Roles in a Zoom Webinar
There are several roles that can be played for a webinar: the host, cohost, panelists, and attendees. If you are speaking in a webinar, your role will be determined by the host.
It is the user whose webinar the webinar is scheduled under who is the host of the webinar. In addition, they have full permissions to manage the webinar, the panelists, and the attendees. It is not possible to have more than one host of the webinar. The webinar host is able to do many things, including stopping and starting the webinar, muting panelists, stopping the panelists’ video, and removing attendees from the webinar.
The co-hosts are provided with many of the same controls as the hosts, allowing them to manage many of the administrative aspects of the webinar, such as managing attendees and starting or stopping the recording. It is the host’s responsibility to designate a co-host. Co-hosts are not authorized to begin a webinar on their own. During the webinar, a host can assign an alternate host to begin the webinar if they need someone else to perform that task.
There is no difference between a panelist and a participant in a webinar. Video can be viewed and sent, screen sharing can be done, annotations can be added, etc. Depending on the webinar host, you may need to be assigned panelist permissions. Several features can also be disabled for panelists, including the ability to start video, share your screen, and record. Watch this video to learn how to invite panelists and how to add them to your webinar.
It is the host who chooses whether or not to unmute the attendees who are viewing only. The host is in charge of controlling how the viewers see the webinar. During the Q&A and the chat, participants will have the opportunity to interact with the host and the panelists. Click here to learn how to attend a webinar as an attendee.
Prerequisites for roles in a Zoom Webinar
- Add-on for Zoom Webinars
- Host privilege for this webinar
- For co-host feature:
- Co-host enabled for host’s account
- Co-host control assigned by the host
- For panelist feature, promote attendee or invite panelist
Comparison of controls
In the following table, we compare the webinar controls available to the host, co-hosts, and panelists. If you want to learn more about each feature, click on the embedded links in the table or see Host and Co-Host Controls in a Meeting for more information.
Note:
- The host can disable features marked with an asterisk (*).
- Some features require specific prerequisites. Check the article to see if your account meets the requirements for that feature if you don’t see it.
Participate in Zoom Webinar
Host | Co-host | Panelist | Attendee | |
Join during practice session | ✔ | (see note) | ✔ | |
Start the broadcast | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Mute/unmute themselves | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Start/stop their own video | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* | |
View attendee list | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Share screen | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Request or give remote control | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Chat | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
Save chat | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Ask questions in Q&A | ✔ | |||
View All Q&A and respond | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Create or edit polls | ✔ | |||
Start polling | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Answer polls | ✔* | ✔ | ||
Assign someone to enter closed captions | ✔ | |||
Enter closed captions | ✔ | ✔* | ✔* | |
Raise hand | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Use call-out to join audio by phone | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
End webinar | ✔ |
Note:
It is not possible to assign co-hosts in advance. Co-hosts are selected as panelists and then promoted to co-hosts after they attend the webinar. As an alternative, they can be assigned as host alternates. Alternate hosts can join or start practice sessions.
Host | Co-host | Panelist | Attendee | |
Mute or unmute attendees | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Stop panelist’s video | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Ask a panelist to start video | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Spotlight a Video | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Promote attendee to panelist | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Demote from panelist to attendee | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Change attendees’ view | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Change who attendees can chat with | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Remove attendees | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Allow attendees to talk | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Assign Co-host Permission | ✔ | |||
Put panelist on hold | ✔ | |||
Invite others to join webinar | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Record
Host | Co-host | Panelist | Attendee | |
Record to cloud | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Record locally | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
Live stream
Host | Co-host | Panelist | Attendee | |
Live stream on Facebook | ✔ | |||
Live stream on Workplace | ✔ | |||
Live stream on YouTube | ✔ | |||
Custom live stream | ✔ |