Waiting Rooms in Video Meetings: Why They Matter and How to Use Them
A link that anyone can use is convenient and risky. A waiting room keeps the convenience and lets you decide who is let in. Here is how it works and when to use it.
A meeting link is a door. The simplest door is always open, and anyone who gets hold of the link can walk in. That is convenient when you share the link with five trusted colleagues, and a problem when the link ends up in a forwarded email, a screenshot or a chat that a few more people can see. A waiting room is a second door: people can knock, but you decide who enters.
What a waiting room does
When the waiting room is on, anyone who opens the link is placed in a holding area. The host sees a list of people waiting, with the names they entered, and admits or declines each one. Until then, the person cannot see or hear the meeting, and nobody in the meeting can see or hear them.
When to turn it on
- Client meetings. You are discussing something private and want to be sure only the client and your colleagues are present.
- Public or semi-public links. If the link appears on a website or in an announcement, the waiting room filters the people who arrive.
- Recurring links. A link you use every week has more chances to be shared widely over time.
- Sensitive topics. Finance, health, HR and legal discussions deserve a gatekeeper.
When you might switch it off
- A small team that meets every day. Admitting the same four people each time is tedious.
- A meeting that has already begun, when everyone expected has arrived. Turning the waiting room off lets late joiners walk in without interrupting you.
- Large informal sessions where the host is also presenting and cannot watch the list.
In PeerFlow meetings the host chooses at the start whether to use a waiting room, and can change it while the meeting runs.
How to admit guests well
- Check the name. Guests enter their own name, so look for the one you expect. Anything strange deserves a question.
- Admit promptly. Waiting is awkward for guests, and a friendly "welcome" helps.
- Ask when in doubt. If an unexpected name appears, message the person you expected or ask the stranger what they need before deciding.
- Do not admit anyone you cannot place. It is fine to say no.
Waiting rooms and meeting links
A link keeps working after the last person leaves, so that you can come back to the same meeting. In PeerFlow, a link stays valid for a day after the last person left. If the host opens the same link again, they are the host, and everyone else meets the waiting room as before. See how meeting links work and how long they last for details.
What it does not do
A waiting room is a gatekeeper, not a guard dog. It cannot tell whether "Priya" is the Priya you know. For high-stakes meetings, confirm identities by another channel, such as a quick message beforehand, and share the link only with the people involved. Combine the waiting room with sensible habits, not instead of them.
Privacy benefits
- No uninvited listeners. People you did not approve never hear the meeting.
- A chance to prepare. The host can finish a conversation before admitting the next group.
- A visible record of who joined. The host sees names as people enter.
Comparing options
| Open link | Waiting room | Password-protected link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience for guests | Highest | High | Lower |
| Control for the host | Low | High | Medium |
| Effort during the meeting | None | Admit each person | None |
| Risk if link is forwarded | High | Low | Medium |
A short routine
Before the call, create the meeting and keep the waiting room on. Open it a few minutes early. Admit people as they appear. When everyone has arrived, you may turn the waiting room off to avoid interruptions, or keep it on if late arrivals are possible and unexpected. At the end, make sure everyone has left before you do, or end the call for all.
Related reading
See how to run a good online meeting for the rest of the routine. To host meetings, install the Android or Windows app; guests can join from any browser.
Frequently asked questions
What is a waiting room?
A waiting room holds people who open your meeting link until the host lets them in, so only people you approve can join.
Can I turn it off during a meeting?
Yes. In PeerFlow the waiting room can be changed while the meeting is running.
Do guests need an account to join?
No. Guests join from a browser with a name. The host starts the meeting from the app with an account.
What happens if I come back to a meeting I started?
If you open the same link again as the host, you are the host again, and other people meet the waiting room as usual.