Use of Host Key

[LynAuthor]

I previously posted about how to have someone host a zoom meeting when I am away without having to open the meeting myself. I do not want to buy another licensed user because the number of times it would be used is minimal. Ray helpfully told me the way to do that is by giving that person the host key; he also posted a link to a page that explains how to use the host key. Unfortunately, that page is more confusing to me than ever, using acronyms I don't understand and functions I'm unfamiliar with. So here are my questions.

1. Does the host have to have a free account to do this? An email and password registered with Zoom?

2. What does the substitute host see when they click the zoom link? Where - literally - do they put the host key number? I'm trying to figure this out on my home computer clicking the zoom link from my husband's laptop. It's not at all clear what the sub host will do. I've turned the waiting room off. It appears I need an email and password to go any further. It says, "If you are the host, sign in."

3. Once I get the host key figured out, then where do participants put in the meeting passcode (since I've turned off waiting room) in order to enter the meeting?

Thanks for any help you can give me as this is very confusing.

Lyn

[Bort · Accepted solution]

Hi @LynAuthor 

1. To host a meeting and thus have a host key, you do need a Zoom account. This can be a free or paid account, and can use any of the available login methods (email/password, Google, Facebook, etc).
2. As noted in the host key support article, you need to ensure the meeting is scheduled with Join before host enabled, so that your participants can actually join the meeting without the immediate need of the host. Once in the meeting, the participant with the host key clicks the Participants button in the control toolbar, then selects the Claim host option at the bottom of that panel. They enter the correct host key and they claim host controls for this session. 
3. Participants will be asked for the meeting passcode after entering the meeting ID, assuming they are manually joining a meeting rather than using the join link.  If they join by simply clicking the link provided by the host, the passcode is typically included in the link, so they are not prompted for the passcode with this method. 

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

[VRITrainer]

Hi Bort,

I am curious if a hostkey is able to be enabled without the use of Zoom Rooms. If so, how could I access the page to enable the feature? 

[LynAuthor]

Hi Bort. This is very helpful. I'm waiting to hear from my substitute to go through this with her and see how it works. If I have any more questions, I'll get back. In the meantime, I'll mark this with Accept as Solution.

[karen_lang]

Did this work for you?   I also want to enable alternate hosts so I don't have to open the meeting when I'm away.  

[karen_lang]

I am a Zoom admin for a weekly meeting.  Must I uncheck "Waiting Room" so that others can get in the meeting and claim Host?  At my work Zoom account I can "Add alternative hosts" but I think their emails need to be authorized by the company.  On my personal account how can I authorize the names I want to add as Alternative Hosts? When I put an email in there, Zoom says  "unable to assign"  because "the user cannot be selected at this time"