--- title: "How to Control Meeting Access and Co-Hosts in GoodMeet" description: "Running a members-only class or an internal review? By default, anyone with the link can open a meeting's page on your site. GoodMeet lets you limit meeting pages to logged-in users or to chosen WordPress roles, for the whole site…" url: "https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-control-meeting-access-and-co-hosts-in-goodmeet/" updated: "2026-10-02" category: GoodMeet / Meetings --- # How to Control Meeting Access and Co-Hosts in GoodMeet Running a members-only class or an internal review? By default, anyone with the link can open a meeting's page on your site. GoodMeet lets you limit meeting pages to logged-in users or to chosen WordPress roles, for the whole site or for one meeting. You can also name co-hosts. GoodMeet adds them to the Google Meet call as co-hosts, so they skip the waiting room and get host controls. You set the site-wide defaults first, then override them on a single meeting where needed. By the end of this guide, you will have: - A site-wide rule for who can open meeting pages - Default co-hosts added to every new meeting - A check that your Google plan supports co-hosts - One meeting with its own page access and co-hosts - A clear idea of what blocked visitors see **Estimated setup time:** 5 minutes. Nothing changes for existing meetings until you save new defaults. **Note:** Requires GoodMeet Pro. Without Pro, all fields are locked. The **Access & hosts** screen shows one card, **Host Settings are part of GoodMeet Pro**, with an **Upgrade to unlock** button. ## Before you begin Make sure you have: - GoodMeet and GoodMeet Pro installed and activated - An administrator account on your WordPress site - A connected Google account. See [How to connect your Google account to GoodMeet](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-connect-google-meet-to-wordpress-with-goodmeet/). - For co-hosts: a paid Google Workspace plan that supports co-hosts (see Step 4) Let's get started. ## Step 1: Open Access & hosts The site-wide defaults live in GoodMeet settings. Each meeting can override them later. 1. In the WordPress admin menu, go to **GoodMeet** > **Settings**. 2. In the settings menu on the left, click **Access & hosts**. 3. Check that the screen shows two groups: **Page access** and **Default co-hosts**. [![GoodMeet Settings with Access & hosts highlighted in the left menu](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-01-open-access-and-hosts.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-01-open-access-and-hosts.webp) Access & hosts holds the site-wide defaults. Each meeting can override them. ## Step 2: Choose who can open meeting pages **Default access** applies to every meeting set to **Site default**, which is every meeting until you change it. 1. Find **Default access** in the **Page access** group. 2. Pick one option: - **Everyone**: anyone with the link, logged in or not. This is the default. - **Logged in**: any user with an account on your site. - **By role**: only users with one of the roles you choose. 3. If you picked **By role**, click the **Allowed roles** field that appears and pick one or more roles, for example **Subscriber** and **Customer**. [![Page access group with By role selected and Subscriber and Customer in Allowed roles](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-02-default-access-by-role.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-02-default-access-by-role.webp) With By role, only users with a listed role can open a meeting page. Everyone else sees a message instead. **Important:** **By role** with no roles picked blocks everyone except meeting hosts and administrators. **Tip:** The meeting's host and site administrators can always open a meeting page, whatever you pick here. ## Step 3: Add default co-hosts Default co-hosts join every new meeting with host controls, which suits a teaching assistant or an operations lead who helps run every call. 1. Find the **Default co-hosts** group. 2. Click **Co-host users**, type a name and pick a WordPress user. GoodMeet uses the email address on their account. 3. In **Co-host emails**, type any Google account email and press **Enter**. Repeat for each person. [![Default co-hosts with one WordPress user and one email address added](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-03-default-cohosts.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-03-default-cohosts.webp) Co-host users are site accounts. Co-host emails can be anyone with a Google account, such as a guest speaker. **Note:** A meeting can have up to 25 co-hosts in total. GoodMeet skips any address over that limit. ## Step 4: Check that your Google plan supports co-hosts Google only allows co-hosts on some plans. Checking now saves you from wondering later why nobody got host controls. 1. Read the note at the top of **Default co-hosts**. It lists the plans that support co-hosts and says: "Free @gmail.com and Starter accounts cannot add co-hosts." 