How to Start Your Zoom Meeting
You can start your Zoom meeting directly from your My Meetings page. Depending on your organization’s settings, you may see separate join buttons for Group Leaders and Backup Group Leaders. This guide explains how to start your Zoom meeting and what to expect on the pre‑meeting screens.
How to Start Your Meeting
Select My Meetings from the top menu bar.
Once on the My Meetings page, you will see your meeting listed. Click Join.
Join Options Based on Organization Settings
Your organization may enable or disable the Zoom backup leader join button. This setting determines whether Group Leaders and Backup Group Leaders see separate join buttons on the meeting’s Join page.
The join process differs depending on whether this option is activated or deactivated.
The join process differs depending on whether this option is activated or deactivated.
🟢 If the Zoom Backup Leader Join Button Is ON
When this option is activated in Organization Settings, HeyPeers displays two separate join buttons:
- Join as Host — for the assigned Group Leader
- Join as Backup — for assigned Backup Group Leaders
Group Leader
- Select Join as Host
- You enter the meeting as the Zoom Host which officially starts the meeting
- You can admit participants from the waiting room
- You must make backup leaders Co‑Hosts once they enter
Backup Group Leader
- Select Join as Backup
- You enter the meeting (or waiting room) as a participant without host controls
- You must be promoted to Co‑Host by the Group Leader
If the Group Leader Doesn’t Arrive
The backup group leaders will have two different procedures, depending on the waiting room.
If the waiting room is ON:
The backup group leaders will enter the waiting room along with the other participants. If the group leader doesn’t show up on time (or at all), the backup group leader must:
- Exit the Zoom Waiting Room
- Return to the HeyPeers meeting join page.
- Select the Join as Host button. This will bring you into the meeting as the Host so you can begin the meeting.
If the waiting room is OFF:
The backup group leaders will enter the meeting as participants, meaning they will have no meeting controls. If the group leader doesn’t show up on time (or at all), the backup group leader must use the Zoom in-meeting option to Claim Host Role.
- In the meeting controls, click Participants. The participants list will display.
- Click on Claim Host at the bottom of the participants list. A window will display allowing you to claim the host role.
- Enter the 6-digit host key, then click on OK.
🔴 If the Zoom Backup Leader Join Button Is OFF
When this option is activated in Organization Settings, HeyPeers displays only one join button: Enter Meeting.
Everyone—Group Leaders and Backup Group Leaders—must use the same Enter Meeting button.
This means:
Everyone—Group Leaders and Backup Group Leaders—must use the same Enter Meeting button.
This means:
- Backup Group Leaders enter the Zoom meeting as the Host
- All chat messages from Group Leaders and Backup Group Leaders appear under the same name
- Backup Group Leaders must rename themselves inside Zoom after joining
Because the Group Leader and Backup Group Leaders enter as Host:
No special procedure is required. Any Backup Group Leader can start the meeting simply by clicking Enter Meeting.
- Backup Group Leaders have full host controls immediately
- No promotion to Co‑Host is required
- The meeting starts as soon as the first person enters
No special procedure is required. Any Backup Group Leader can start the meeting simply by clicking Enter Meeting.
Important: Host Presence Required
Zoom will require that a Group Leader (Host) be present before any participant may enter the meeting.
If the Waiting Room is turned OFF
Zoom will require that a Group Leader (Host) be present before any participant may enter the meeting.
If the Waiting Room is turned OFF
- participants are kept out of the meeting space until a Group Leader has joined the meeting. They will see a message stating "Please wait for the Host to start the meeting."
- participants may enter the Waiting Room before the Group Leader arrives, but they cannot join the meeting itself until the Group Leader is present and allows them in.