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Zoom Default Security Settings

In order to help reduce the chances that your Zoom meetings will be disrupted, the University has established default security settings for all Penn State Zoom Meetings. Although some of these defaults may be changed by the meeting host, we recommend only doing so when necessary, as some options may increase the risk of disruption.

Scroll down to learn the default values of various key Zoom settings and which defaults may be changed by the host. Learn how to change settings for Zoom meetings you host by referring to one of the following knowledge articles:   Change Meeting Settings for Hosts or Change Webinar Settings for Hosts.

When Scheduling a Meeting

Your choices play a significant role in keeping your meetings safe. In addition to exercising caution when changing default settings, it’s important to observe the following practices:

  1. Do not publicly post meeting links on social media platforms and other online sites. Follow the recommended guidelines on how to properly advertise and promote virtual events to keep meetings and events secure.
  2. Do not use Personal Meeting rooms (PMI) for publicly scheduled meetings or post public links to Personal Meeting rooms. Do create webinars for publicly scheduled meetings.
  3. Review the following Zoom related knowledge base articles:   Prevent and Manage Meeting Disruptions (aka Zoom-Bombing) and Preventing Unwanted Meeting Attendees.

software

Schedule Meeting Settings

Feature

Default Setting

Participant Impact

Host Can Change?

Option to Change
Join before host Off Participants receive a message that  they will be admitted when the host arrives. Yes Hosts can enable Join before Host for all meetings or individual meetings.
Only authenticated users can join meetings Off Participants without PSU accounts may join as guests. Yes Hosts can turn this setting on by choosing one of the following options:   (a) Only admit participants who log in with their PSU account, or (b) only admit participants who log in with an authenticated Zoom account (PSU or non-PSU).
Require password for participants joining by phone On Participants joining by phone will need the password to enter the meeting (Host must provide). Yes Hosts can turn this off for all meetings or individual meetings.
Mute participants upon entry On Participants are muted when entering a  meeting but can unmute themselves. Yes Hosts can turn this off before all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.

Basic In-Meeting Settings

Feature

Default Setting

Participant Impact

Host Can Change?

Option to Change
Chat Off Participants will not be able to chat with other participants or the host. Yes Hosts can enable chat all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.
Private Chat Off Participants will not be able to use private chat. Yes Hosts can turn this on for all meetings or individual meetings.
Ability to Share On for host only Only hosts can share their screens. Yes Host can allow participants to share before all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.
Annotation Off Participants cannot annotate during a Zoom meeting. Yes Hosts can enable annotation for participants before all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.
Whiteboard Off Whiteboard cannot be shared. Yes Hosts can enable for all meetings.
Enable participants to change and/or add gender pronouns to display name Off Participants cannot rename themselves in Zoom meetings. Yes Hosts can turn this off before all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.

Advanced In-Meeting Settings

Feature

Default Setting

Participant Impact

Host Can Change?

Option to Change
Virtual background On Participants may use a virtual background. Yes Host can turn this feature on before all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.
Identify guest participants in the meeting/webinar On Names of guests appear in the Participant panel with an orange background OR with (Guest) after their names. Yes Hosts can disable this setting for all meetings
Waiting room On Participants enter the Zoom meeting but are placed in a waiting room. Hosts can admit users individually or all at once. Yes Hosts can turn this off before all or individual meetings, and/or during the meeting.

Webinar Settings

Feature

Default Setting

Participant Impact

Host Can Change?

Option to Change
Q&A in Webinar On Participants may use Q&A in Webinars. Yes Hosts can turn this off when scheduling the Webinar or after it starts.