How do I add a co-host before a meeting starts?

It is not possible to add a co-host before a meeting, as this is set within an active meeting. 

If you set someone as the Alternative-host and co-hosting is enabled, then when the host joins, the alternative host will be demoted from Host to Co-host. 

Hope that helps and please make sure to mark the solution as accepted if this information is what you needed.

So, if a meeting has already been scheduled, then you cannot change that meeting to add an alternate host?  A conflict arose for a meeting I've scheduled next week.  I would like to make my co-worker, my co-host.  So, what you are saying is that I cannot do this before the meeting starts?

It is a c-level meeting and i do not want to have to redo it; so there are no other ways this can be done?

Great -- can you show me how to edit the meeting?

Hi, 

I was able to add an alternate host to the meeting before it started. I know Zoom isn't configured the same way for everyone and not everyone uses Outlook, but here's what I did.

1. Open the meeting in Outlook.
2. In Settings, scroll down to Advanced Options.
3. Scroll down to Alternate Host and appoint someone.

If during a meeting I select 'change host' do I still control over admitting people - ie am I then the a co-host? I dont see an option for co-host, only change host.

I have tried to follow the instructions for adding a co-host or setting up an alternative host by starting a meeting, then clicking on the left navigation for ADVANCED.  Nothing there about alternative host. Do you need a premium plan to have an alternative host set up before the meeting?

While a co-host cannot be added before the meeting you can add an alternative host. Usually the need for this arises because even though you are scheduling the meeting you will not be the one attending. There is a Zoom app, Salepager, that lets you centrally schedule meetings for multiple users and so you can set up and view Zoom meetings but assign someone else as the host, that way you can separate who scheduled the meeting from who hosts the meeting.

Please add co host