Zoom - Schedule a Meeting in Focus Mode

Learn how to schedule a Zoom meeting in Focus Mode, manage participant permissions, restrict screen sharing, and safely record the session.

June 9, 2026 By Mary-Jane Marcos

This guide explains how to schedule and run a Zoom meeting in Focus Mode, allowing you to manage participant permissions, restrict screen sharing, and record the session securely.

This process is ideal for hosts, educators, and webinar administrators who need to minimize distractions and maintain strict control over attendee interactions.

Schedule a Focus Mode Meeting

Step #1: Select the appropriate time zone for your meeting. — Select the appropriate time zone for your meeting.

Step #2: Scroll down to Meeting Security, ensure the Waiting Room is checked, and select the appropriate video and audio settings for hosts and participants.Only check the Passcode button if you only want participants that have an invite link or passcode can join the meeting, this is good for Registered Webinars. As the passcode will be embedded in the invite link. Users who have the invite link will not have to enter the passcode manually. Only check authenticated users can join: Sign in to Zoom, if you don't want any unnamed or anonymous participants to join your meeting. — Scroll down to Meeting Security, ensure the **Waiting Room** is checked, and select the appropriate video and audio settings for hosts and participants.

Only check the **Passcode** button if you only want participants that have an invite link or passcode can join the meeting, this is good for **Registered Webinars.** As the passcode will be embedded in the invite link. Users who have the invite link will not have to enter the passcode manually.

Only check **authenticated users can join: Sign in to Zoom**, if you don't want any unnamed or anonymous participants to join your meeting.

Step #3: Scroll down then in the Meeting chat section, uncheck the Enable Continuous Meeting Chat if you don't want added invitees to have access to the Meeting Group Chat before and after the meeting. Turn on Video of the Host and Turn off Video for Participants, so if the participants will enter the meeting, their video will automatically be turned off. For Audio, select Telephone and Computer AudioFor Calendar, select Google Calendar — Scroll down then in the Meeting chat section, uncheck the **Enable Continuous Meeting Chat** if you don't want added invitees to have access to the Meeting Group Chat before and after the meeting.

**Turn on** Video of the Host and **Turn off** Video for Participants, so if the participants will enter the meeting, their video will automatically be turned off.

For Audio, select Telephone and Computer Audio

For Calendar, select Google Calendar

Step #4: Click Advanced to open the advanced meeting options. — Click **Advanced** to open the advanced meeting options.

Step #5: In the dropdown menu of the Advanced section, check the box to Enable focus mode when meeting starts, and check Mute participants upon entry to prevent disruptions when people join. — In the dropdown menu of the **Advanced** section, check the box to **Enable focus mode when meeting starts**, and check **Mute participants upon entry** to prevent disruptions when people join.

Step #6: Click Save to create your scheduled meeting. — Click **Save** to create your scheduled meeting.

Start the Meeting and Admit Participants

Step #7: From your Zoom desktop client, locate the meeting and click Start. — From your Zoom desktop client, locate the meeting and click **Start**.

When participants join the meeting, they will be placed in the waiting room.

Step #8: Click Admit on the notification to let the participant into the meeting. — Click **Admit** on the notification to let the participant into the meeting.

Manage Participant Permissions

Once your session has started, you can dynamically control what participants are allowed to do.

Step #9: Click Host tools in the bottom control bar. — Click **Host tools** in the bottom control bar.

Step #10: Select Participants from the pop-up menu. — Select **Participants** from the pop-up menu.

From this menu, you can toggle several permissions.

Step #11: Click the toggle next to Chat to enable or disable the participant chat room. — Click the toggle next to **Chat** to enable or disable the participant chat room.

Step #12: If you toggle off the Chat option, as the host of the meeting, participants will be able to see what you sent in the chat but they (participants) will not be able reply to you. — If you toggle off the **Chat** option, as the host of the meeting, participants will be able to see what you sent in the chat but they (participants) will not be able reply to you.

Step #13: Toggle Rename themselves to control if users can change their display names. — Toggle **Rename themselves** to control if users can change their display names.

Step #14: Toggle Start video to control whether participants can turn on their cameras. — Toggle **Start video** to control whether participants can turn on their cameras.

Note: when the participants enters the meeting, they will automatically be muted and their cameras will be turned off as that was set when you schedule a meeting [ See step 3 ]

Step #15: If you turned off the Start Video on the host's side, this will pop up on the participant's screen when they try to turn on their camera. — If you turned off the **Start Video** on the host's side, this will pop up on the participant's screen when they try to turn on their camera.

Step #16: Click the Back arrow to return to the main Host tools menu. — Click the **Back** arrow to return to the main Host tools menu.

To prevent participants from sharing screens or collaborative items, adjust the advanced host settings:

Step #17: Click Advanced within the Host tools menu. — Click **Advanced** within the Host tools menu.

Step #18: Select Share to configure screen sharing settings. — Select **Share** to configure screen sharing settings.

Step #19: Select Host only from the dropdown menu to restrict screen sharing to the host. — Select **Host only** from the dropdown menu to restrict screen sharing to the host.

You can repeat this process for Docs, Whiteboards, and Apps to ensure all collaborative features are restricted to the host.

Step #20: Close the participants security window when you are finished configuring settings. — Close the participants security window when you are finished configuring settings.

Participant Permissions Overview

Permission Option	Description	Where to configure
Chat	Controls whether attendees can send messages in the meeting chat.	`Host tools` > `Participants`
Rename themselves	Prevents or allows attendees from changing their display name during the session.	`Host tools` > `Participants`
Start video	Determines if attendees can turn on their cameras.	`Host tools` > `Participants`
Share / Docs / Whiteboards	Restricts screen sharing and document collaboration to the host only.	`Host tools` > `Advanced`

Control Participant Audio and Video

Even when participants are muted, you can prompt them to unmute themselves if they need to speak.

Step #21: Right-click on the specific participant's name or video tile on the main screen. — Right-click on the specific participant's name or video tile on the main screen.

Step #22: Click Ask to unmute from the context menu. — Click **Ask to unmute** from the context menu.

The participant will receive a prompt on their screen asking them to unmute.

Record the Meeting

Because the meeting is in Focus Mode, recording the session will only capture the host's video and shared screen, maintaining the privacy of your participants.

Step #23: Click More in the bottom Zoom meeting control bar. — Click **More** in the bottom Zoom meeting control bar.

Step #24: Click Record from the dropdown menu. — Click **Record** from the dropdown menu.

Step #25: Click Continue on the prompt to confirm recording to the cloud. — Click **Continue** on the prompt to confirm recording to the cloud.

Step #26: Click OK to dismiss the notification informing you that the meeting is being recorded. — Click OK to dismiss the notification informing you that the meeting is being recorded.

FAQ

Q: Can participants see each other's videos in Focus Mode?

A: No, in Focus Mode, only the host and co-hosts can see participants' videos. Participants will only see the host and their own video.

Q: What happens when I ask a participant to unmute?

A: A pop-up appears on their screen saying "The host would like you to unmute," giving them the option to "Stay Muted" or "Unmute."

Q: Does the recording capture participant videos in Focus Mode?

A: No. When recording a session in Focus Mode, the recording only captures the host's video, ensuring the privacy of the attendees.

Glossary

Term	Definition
Focus Mode	A Zoom feature designed to prevent attendees from seeing each other, keeping their attention entirely on the host.
Host tools	A centralized menu in the Zoom toolbar that allows the meeting host to quickly adjust security and participant permissions on the fly.
Waiting Room	A virtual staging area that prevents attendees from joining a meeting until the host explicitly admits them.