Glossary
What does “Breakout room” mean?
A smaller, separate session that some participants of a video meeting are moved into for a while, before returning to the main meeting.
What it means
A smaller, separate session that some participants of a video meeting are moved into for a while, before returning to the main meeting. Breakout rooms let a large call split into small-group discussions.
An example
A 30-person workshop splits into six rooms of five for fifteen minutes; each group reports back one idea when everyone returns.
Not to be confused with: Waiting room
A breakout room is part of the meeting that people move into; a waiting room is where people wait before being let into the meeting at all.
Where you will see it
In Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet (on some plans), Meetful and training or workshop agendas.
Questions
Who can create breakout rooms?
Usually the host or someone the host names; some apps limit it to certain plans or devices.
Are breakout rooms recorded?
It depends on the app; in several, recordings capture only the main room.
How long should a breakout session last?
Long enough for every person in the room to speak — often ten to twenty minutes for groups of three to six. Give the groups a clear question and a two-minute warning before bringing everyone back.
Other meeting words
Try Meetful
Meetings that take their own notes
Free video meetings in the browser: every line of the transcript under the name of who said it, and the summary and action items when you hang up. Nothing to install — guests just open the link.