Overview of Roles
There are multiple roles available for a meeting: host, co-host, alternative hosts, and participants. The role that you have in a meeting is designated by the host.
- Host: The user that scheduled the meeting. They have full permissions to manage the meeting. There can only be one host of a meeting.
- Co-hosts: Shares most of the controls that hosts have, allowing the co-host to manage the administrative side of the meeting, such as managing attendees. The host must assign a co-host during the meeting. Co-hosts cannot start a meeting. If a host needs someone else to start the meeting, they can assign an alternative host.
- Alternative hosts: Shares the same controls as co-hosts, but can also start the meeting. Hosts can assign alternative hosts when they schedule a meeting.
If you need to schedule a meeting on behalf of another user, use scheduling privilege.
An overview of the meeting controls each role has access to can be found on this Zoom "Roles in a meeting" article.
Table of Contents
When scheduling a meeting, the host can designate another Licensed user at NEOMED to be the alternative host. The alternative host can start the meeting on the host's behalf. This user will receive an email notifying them that they've been added as an alternative host, with a link to start the meeting.
- The alternative host can start the meeting using the join link in the email or calendar invite sent to them by the host. The meeting will not display in the upcoming meetings list in the desktop app, mobile app, or web page for alternative hosts.
- Alternative hosts can't schedule on behalf of the host. If you need to schedule a meeting on behalf of another user, use scheduling privilege. You can also give another Licensed user scheduling privilege, which allows them to schedule meetings for you and makes them an alternative host for those meetings.
- If the original host joins after the alternative host, the original host is given the option to reclaim host-control of the meeting, or have the host-controls remain with the alternative host. If the original host retakes host control, the alternative-host is demoted to a participant.
- Alternative hosts who were automatically added with scheduling privileges or added manually by the host can be demoted by the host to an attendee role when not needed for hosting duties. The demoted user can leave and rejoin the session to regain alternative host privileges.
- Alternative hosts can only be assigned during scheduling or before the scheduled start time. If a host is attending a meeting but needs assistance with managing the meeting, they can assign a co-host during the meeting instead of an alternative host. Learn more about roles in a meeting.
- Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
- On the Home
tab, click Schedule 
.
The scheduler window will open.
- Click Advanced Options.
- In the Alternative hosts field, enter the alternative name to search through users. You can also enter the alternative host's email address if their name doesn't come up.
- (Optional) Select the check box to enable Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls.
- Click Schedule to finish, and open up the calendar you have selected.
The alternative host will now receive an email letting them know that they have been added as an alternative host, as long as they have not disabled this email notification in the Zoom web portal.
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Meetings, then click Schedule A Meeting.
- Scroll down to Options and click Show to view additional meeting options.
- In the Alternative Hosts field, enter the alternative host's email address.
- (Optional) Select the check box to enable Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls.
- Click Save to finish.
The alternative host will now receive an email letting them know that they have been added as an alternative host, as long as they have not disabled this email notification in the Zoom web portal.
- Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
- On the Meetings
tab, tap Schedule .
The scheduler window will open.
- Tap Advanced Options.
- Tap Alternative Hosts.
- Enter the user(s) you would like to add as alternative hosts from the list or enter their email addresses, then tap OK.
- (Optional) Tap the toggle to enable Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls.
- Tap Schedule to finish scheduling.
The alternative host will now receive an email letting them know that they have been added as an alternative host, as long as they have not disabled this email notification in the Zoom web portal.
- Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
- On the Meetings tab, tap Schedule .
The scheduler window will open.
- Tap Advanced Options.
- Tap Alternative Hosts.
- Enter the user(s) you would like to add as alternative hosts from the list or enter their email addresses, then tap OK.
- (Optional) Tap the toggle to enable Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls.
- Tap Done to finish scheduling.
The alternative host will now receive an email letting them know that they have been added as an alternative host, as long as they have not disabled this email notification in the Zoom web portal.
- Click the Schedule a Meeting button.
- In the Scheduling Options, enter the alternative host's email address in the Alternative hosts field.
- (Optional) Select the check box to enable Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls.
- After selecting your other options, click Continue.
- Add the meeting invitees and Save or Send your invitation.
Hosts can share hosting privileges with additional users during a meeting, allowing the co-hosts to manage the administrative side of the meeting, such as managing participants or starting/stopping the recording. The host is the only user who can assign a co-host during a meeting. There is no limitation on the number of co-hosts you can have in a meeting or webinar.
IMPORTANT: You can’t assign a co-host ahead of time, and co-hosts can’t start meetings scheduled by the host. The host has to promote a participant to a co-host during the meeting. If you need someone else to have permission to start your meeting, you can designate an alternative host prior to the meeting.
Co-hosts do not have access to the following controls, as they are only available to the host in a meeting:
- Start a meeting.
- Start closed captioning and assign someone or a third-party to provide closed captioning
- Start live streaming
- End meeting for all participants
- Make another participant a co-host
- Start waiting room (co-hosts can place participants in waiting room or admit/remove participants from the waiting room)
If a host needs someone else to be able to start the meeting, they can assign an alternative host. Learn more about co-host controls.
If you would like to watch the Zoom video for this process, you may do so here: Enabling and adding a Co-Host in Zoom
- Start the meeting as the host.
- In the meeting controls toolbar, click the Participants icon
.
- Hover over participant's name who will be a co-host, and choose More.
- Click Make Co-Host.
Once a participant becomes a co-host, they'll have access to the co-host controls.
- Start the meeting as the host.
- In the meeting controls toolbar, tap the Participants icon .
- Tap the participant's name who will be a co-host, and tap Make Co-Host.
Once a participant has been made a co-host, they'll have access to the co-host controls.
If you have further questions, please submit a Help Desk ticket!