Starting August 1st, Zoom will require that all meetings have a Passcode enabled.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Password and a Passcode?
As part of this change, Zoom is making the distinction of calling the codes that are unique to your meetings “Passcodes” and will no longer be referring to them as “Passwords.” Passcodes are meant to be shared with your invited meeting participants along with the meeting ID for access.
“Passwords” will refer to your Zoom account login credentials. Best practice security guidelines tell users to never share passwords.
If I already have a Passcode will anything change?
No, your settings will remain the same for your current selection. You or your administrator can change your security preference at any time.
How will this affect my calendar invitations when scheduling meetings?
If you already have a Passcode or Waiting Room on, there will be no change to how you schedule meetings.
If Passcodes are added, calendar invites for any existing meeting will need to be resent to include the Passcode. New meetings will have the Passcode embedded in the meeting link automatically.
If Waiting Rooms are enabled, there is no change to how you schedule meetings.
CLICK HERE to learn how to Edit your meetings in Outlook
How will Passcodes affect participants joining the meeting by phone?
Passcodes will be required for all participants joining by phone.
Do meeting participants have to put in a password if they are using the meeting link I send them?
No, you can embed the password in your meeting invites.
What are Waiting Rooms and how do they work?
The Waiting Room feature allows the host to control when a participant joins the meeting by placing participants in a Waiting Room prior to joining the session. It is recommended that you review your Waiting Room selections and options for ‘join before host’ and which participants to place in the Waiting Room.
How do I enable Waiting Rooms or Passcodes?
Users can log into their Zoom web portal and go into Profile settings to enable a Passcode or Waiting Room. DES Zoom Portal
How will Passcodes affect participants joining the meeting via web, desktop or mobile client?
If you have selected Passcodes as your security method, a Passcode will be embedded into the meeting link automatically. With a single click, your meeting participants can join the meeting. If someone manually enters the meeting ID, they will also need to manually enter the Passcode.
How will Waiting Rooms affect participants joining the meeting by phone?
For meetings with Waiting Rooms, participants will dial in as they normally do. They will hear a prompt that they are in the Waiting Room and the host will have to admit them.
How will Waiting Rooms affect the host joining the meeting by phone?
If the meeting has Waiting Rooms enabled and ‘join before host’ is disabled, then the host will be able to start the meeting and disable the Waiting Room by entering their host key. The host will hear audio prompts indicating that the Waiting Room has been disabled, all attendees will be admitted, and they can lock or unlock the meeting by pressing * 5.
How do these changes affect Webinars?
There is no change with the August 1st release. Passcodes are already enabled by default for Webinars, but admins and users have the ability to disable passcodes for Webinars.
Can I see which of my meetings have Waiting Rooms or Passcodes enabled?
Yes. Users can log into their web portal, and in the “Meetings” tab see a list of meetings that have been scheduled without a Passcode. This is indicated with a red warning icon.
