University at Buffalo (UB)
Host a more secure meeting and handle disruptions
Zoom meetings have robust security settings enabled by default. As the host of a meeting, you have access to additional settings and controls that you may wish to take advantage of for an even safer experience.
NOTE: If you do not see a feature mentioned here, please update your Zoom desktop or mobile app to the latest version.
On this page:
Go to your Zoom account and review settings
1. Sign into the Zoom web portal
- Sign into the Zoom web portal
- Click Sign in (Configure Your Account)
- Enter your UBITName and password
- On the left, click Settings
2. Review the following settings:
Note: As of 1/25/21, every new meeting you schedule must have one of three security measures: a passcode, a waiting room, or only authenticated users can join.
The Waiting Room allows you to monitor and choose who can enter a meeting (you are able to “Admit all” if you have a very large group). If you have not required a passcode to your meeting, Waiting Room is enabled. If you have required a passcode, the Waiting Room is not enabled. For an extra layer of security, you may choose to enable the Waiting Room even if a meeting has a passcode.
Note: This option can be changed at the time you schedule your meeting.
Changing this to On makes it harder for someone on the phone to disrupt your session.
Even if you require a passcode to your meeting, a "one-click join" link is created that has the encrypted passcode embedded in it, and people who follow the link are admitted without having to enter the passcode. Changing this to Off will require even people following the link to enter the passcode.
This setting limits attendees to people who sign in to Zoom.
- Class sessions: Turn on and choose UB Only (the default; all participants must sign in with a UBITName and password)
- To allow anyone logged into any Zoom account (not just UB) to join a session: Turn on and choose Sign in with Zoom
Note: This option can be changed at the time you schedule your meeting.
Select the default amount of time participants can join before a meeting.
Keep this feature off if you:
- have pre-assigned breakout rooms
- record the meeting automatically
- schedule meetings on behalf of someone else
By default, participants are permitted to share files in Chat. You can turn off this feature, or choose specific file types that can be shared.
Check Only the user who is sharing can annotate. This prevents anyone but the presenter from annotating.
Note: This feature can be enabled or disabled during a meeting.
By default, only hosts (including co-hosts) can share their screens.
During screen sharing, the person who is sharing can allow others to control the shared content. You can turn off this feature to prevent anyone from requesting control during a screen share.
Keep this turned off so participants you remove cannot rejoin the meeting.
By default, meeting participants and webinar panelists may not change their display names. Keep this feature off if you are concerned that people may choose inappropriate names.
If you enable this setting, all participant profile pictures will be hidden and only the names of participants will be displayed on the video screen.
This feature allows you to use a CSV file to assign participants to breakout rooms. All attendees will need to a) sign in to the Zoom desktop or mobile app; b) sign in with their UBITName and password (Sign in with SSO) to be assigned to their breakout room. Do not Enable join before host and also pre-assign breakouts!
Note: You must log into the web portal to configure this feature for a meeting.
When on, there is potential for an attendee to have an inappropriate virtual background picture or video. You may turn this feature off.
You can turn off this feature if you feel these "fun" filters will be distracting.
Handling disruptions during a meeting
By default, participants' audio and video are OFF at the start of the meeting, and participants can turn their audio and video ON at any time after the meeting starts.
Press the Participants button at the bottom of the Zoom window to access more actions:
Mute a participant's audio
- Click the Participants button located in the meeting controls.
- Hover over a participant and click Mute.
Stop a participant's video
- Click the Participants button located in the meeting controls.
- Hover over a participant and click More.
- Click Stop video.
Disable chat for participants
- Click the Chat button located in the meeting controls
- Click the three-dot menu
- Choose who a participant can chat with:
- No one
- Host only
- Everyone publicly
- Everyone publicly and directly
Note: The host and co-host can always chat to anyone in the meeting
Remove a participant
- Click the Participants button located in the meeting controls.
- Hover over a participant and click More.
- Click Remove.
Send a participant to the Waiting Room
- Click the Participants button located in the meeting controls.
- Hover over a participant and click More.
- Click Put in Waiting Room.
Lock the meeting
- Click the Security button located in the meeting controls.
- Click Lock Meeting to keep anyone else from joining the meeting
Mute all audio
- Click the Participants button located in the meeting controls.
- Click Mute All
- Uncheck Allow participants to unmute themselves
Suspend participant activity
Mutes all video and audio, stops screen sharing, disables participant chat, and pauses recording.
- Press the Security button (shield) at the bottom of the Zoom window.
- Choose Suspend participant activities.
Report disruptive incidents
If you experience a disruption in your class you or your students can report the incident to the following parties:
- The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
- Zoom
- During the meeting
- Click Security > Report
- Select the name of the participant you would like to report.
- Check the reason for reporting this participant.
- (Optional) Enter any comments to provide more information.
- (Optional) Click upload file to add screenshots or photos showing the problem.
- (Optional) Check Include desktop screenshot to include a current screenshot of your desktop.
- Click Send.
- After the meeting send an email to trust@zoom.us with:
- Meeting ID where the incident occurred
- Email address of the user or room that hosted the meeting
- Date, time, and timezone when this took place
- Type of violation and names of any participants you would like to report
- During the meeting
- Your department’s IT support team
- Your department chair
Need help? Contact the UBIT Help Center or your departmental IT support.