Waiting room
How to use a waiting room in a video meeting
In Meeto the waiting room is the Knock entry mode. Select Change in the meeting lobby, or Who can join in the Participants panel during the call, and choose Knock. Guests then see Knock to enter and wait until you select Let in or Decline. You can also protect the room with a password or keep it open.
How do I turn on the waiting room?
Set the entry mode before you share the link, so the very first guest already knocks. It takes two clicks in the lobby.
- Open your meeting. Start an instant meeting from the home page or open a scheduled one. The host lobby shows the meeting link and an entry line, for example Anyone with the link can join.
- Choose Knock. Select Change and pick Knock from Open, Knock and Password. The line changes to You'll approve each guest.
- Start the meeting. Copy the link, send it and select Start the meeting. Guests who open the link see Knock to enter instead of Join meeting.
- Admit guests. A knock plays a sound and shows a card, for example Anna wants to join, with Decline and Let in. Open Participants to see everyone under Waiting, each marked knocks to enter.
- Watch the room. Admitted guests join straight away. A declined guest sees The host declined your knock and may knock again.
A host using the iPhone or Android app also gets a notification when someone knocks, so the guest is not left waiting while the app is in the background.
Which entry mode should I use?
| Mode | How guests get in and when to use it |
|---|---|
| Open | Anyone with the link joins instantly. Default for an instant meeting. Good for a quick call with people you sent the link to yourself. |
| Knock | Guests wait until you select Let in. Good for interviews, client consultations, office hours and any link that may be forwarded. |
| Password | Guests enter the password once, with no approval. Scheduled and booked meetings use it by default, with the key built into the link you send. |
Because scheduled meetings carry the password inside their link, invited guests never type it; anyone who only knows the bare room address cannot get in. Switch a scheduled meeting to Knock if you want to see each name before they enter. Guests' view of each mode is described in how to join without an account.
Can I change who can join during the call?
Yes. Open Participants and find the Who can join section. It offers the same three modes with a short hint for each.
Open
Anyone with the link joins instantly. Use it while a trusted group arrives, then switch back.
Knock
You approve each guest before they join. People already in the call stay; only new arrivals knock.
Password
Guests enter the password once — no approval needed. Type a password in Set a password and select Set; Remove turns it off.
From the same panel you can mute a participant with the microphone button by their name, use Mute all, or Lower all hands.
Who can let guests in?
Only the host. For a meeting you schedule while signed in, the host is your account, on any device where you are signed in. For an instant meeting started without an account, the host rights stay in the browser that created it; sign in before you create the meeting if you want to host from your phone and your computer.
Guests cannot admit each other, so in Knock mode nobody enters while you are away from the call. If you expect to step out, switch to Password and share the password with the people you invited, or keep the meeting short and open. For recurring team meetings, see how to set up a recurring meeting; scheduled meetings already carry their password in the link.
How do I remove someone and keep them out?
Open Participants, open the person's actions and choose Remove from call, then confirm Remove this participant?. They see The host removed you from the meeting.
- A removed person cannot rejoin the same meeting, on the same account or browser, and their knocks are refused.
- After a removal an open or password room switches new guests to knocking until the meeting ends, with the note Someone was removed, so new guests knock until this meeting ends. Select Turn off to undo that.
- Removed people are listed under Removed with can't rejoin this meeting; Let back in reverses the decision.
For more on access to meeting links and recordings, read the video meeting privacy guide and the security overview.
Frequently asked questions
Does Meeto have a waiting room?
Yes, as an entry mode called Knock. Guests who open the link wait in the lobby until the host lets them in. You can switch it on before the meeting starts or at any time during the call.
Can I let everyone in at once?
No. Each waiting guest is admitted with their own Let in button, which keeps an uninvited guest from slipping in with a group. For a large group that you trust, switch the room to Open while people arrive, then back to Knock.
What happens if the host is not there yet?
In Knock mode guests wait in the lobby until a host lets them in; an unanswered knock expires after an hour. If guests should be able to start without you, use Password or Open instead.
Is a password better than a waiting room?
They solve different problems. A password lets in anyone who has it without your attention, which suits recurring meetings. Knock lets you check each person by name, which suits interviews, consultations and open links that may have been forwarded.
Is the waiting room free?
Yes. Open, Knock and Password are available on every plan, including Free and meetings started without an account.
Try your first browser meeting
Create a room, share the link and invite someone to join you.