How to make Zoom settings appear as a separate window instead of a side manel stuck to the main window

Forum|Forum|22 days ago
March 19, 2026
5 replies
167 views

With the old Zoom UI clicking the video or audio settings opened a new window with all the settings including the, “General” tab. This was very easy to navigate. Now if I click on Videoo settings a side panel opens which resizes my Zoom window on the screen. After i close options, I have to move and resize the window again. I find this very difficult to use. Also, the “General” option is missing. How can i revert back to the old UI where all the settings including the “General” tab could be easily accessed as a floating window?

Kind regards

Chris

hoodee23

Employee

Hi @Chris_N1 -- Thank you for joining the Zoom Community. We appreciate you for sharing this feedback about the new Zoom interface. The recent UI update changed how settings open — instead of a separate floating window, the settings now appear in a side panel within the main Zoom window. This design is part of the new Zoom app experience and, at this time, there isn’t an option to revert to the previous floating settings window.

I ran a test and found a workaround. When Video & Effect Settings is clicked, it opens on the side panel, click on the gear symbol on the top left of the Video & Effects pane, then click the gear symbol Open all settings at the bottom -- doing this opens a floating whole Settings box with the General tab that you’d like to see.

I hope this workaround may work for you, a bit of extra step but it gave me the floating Settings box. If you’d like to see the old floating window return or have suggestions about the new layout, I recommend submitting feedback directly to Zoom’s product team through the Feedback option in the Zoom desktop app or at zoom.us/feed. User feedback plays a big role in shaping future updates.

storyhub

Community Super Champion | Customer

You can select settings from this menu and will give you the window you are looking to use.

C

Chris_N1Author

Newcomer

Hoodee23, thank you very much for this information. I can access, “All settings” this way although it takes several more steps. However, this is only half the problem. During a Zoom meeting I have several windows open and its important for the Zoom window to stay in its place. To access settings, the side panel opens and the Zoom Window moves away from its normal position and later I have to move it back again. I really need to access all Zoom settings without having the Zoom window jump about.

Storyhub, thank you for this suggestion. Please explain how I can access the menu in your screenshot. I cannot see what is shown in the screenshot during a Zoom meeting.

Kind regards

Chris

storyhub

Community Super Champion | Customer

After login you should see the window with your picture icon in the upper right. Click on the picture icon to get the menu which has sign out at the bottom.

M

Matto

New Member

This is so bad, especially the window moving about. I have the participants list popped out next to the zoom window so to see the settings I now need to move the window out the way and then move it back. It's turned from one click to a click, drag, click, drag, resize - every time, multiple times per meeting. So annoying!

storyhub

Community Super Champion | Customer

Zoom works BEST with 2 displays for multiple window management. All the side menus can be popped out to avoid having to reopen them or to avoid relocating the Zoom window, but that works best on a 2 display computer which any laptop is capable of doing. For higher end meetings that are actual multi-camera broadcasts 3 or 4 displays are needed.

M

Matto

New Member

But it wasn’t a problem before the recent update, we’ve had the same positions for years without a problem. The settings window can’t be set to pop out, and the Host Tools menu doesn’t remember that it’s been popped out (another feature that’s now far harder to access is the ability to Allow participants to unmute themselves, which was 2 clicks and is now 5 clicks, 2 window moves and a resize. Honestly every single UI update over the last 3 years or so has just made things slightly more annoying, I wish there was a way to revert pointless changes like these

J

James Smite

Explorer

I totally get what you mean having the settings open in a side panel instead of a separate window can be frustrating, especially if you’re used to the old workflow. It would be really helpful if Zoom allowed an option to restore the old floating settings window, including the “General” tab, so users don’t have to constantly resize or navigate panels. Has anyone found a workaround or a way to bring back the previous layout?