Using focus mode in zoom app

It was designed specifically with the digital learning environment in mind, enabling students to remain attentive or concentrate on their work while under supervision, without interruptions from others or their own tasks, in an effort to improve productivity. Using this feature, the host and co-host will have access to all the videos of the participants without being able to see the videos of each other. Furthermore, each participant will only be able to view their own content, and the host and co-host will have the ability to view and switch between their shared screens while the participants will only be able to view the content they have selected. There is no doubt that the host can easily share the content of a participant’s screen with others if he or she feels that the content of a participant’s screen should be shared with others.

Participants in focus mode, with the exception of the host, co-hosts, and participants whose video has been highlighted by the host, will still be able to see their own video, but will only see and hear the name and nonverbal feedback or reactions of other participants, as well as their unmuted responses.

A host can also schedule a meeting with focus mode, so that the meeting automatically starts with focus mode enabled if that option is enabled, so that the meeting starts without interruption.

Prerequisites for focus mode in a Zoom meeting

Use focus mode in a Zoom meeting

• As the host, you can start a meeting

• Client for Zoom on the desktop

  • Windows: A version of 5.7.3 or higher is required

  • macOS: The version must be at least 5.7.3

• App for Zoom on mobile devices

  • Android: The latest version of this software is 5.7.6 or higher

  • iOS: If you are using version 5.7.6 or higher, please upgrade

Notes:

• As long as the older client version is installed, participants will be affected by Focus mode (their videos will be blanked for others to see, video and shared content will only be seen by the host), however they will not be notified about Focus mode. The only person who can initiate Focus mode on a desktop client must be running the correct version of the client.

• It is possible to initiate focus mode from Zoom Rooms in addition to desktop clients and mobile apps.

• It is not possible to use Focus mode when you are in a breakout room. As far as focus mode is concerned, it will only be supported in the main session.

Schedule meetings with focus mode on

• Client for Zoom on the desktop

  • Windows: Version 5.9.0 or a later version is required

  • macOS: A version of at least 5.9.0 should be used

  • Linus: If you are using version 5.9.0 or higher, please click here.

• App for Zoom on mobile devices

  • Android: It is recommended that you use version 5.9.0 or later

  • iOS: The latest version of the software is 5.9.0 or higher.

How to enable focus mode

Account

For all users in the account to be able to use Focus mode, please follow the steps below:

1. You need to be an admin user with permission to edit account settings in the Zoom web portal.

2. Click on Account Management then click on Account Settings from the navigation menu.

3. The tab for Meetings will appear when you click on it.

4. There is an option to enable or disable Focus Mode under the In Meeting (Advanced) tab.

5. To verify that the change has been made, click Enable or Disable if a verification dialog appears.

6. If you wish to enable focus mode when scheduling, you may check the box next to that option, and then click Save. There is an option in this setting that allows users to schedule meetings to start in focus mode at the beginning of each meeting, which will reduce the amount of distractions for all those attending the meeting.

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

Group

Note: You will notice that the Group Management page has been renamed to Groups in the event that you have signed up for a new Zoom account after August 21, 2021; or the New Admin Experience has been enabled on your account.

A group of users can be enabled or disabled by the following steps:

1. If you are an administrator with the privilege of editing groups, please sign into the Zoom web portal as an administrator.

2. Click on the User Management link in the navigation menu and then click on the Group Management link.

3. From the list of groups, click on the name of the group that applies to you.

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

5. There is an option to enable or disable Focus Mode under the In Meeting (Advanced) tab.

6. The change must be verified by clicking Enable or Disable if a confirmation dialog appears.
   Note: A grayed out option indicates that the account level security has been applied to the option and that it needs to be altered at that level.

7. If you wish to enable focus mode when scheduling, you may check the box next to that option, and then click Save. There is an option in this setting that allows users to schedule meetings to start in focus mode at the beginning of each meeting, which will reduce the amount of distractions for all those attending the meeting.

8. This setting can be made mandatory for all users in the group by clicking the lock icon, and then clicking Lock again, if you want the setting to become mandatory for all users in the group.

User

Focus mode can be enabled or disabled for your own use by following these steps:

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

2. Click Settings from the navigation menu at the top of the page.

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

4. There is an option to enable or disable Focus Mode under the In Meeting (Advanced) tab.

5. The change must be verified by clicking Enable or Disable if a confirmation dialog appears.
   Note: In the event the option is grayed out, you will need to change it at the account or group level since it has been locked at that level.

6. You can enable focus mode when scheduling by checking the box next to Allow the host to enable it during scheduling, and then clicking the Save button. Using this feature, you can schedule meetings with focus mode to automatically start when the meeting begins, so that all participants in the meeting can be able to concentrate on the meeting without being distracted by many other distractions.

How to use focus mode in a meeting

Windows | macOS

Engage focus mode as the host or co-host of a meeting

1. Hosting a meeting or co-hosting a meeting is a great way to start a meeting.

2. On the toolbar at the bottom of the meeting window, click More.

3. In the Focus Mode menu, click Start.

4. To confirm, click Start, or check the box to skip asking me again if you want to skip this next round of confirmation in the future.

5. A banner that appears along the top of the video window will notify you and the participants when Focus mode is about to begin. Additionally, when focus mode is enabled, the focus mode icon is always visible in the video window’s top-left corner, next to the encryption icon, even when the video window is not in focus mode.

If Focus mode is activated, participants in focus mode will only be able to see the host, the co-host, any participants spotlighted by the host, as well as their own video once the focus mode is activated. Their only view will be of names, nonverbal feedback, and reactions to other participants when they are not muted.

A host may permit all other participants to view participants’ shared screens, but only the host and co-hosts will be able to see participants’ screens:

1. Right-click Share Screen and select the up arrow.

2. Click All participants to view Shared screens by section.

3. (Optional) Select Host only to view only content shared by the host and co-hosts.
   Note: Focus mode is the only mode that offers these options.

End focus mode

1. On the toolbar of the meeting, click More.

2. In the Focus Mode window, click Stop.

Android | iOS

Engage focus mode as the host or co-host of a meeting

1. Hosting or co-hosting a meeting is the best way to get things started.

2. Click More.

3. Select Focus Mode.

4. To confirm, tap Start.

5. A banner that appears along the top of the video window will notify you and the participants when Focus mode is about to begin. During active focus mode, an icon adjacent to the encryption icon is always visible at the top left hand corner of the video window, so the user is always aware of what is happening in focus mode.

If Focus mode is activated, participants in focus mode will only be able to see the host, the co-host, any participants spotlighted by the host, as well as their own video once the focus mode is activated. Unmuted participants can only see the names of the other participants, observe nonverbal feedback, and hear their reactions.

End focus mode

1. The meeting toolbar can be accessed by tapping More.

2. Stop focus mode by tapping it.

Focus mode examples

A meeting in Focus mode is shown below. Following will be the viewing experience of the host or co-host during Focus mode, followed by the viewing experience of a participant.

View from the host:

When one participant is spotlighted, the participant’s perspective is as follows: