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How To Do Breakout Rooms In Zoom: A Step-By-Step Guide

Apr 24, 2023 • 12 min read

How To Do Breakout Rooms In Zoom: A Step-By-Step Guide

Do you have a Zoom call with too many participants? Breakout rooms are the perfect solution for managing large groups and keeping everyone engaged. With breakout rooms in Zoom, hosts can easily separate their call into smaller sub-groups, allowing each group to focus on a single task or discussion. In this article, we’ll explain exactly how to do breakout rooms in Zoom, including step-by-step instructions on how to enable them and create your own. So let’s get started and learn how to make the most of your Zoom calls!

You’ll learn:

  • What are Zoom breakout rooms?
  • How to do breakout rooms in Zoom
  • How to participate in breakout rooms
  • Limitations of breakout rooms
  • 8 things to keep in mind for Zoom breakout room success

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What are Zoom breakout rooms?

Zoom breakout rooms are virtual meeting spaces that allow participants to break away from the main Zoom session and have separate sessions among themselves. With this feature, you can split your group into smaller teams to discuss a particular topic or simply to foster more personal conversations.

Each breakout room features its own separate audio, video, and screen share capabilities so all participants can collaborate in real-time. You can also assign moderators to each room who will be able to monitor the discussion and guide it in the right direction. Breakout rooms are great for brainstorming sessions, project planning meetings, or any other activity that requires people to work together on a task.

How to do breakout rooms in Zoom

Breakout rooms are one of the most popular features on Zoom and they provide an easy way to divide large groups into smaller, private conversations. Here’s how to get started:

A. How to enable breakout rooms using the Zoom desktop client (Mac and PC)

Enabling breakout rooms on the Zoom desktop client (Mac and PC) is easy and takes only a few simple steps.

First, you will need to log into your Zoom account via the website and click on “My Account” in the top-right corner. Then, select “Schedule Meeting” and enter all necessary information for your meeting. Once you have scheduled the meeting, click “Meeting Settings” and check the box next to “Breakout Room(s).” Here you can choose from preset room sizes or create custom sizes by entering the desired number of participants.

After customizing your breakout room settings, ensure that each participant has been assigned a role (host, co-host, panelist or attendee) that will determine their access level in each breakout room. When it’s time to start the meeting, click on “Breakout Rooms” from the main menu and select “Create Rooms Now” – this will automatically create as many rooms as you specified earlier and assign people to them accordingly. One of the admin privileges is switching between rooms while they monitor everyone’s progress.

Finally, when everyone has finished discussing their topics, select “End Breakout Sessions” from the main menu or let it happen automatically after a certain amount of time has passed (if enabled).

B. How to create breakout rooms in your Zoom call

Creating breakout rooms in a Zoom call is a great way to facilitate group conversations and keep everyone engaged. It allows you to pre-assign participants to breakout rooms, giving them the opportunity to quickly discuss topics without having to wait for everyone else in the main meeting.

To create breakout rooms in your Zoom call, you need to first log into the app on your Mac or PC and click “New Meeting” or “Schedule” at the top right of the screen. Then, select “Meeting Settings” and tick “Breakout Room(s)” under the Advanced Options tab. You can then choose from preset room sizes or create custom sizes based on the meeting capacity you wish to assign per room.

Finally, when it’s time to start the meeting click on “Breakout Rooms” from the main menu and select “Create Rooms Now.” This will automatically set up each breakout room with its respective moderator and allow you to switch between rooms as needed. When everyone has finished discussing their topics, select “End Breakout Sessions” from the main menu or let it happen automatically after a certain amount of time has passed (if enabled).

C. How to pre-assign participants

Method 1: Pre assign participants manually

Pre-assigning breakout room’s participants manually is a great way to ensure that everyone is in the correct breakout room quickly and efficiently.

To do this, you will first need to click the “Breakout Rooms” button on the main menu in Zoom. Then, you can assign each participant to their respective room by selecting the person’s name from the list and clicking “Assign.” You can also move people between rooms as needed or let them remain separated until the end of the meeting if enabled. This method requires more effort on your part as it requires manual work but it is useful for organizing larger meetings with many participants and ensuring that everyone is assigned correctly.

