permission to unmute option (under the In Meeting (Advanced) section) to ensure the setting is enabled.
   You may need to enable the setting if it is disabled. Choose Turn On if a verification dialog appears.
4. If you want to make this setting mandatory for all users in your account, click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm.
   To see the option, users must have the client/app version 5.2.1 or higher.

Group

Note:

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

In order to enable the pre-approved consent to unmute feature for all members of a particular group:

1. Create a user group in Zoom by logging in as an administrator.
2. Click User Management, then Group Management.
3. The Meeting tab can be accessed by clicking the group name and then clicking the Meeting tab.
4. Go to the Meeting tab, select the Request permission to unmute option (under the In Meeting (Advanced) section), and make sure the setting is enabled.
   Notes:
   • Click the toggle to enable the setting if it is disabled. If a verification dialog appears, choose Turn On to confirm the change.
   • Grayed-out settings have been locked at the account level, and must be changed at that level.
5. (Optional) Click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm that the setting will be mandatory for all users in your account.

User

To enable the pre-approved consent to unmute feature for your own use, follow these steps:

1. Zoom can be accessed by logging into the web portal.
2. Click Settings from the navigation menu.
3. In the Meeting tab, navigate to the Request permission to unmute option (under the In Meeting (Advanced) section) and confirm the setting is enabled.
   Notes:
   • To enable the setting, click the toggle. A verification dialog will appear. Click Turn On to confirm the change.
   • Greyed out settings have been locked at either the group or account level and need to be changed at those levels.

Using pre-approved consent to be unmute

1. Meetings should be scheduled.
2. Check the Unmute participants option under Meeting Options.
   Before the meeting begins, the host will ask participants if they wish to be unmuted:

From the participants list, you will be able to unmute each person individually if they consent to be unmuted.

Once consent has been granted to a host, any future meetings with that host and with this setting enabled will have the same pre-approved consent. In meetings without this setting, the host will have to ask each participant to unmute themselves.

The regular Unmute / Mute options will appear in the participants list if the participants don’t provide consent.

Revoking consent to be unmuted (participant)

In the client settings or during a meeting, participants may revoke this consent at any time.

Windows | macOS | Linux

Settings for the client

• Log in to the Zoom desktop client.
• Go to Settings by clicking your profile picture.

• Select Audio.
• Next to People who can unmute you, click Manage.

• In the past meetings, you have consented to various hosts.
• Select a host from the list, then click Remove to revoke the consent.

In-meeting controls

If you provided consent before joining a meeting, you can revoke it during the meeting.

1. Log in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Request to be unmuted by joining a meeting.
3. Click the up arrow ^ next to Mute / Ummute.
4. Click View People Who can Unmute You.
5. Choose a host from the list, then click Remove to revoke consent.

Android | iOS

1. Log in to Zoom on your mobile device.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Select Meetings.
4. Then tap People you can unmute in the Audio section.
   There will be a list of hosts you have consented to in the past.
5. To revoke consent for a particular host, tap Remove.
   To revoke this consent, you will need to leave the meeting and rejoin.