Converting Webinar to Meeting

[TerrySKaye]

We have a Webinar account but low registration for an event so I want to convert the Webinar to a Meeting just before start time. Will Waiting Room be enabled? (It is in my Meeting Settings.)

Anything else I should be concerned about? (other cautions?)

Thank you!

[Ray_Harwood]

Hi, @TerrySKaye,

I’ve done this in testing a time or two, but not recently. Basically, you make the conversion, then go to the setup for the converted event and adjust the settings as needed. I’m not aware of anything that can’t be set the way you want it, but I’d advise you to not make any assumptions – go through everything, just to be sure. 

See this Zoom Support article for some additional information:

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360042761551-Converting-meetings-and-webinars 

[TerrySKaye]

Thank you so much for your help. Do you know if Webinar Panelist links will still be valid to let them join as regular registrants? 

[Ray_Harwood · Accepted solution]

I was going to run a full test on the Participant link working, and as soon as I clicked the Convert this webinar into a meeting link, I got this pop-up:

I actually tested the resulting meeting by having my previously invited panelist join with the panelist invitation link, and it did work.

[TerrySKaye]

So helpful. Thank you, Ray. 

[TerrySKaye]

Unfortunately, it did not work to easily convert a Webinar to a Meeting (event just ended). Panelists could not join with the same link and had to reregister. So did a few participants I heard from. An anxiety-provoking experience. 

[Ray_Harwood]

Sorry, Terry.  I didn't realize you had a registration-required event... you asked about the Panelist invitations working, and the test seemed to work.  I had an experience similar to yours my first live Zoom Event/Conference... I know how nerve racking it is.  Zoom as a complicated beast.

[KatieVigeoBx]

Thank you so much for this follow up - it prevented me from the angst and last minute scrambling for my pre-registered attendees and panelists.

[TerrySKaye]

Thanks, Ray. Yeah, it's too risky to make Zoom changes last minute. Requires lots of testing first.