With manual pre-assigning, you can be sure that every meeting participant is accounted for and in their correct breakout room before initiating the meeting which makes for a much smoother overall experience.

Method 2: Assign participants using CSV file import

CSV file import feature is a great way to quickly and easily assign break out rooms for large meetings. This method requires you to generate a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file with the name and email of each participant. The CSV file can be generated from any spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.

Once the file is ready, simply go back to the Zoom web portal and click “Breakout Rooms” on the main menu. Then, select “Import from CSV” and upload your prepared file. This will automatically assign participants to breakout rooms based on their names in the list. This method is especially useful for larger meetings when there are too many people to pre-assign manually and it saves time by eliminating the need to manually reassign participants if someone changes their mind or needs to switch rooms.

How to participate in breakout rooms

Breakout rooms are an effective tool to use in Zoom meetings. Whether the meeting host assigns participants to each room or allows them to choose their own, joining a breakout room is a simple process.

To start, click the Breakout Rooms icon located at the bottom of your Zoom window. You will then be given the option to either join a room that has already been assigned to you or select one from the list of available rooms. If you are allowed to choose your own, simply select which room you would like to join and click “Join Room”.

Once in your breakout room, ensure that all participants have joined before beginning discussion and follow any instructions provided by the meeting host. When finished with your breakout session, click “Leave Room” and return back to the main meeting view where everyone can rejoin together. Participating in breakout rooms is an easy way for teams or groups of people to collaborate on specific topics without interruption from others!

A. How to join breakout rooms

Joining breakout rooms is a simple process that can be done through Zoom. After joining the main meeting session, the host will invite you to join a specific breakout room. You can either join the room that was pre-assigned to you or choose one from the list of available rooms. Once in your designated breakout room, ensure all participants have joined before beginning discussion. To end your session, click “Leave Room” and return back to the main meeting view where everyone can rejoin together. Breakout rooms are an effective way for teams or groups of people to collaborate on specific topics without interruption from others!

B. How to self-select a breakout room to join as a non-host

Joining self-select breakout rooms as a non-host is an easy process that can be done through Zoom. To begin, the host must first create several breakout rooms with the “Breakout Rooms” option in the meeting controls. Once available rooms are listed, non-host participants can choose which room they would like to join by clicking on the “Join” button next to the specific room name.

After confirming their selection, participants will be taken to their chosen breakout room where they can collaborate and discuss with others without interruption from other topics or sessions. Should you need to leave your current session and join another one, simply click on “Leave Room” and select a new breakout room from the list of available options. Self-selection of breakout rooms provides flexibility for participants who wish to collaborate in different groups or topics!

C. How to record in a breakout room

Recording in a breakout room is a great way to capture all the conversations and ideas that come up during the meeting. To record in a Zoom breakout room, ask the host for permission to do so first. The host must then allow recording privileges for all participants before opening the breakout room. Once this is done, each participant can go into their local settings and click “Record” to begin recording their session.

At the end of the breakout session, each participant will be able to access their recorded video with full audio in their local Zoom folder on their computer. Recording in a breakout room is an excellent way to capture meaningful conversations that take place within groups and ensure everyone’s ideas are remembered!

Limitations of breakout rooms

Breakout rooms are a great way to break up large meetings into smaller, more manageable groups for discussion and brainstorming. However, there are some limitations to consider when using breakout rooms.

Firstly, the host or co-host must manually assign participants to each room and cannot be done automatically.

Secondly, breakout rooms can only be created while everyone is still in the main meeting; they cannot be added later on. Additionally, users joined from mobile devices or H.323/SIP devices cannot manage the breakout rooms.

Lastly, cloud recording will not capture any audio from the breakout rooms due to technical constraints. Despite these limitations, Zoom’s Breakout Rooms feature is an incredibly useful tool for large meetings and makes it easier for all participants to collaborate effectively!

How to participate in breakout rooms

Breakout rooms are an effective tool to use in Zoom meetings. Whether the meeting host assigns participants to each room or allows them to choose their own, joining a breakout room is a simple process.

