Glossary
What does “Waiting room” mean?
A holding area where people who join a video meeting wait until the host lets them in.
What it means
A holding area where people who join a video meeting wait until the host lets them in. It lets the host check who is joining and start the meeting when ready.
An example
A host sees “3 people waiting”, recognises two colleagues and admits them, and leaves an unknown name waiting while checking who it is.
Not to be confused with: Lobby
Many apps use “lobby” for the same idea — Microsoft Teams, for example. The behaviour is similar: people wait until admitted.
Where you will see it
In Zoom (waiting room), Microsoft Teams and Webex (lobby), and in meeting security settings.
Questions
Why use a waiting room?
To stop uninvited people joining, and to let the host start when ready.
Can people skip the waiting room?
Hosts can usually let certain people — for example, everyone from their organisation — join directly.
Do people in the waiting room know why they are waiting?
Usually they see a message that the host will let them in soon. Hosts can often customise it — for example, to say the meeting starts at ten past, or to explain how to get help joining.
Other meeting words
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