Using focus mode in a Zoom Room

In this mode, students have the opportunity to stay focused or work on their tasks while under supervision so that they are not distracted by others or their tasks as well as the digital learning environment itself. A video can be viewed by the co-hosts and the host at the same time without the participant’s other videos being viewed by the other participants. Moreover, this extends to screen sharing too, seeing as the host and the co-host can view and switch between the content that is shared between the participants and the host and co-host, while the participants are only able to view their own content. It is extremely easy for the host to share a participant’s screen with other participants, if they decide that the participant’s content should be shared with others.

Participants in focus mode, aside from the host, co-hosts, and those participants who are highlighted by the host, will still be able to see their own video, but will only be able to see the names of members of the focus group, their nonverbal feedback, and their reactions when unmuted.

Prerequisites for focus mode in Zoom Rooms

• Become the host of a meeting and begin the meeting

• A Zoom Rooms version of 5.8.0 or higher is required

• Control panel for Zoom Rooms

  • A minimum of iOS 5.8.0 is required

  • The Android operating system must be version 5.8.0 or higher

Notes:

• There are still some participants using older client versions that are affected by Focus mode (their videos disappear from others’ view and only the host can see the video and shared content), but they won’t be notified about Focus mode. Focus mode can only be initiated by the host if he or she is on the required version.

• As well as Zoom Rooms, the desktop client and mobile apps can be used to initiate focus mode along with Zoom Rooms.

How to enable focus mode

Account

For all users and Zoom Rooms in your account to be able to use Focus mode, you need to do the following:

1. Please sign in with your Zoom username and password in order to edit your account settings in the Zoom web portal.

2. You can access account settings in the navigation panel by clicking the Account Management button.

3. In the Meetings tab, click the “Edit” button.

4. To enable or disable Focus Mode, click the toggle under In Meeting (Advanced) and select the option that you would like to use.

5. Click Enable or Disable if you are prompted with a verification dialog to verify the change you have made.
   Note: A grayed-out option indicates that it has been locked at the account level, so it needs to be changed at the account level if that is the case.

6. Please click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm that the setting you have chosen will be mandatory for all users in your account if you want to make it mandatory.

Specific Zoom Rooms 

A Zoom Room can be enabled or disabled by using one of the following methods:

1. Zoom’s web portal can be accessed by signing in.

2. Click on the Room Management link in the navigation panel and then click on Zoom Rooms.

3. If you would like to make changes to a Zoom Room, find its name and click on it.

4. The Zoom Room settings can be accessed by clicking the corresponding button next to the Zoom Room name.

5. To access the Meeting tab, click on it.

6. You can enable or disable Focus Mode by clicking on the toggle that appears under In Meeting (Basic).

7. Click Enable or Disable if you are prompted with a verification dialog to verify the change you have made.
   Note: The grayed out option means that the account level is locked and it needs to be adjusted at that level to make it operational.

How to use focus mode in a Zoom Room

How to engage focus mode as the host or co-host of a meeting

1. Hosting or co-hosting a meeting is one of the best ways to get started.

2. You can access the Zoom Room Controller by tapping the More button.

3. Then tap the Start Focus Mode button.

4. To confirm, tap the Start button.

5. Upon entering Focus mode, a banner will appear along the top of the video window notifying you and the participants that Focus mode is now active. Furthermore, when focus mode is enabled, the focus mode icon always appears in the top-right corner of the video window, beside the encryption icon, which indicates that focus mode has been enabled.

Upon switching to focus mode, participants will only be able to see the videos of the host, any co-hosts, any highlights from the host, as well as their own videos while in focus mode. It is only when the participant’s name is shown to them and their nonverbal feedback is heard that they will be able to communicate with the other participants.

In addition to the host and co-hosts, the other participants in the conference will also be able to view the shared screens if the host so chooses:

1. To share a screen, tap the Share Screen button.

2. Choose Advanced Sharing Options from the list of options.

3. Located under Shared screens, you will find a drop-down menu named All participants.

4. (Optional) If you want to view shared content only as the host or co-host, select “Host only”.
   Note: Focus mode is the only mode in which these options are available.

How to end focus mode

1. If you are using a Zoom Room Controller, tap More to access more features.

2. To stop focus mode, tap the Stop Focus Mode button.