To start, click the Breakout Rooms icon located at the bottom of your Zoom window. You will then be given the option to either join a room that has already been assigned to you or select one from the list of available rooms. If you are allowed to choose your own, simply select which room you would like to join and click “Join Room”.

Once in your breakout room, ensure that all participants have joined before beginning discussion and follow any instructions provided by the meeting host. When finished with your breakout session, click “Leave Room” and return back to the main meeting view where everyone can rejoin together. Participating in breakout rooms is an easy way for teams or groups of people to collaborate on specific topics without interruption from others!

A. How to join breakout rooms

Joining breakout rooms is a simple process that can be done through Zoom. After joining the main meeting session, the host will invite you to join a specific breakout room. You can either join the room that was pre-assigned to you or choose one from the list of available rooms. Once in your designated breakout room, ensure all participants have joined before beginning discussion. To end your session, click “Leave Room” and return back to the main meeting view where everyone can rejoin together. Breakout rooms are an effective way for teams or groups of people to collaborate on specific topics without interruption from others!

B. How to self-select a breakout room to join as a non-host

Joining self-select breakout rooms as a non-host is an easy process that can be done through Zoom. To begin, the host must first create several breakout rooms with the “Breakout Rooms” option in the meeting controls. Once available rooms are listed, non-host participants can choose which room they would like to join by clicking on the “Join” button next to the specific room name.

After confirming their selection, participants will be taken to their chosen breakout room where they can collaborate and discuss with others without interruption from other topics or sessions. Should you need to leave your current session and join another one, simply click on “Leave Room” and select a new breakout room from the list of available options. Self-selection of breakout rooms provides flexibility for participants who wish to collaborate in different groups or topics!

C. How to record in a breakout room

Recording in a breakout room is a great way to capture all the conversations and ideas that come up during the meeting. To record in a Zoom breakout room, ask the host for permission to do so first. The host must then allow recording privileges for all participants before opening the breakout room. Once this is done, each participant can go into their local settings and click “Record” to begin recording their session.

At the end of the breakout session, each participant will be able to access their recorded video with full audio in their local Zoom folder on their computer. Recording in a breakout room is an excellent way to capture meaningful conversations that take place within groups and ensure everyone’s ideas are remembered!

Limitations of breakout rooms

Breakout rooms are a great way to break up large meetings into smaller, more manageable groups for discussion and brainstorming. However, there are some limitations to consider when using breakout rooms.

Firstly, the host or co-host must manually assign participants to each room and cannot be done automatically.

Secondly, breakout rooms can only be created while everyone is still in the main meeting; they cannot be added later on. Additionally, users joined from mobile devices or H.323/SIP devices cannot manage the breakout rooms.

Lastly, cloud recording will not capture any audio from the breakout rooms due to technical constraints. Despite these limitations, Zoom’s Breakout Rooms feature is an incredibly useful tool for large meetings and makes it easier for all participants to collaborate effectively!

Ready to build your remote team?

Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.

8 things to keep in mind for Zoom breakout room success

Breakout room sessions on Zoom can be a great way to elevate your meeting experience. To ensure success, there are a few things to keep in mind when utilizing this feature.

  • Firstly, set clear discussion objectives for each breakout room activity before assigning participants to them. Make sure to also have an organized discussion format.
  • Secondly, give guests an idea of how long breakout room discussions should be and provide instructions beforehand if necessary.
  • Thirdly, make sure each guest has access to all relevant documents or tools before entering their respective breakout session space.
  • Fourthly, be aware that only the host or co-host can create and manage breakout rooms while the meeting is still ongoing.
  • Fifthly, consider allowing breakout participants to share audio with one another if it’s relevant to the discussion.
  • Sixthly, ensure that everyone is present by using the “Raise Hand” feature prior to beginning the breakout session(s).
  • Seventhly, check back in with each group regularly during the session for updates and activity status so everyone’s on track.
  • Lastly, remember that cloud recording does not capture audio from breakout rooms due to technical constraints – so use other methods for capturing any important information discussed.

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