Hiding the Host during a webinar

[fommnp]

Hi!

I am hosting a webinar with a group of panelists and would like to be hidden for most of the webinar. I can't find a way to hide myself. "Hide non-video participant" only affects my personal view and other panelists/attendees can still see my name in a black box. "Stop my video" also does not work as others still see my name in a black box. 

Any ideas on how to stay hidden during a webinar? Thank you for your help!

Kathleen

[Ray_Harwood · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Zoom Community, @fommnp.

First, you should know that the Host can exercise control over what view the Attendees see, and almost always, the view seen by the Host and Panelists is different!  When I'm facilitating a Webinar for a client, I always have a second PC log into the event as an attendee, so I know exactly what they're seeing. I always "warn" my panelists and co-hosts not to worry if they're seeing extra videos on their screen -- I'm controlling the attendee view.

So here's the thing: Set the View menu to Attendee View: Speaker:

Then Spotlight only those people you want the attendees to see.  With Attendee View set to Speaker, only Spotlighted (Spotlit?) people will be shown.  If you have Attendee View set to Gallery, anyone with camera On will be seen; you can effectively also "hide" from view there by leaving your camera Off.

Try it with a couple of friends... one or two playing Co-Host and Panelist, and another playing attendee.  That's the best way to learn it.  (It took me months to figure this all out!!)

[aster1234]

So, if a panelist has a camera off, there won't be a black box with their name on it?  what is "speaker view" I understand Speaker view is a big speaker and the rest on top. I want to have Gallery view where ONLY the panelists with camera on are shown.  How to do that?

[Ray_Harwood]

Welcome to the Zoom Community, @aster1234.

Keep in mind that the Host controls the Attendee view, and that the traditional Speaker and Gallery views are modified somewhat when using Spotlighting. 

When setting Speaker View for your attendees, if there is no Spotlighting, then one person is displayed – the person taking, as you would expect. If you Spotlight one or more people, everyone spotlit (up to 9) are shown. 

If Gallery View is set for attendees, all Panelists (including hosts and cohosts) go have their camera on will be shown, regardless of spotlighting.

[fommnp]

Thank you so much, this is very helpful and I will try this!

-Kathleen 

[kymberly]

This is EXACTLY what I was coming to figure out!  Thank you for asking!  🙂 

[fommnp]

Hi Kymberly,

I had trouble managing the spotlight, so used the following with success this weekend at my event. 

For my intro

My view: Speaker

Attendee View: Follow Speaker view

When I transitioned to the panel and I wanted to "hide" I switched to 

My view: Gallery

I had a computer on monitoring the participant view and I was hidden. I was also hidden on the recording. I definitely recommend logging in on 3 computers/phones in the practice session to check it out. One as host, one as a panelist, and one as a participant. It's fine to "start the webinar" in a practice session. Good luck!