Zoom Security Updates


To improve security of UW Zoom meetings, effective April 21, 2025, UW Zoom has new security requirements. 


Meeting hosts are now required to select at least one security option when scheduling a meeting: 
    • Waiting Room (enabled by default) or
    • Authentication Required to join meeting or 
    • Passcode 

This new security requirement only impacts UW Zoom hosted meetings.

Zoom meetings scheduled prior to April 21 with no security settings now have Waiting Room enabled. Before starting UW Zoom meetings, meeting hosts or alternative hosts must sign in to Zoom using their UW NetID and password to bypass the Waiting Room and admit participants from the Waiting Room. Meeting hosts and scheduling delegates can edit the meeting to disable Waiting Room and enable either Passcode or Authentication Required security options. 

FAQ

I'm trying to join a Zoom meeting and only see a message "Waiting for host to start the meeting" How do I join the meeting?

You are in the Waiting Room. Only the Zoom meeting host or alternative host can admit people from the waiting room to the meeting. Contact the meeting host or alternative host to admit you into the meeting from the waiting room. 

If you are the meeting host or alternative host, you must first sign in to UW Zoom to enter the meeting. From the Waiting Room, Click "Host Sign In" to sign in to UW Zoom with your UW NetID. After sign in, you will join the meeting and can admit people into the meeting from the Waiting Room. 

waiting room with red box highlighting Host Sign In

I don't want the Waiting Room enabled for my meetings. How do I disable Waiting Room?

If your meeting was scheduled prior to April 21, 2025 and had no meeting security settings enabled (Waiting Room, Passcode, or Authentication Required) your meeting now has Waiting Room enabled. At least one security option is required; if Waiting Room is disabled, Passcode or Authentication Required must be enabled. 

To disable the Waiting Room: 

  1. The meeting host (or scheduling delegate) goes to their UW Zoom Meetings page.
  2. Hover over the meeting and click Edit to edit a single meeting or meeting series.
  3. Scroll down to the Security section and clear the Waiting Room box. 
  4. Check either the Passcode or Require authentication to join box. You must select at least one security option.
  5. Click Save

I set up a Passcode for my meetings. Do meeting attendees have to manually enter a meeting passcode to join the meeting? 

After saving an existing or new meeting with Passcode enabled, a meeting link with the passcode securely embedded in the meeting URL is generated. Meeting participants who click the passcode embedded meeting URL won't need to manually enter the Passcode to enter the meeting. The meeting URL with a passcode embedded will look similar to this: https://washington.zoom.us/j/93580688463?pwd=DAGdDN9ILXdzh2XGixIFvg1Ejhsp9y.1 

Existing meetings changed from another security option (Waiting Room or Authentication Required) to Passcode will generate a new meeting link. Share the new passcode embedded meeting link out to your meeting participants to avoid manual entry of the Passcode. 

Meeting participants joining by phone or cannot use the passcode embedded meeting URL will need to manually enter the meeting ID and passcode using the touchpad of their phone or the Zoom app to enter the meeting. 

Read more about Zoom meeting passcodes.

Does the Zoom Personal Meeting Room require at least one security option? How do I disable Waiting Room for my Personal Meeting Room? 

Yes, the Zoom Personal Meeting Room must have at least one security option selected. You can choose from Waiting Room, Passcodes, or Authentication Required. To edit your Zoom Personal Meeting Room security options:

  1. Visit your UW Zoom Meetings page.
  2. Click the Personal Room tab
  3. Click Edit
  4. Scroll down to the Security section and uncheck the Waiting Room box. 
  5. Check either the Passcode or Require authentication to join box. You must select at least one security option.
  6. Click Save

Can I change the default meeting security settings for new meetings I schedule?

Yes. New Zoom meetings you schedule can have the same default security settings by modifying the security settings on the Zoom web portal settings page. Making changes to the meeting security options on the Zoom web portal settings page will apply to new meetings you or your delegate schedule on your behalf. Existing meetings scheduled prior to changing the security settings on the Zoom web portal settings page will not be changed and will need to be edited from your UW Zoom Meetings page.

As the meeting host, admitting people from the Waiting Room is too distracting for me. How can people bypass the Waiting Room?

The Zoom meeting host can modify Waiting Room options to allow UW Zoom users (UW students, faculty, and staff) to bypass the Waiting Room. 

To allow UW Zoom users (UW students, faculty, and staff) to bypass the Waiting Room for the meetings you host:

  1. Visit the Zoom web portal settings page Meetings tab.
  2. Scroll down to Waiting Room
  3. Click Edit Options
  4. In the Waiting Room Options window, "Who Should Go In the Waiting Room?" Select Users Not In Your Account.
  5. Scroll down for additional Waiting Room options, including who should allow participants in from the Waiting Room. 
  6. Click Continue to save your settings.

Only UW Zoom users logged in to Zoom with their UW NetID will bypass the Waiting Room and directly join your meeting. Meeting participants not logged into their UW Zoom account and participants not eligible for a UW Zoom user account will enter the Waiting Room. 

As an Executive Assistant, what is the best way to schedule UW Zoom meetings for Executives?

Executive Assistants scheduling Zoom meetings for Executives is most effectively done as a scheduling delegate. When Zoom scheduling delegates schedule Zoom meetings on behalf of an executive, the executive is the host of the meeting. Zoom scheduling delegates are able to set a security option (Waiting Room, Passcode, or Authentication Required) when scheduling the meeting. Note, Executive Assistants do not have access to existing Zoom meetings scheduled by the executive. Executive Assistants only have access to existing Zoom meetings they have scheduled on behalf of the executive. 

Executives can delegate UW Zoom scheduling privileges to Executive Assistants following these steps:

  1. Executive visits the Zoom web portal settings page, Meetings tab.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, to the "Other" section. 
  3. Under Schedule Privilege, click Add to assign scheduling privilege. 
  4. Under Users, type the full @uw.edu email address of the Executive Assistant (must have a UW Zoom meeting license), then click the name and email address. 
  5. Click Save

Executives and Executive Assistants can use the Zoom Executive Assistant guide for instructions how to set up scheduling delegates and schedule Zoom meetings on behalf of Executives. 

I am the host of a Zoom meeting, but I'm not able to attend. How do I set up a back up host?

When scheduling the meeting, assign alternative host(s) as back up hosts for your meeting. Alternative hosts must have a Zoom meeting license in the UW Zoom account. You can always add alternative host(s) after you have scheduled the meeting by editing the meeting from your UW Zoom Meetings page.