2. Click **Check my plan**. GoodMeet asks Google and shows the result under the note. [![Plan note in Default co-hosts with the Check my plan button highlighted](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-04-check-my-plan.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-04-check-my-plan.webp) Check my plan tests the Google account connected in Settings > Connect. The possible results are: - **Co-host management supported on this account.** You are ready. - **Co-host management not supported on this Google account (requires a paid Google Workspace plan with co-host feature).** Page access still works, but co-hosts are not added. - **Reconnect Google Meet to grant the new permission scope required for co-host management.** Reconnect your Google account in **Settings** > **Connect**, then check again. ## Step 5: Save your defaults Your changes take effect only after you save them. 1. Look at the bar at the bottom of the screen. It shows the number of unsaved changes. 2. Click **Save changes**. To undo your edits instead, click **Discard**. [![Save bar with 4 unsaved changes and the Save changes button highlighted](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-05-save-changes.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-05-save-changes.webp) Click the unsaved changes count to see what you changed before you save. **Note:** Default co-hosts are added when a meeting is created or updated. Existing meetings pick up new defaults the next time you click **Update meeting** on them. ## Step 6: Override access and co-hosts for one meeting (Access and controls) Some meetings need different rules from the rest of the site, such as a staff-only review on a public site. 1. Go to **GoodMeet** > **All Meetings** and edit a meeting, or click **Add new**. 2. In the steps on the left, click **Access and controls**. The step heading reads **Who can join?** [![Edit Meeting screen with the Access and controls step highlighted](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-06-open-access-and-controls.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-06-open-access-and-controls.webp) Access and controls holds the password, co-hosts and page access for this one meeting. ### Set page access for this meeting 1. Click the **Page access** field. Its hint reads **Who can open this meeting's page.** 2. Pick an option: - **Site default**: follow **Default access** from Step 2. This is the default. - **Public**: anyone with the link. - **Logged in**: any logged-in user. - **By role**: only the roles you pick. [![Page access list open with Site default, Public, Logged in and By role](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-07-page-access-options.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-07-page-access-options.webp) Public on a meeting means the same as Everyone in settings. 1. If you picked **By role**, pick roles in the **Allowed roles** field that appears. This list replaces the site's roles for this meeting. [![Page access set to By role with Administrator and GoodMeet Instructor allowed](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-08-meeting-by-role.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-08-meeting-by-role.webp) Here only administrators and GoodMeet instructors can open this meeting's page. ### Set co-hosts for this meeting 1. Click the **Co-hosts** field. Its hint reads **Who gets Google Meet co-host controls in this meeting.** 2. Pick an option: - **Default co-hosts**: use the people from Step 3. - **Defaults plus extra**: the defaults, plus people you add here. - **Only these**: only the people you add here. The defaults are left out. 3. For the last two options, add people in **Co-host users** and **Co-host emails**, the same way as in Step 3. [![Co-hosts set to Defaults plus extra with one user and one email added](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-09-meeting-cohosts.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-09-meeting-cohosts.webp) With Defaults plus extra, the default co-hosts are filled in for you. Add more people below them. ## Step 7: Save the meeting Saving applies the page access rule on your site and sends the co-hosts to Google. 1. Click **Update meeting** at the top right. For a new meeting, click **Create meeting**. 2. Wait for the confirmation message. GoodMeet saves the page access rule, then adds the co-hosts to the Google Meet call. [![Update meeting button highlighted on the Edit Meeting screen](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-10-update-meeting.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-10-update-meeting.webp) Saving also updates the Google Calendar event, so it can take a few seconds. ## What visitors see A visitor who is not allowed to open the meeting page never sees the meeting details or the join button. They see a short message inside your theme instead. When the rule is **Logged in** or **By role** and the visitor is logged out, the page shows **Login Required** with a **Log in** button. After logging in, they come back to the same meeting. [![Login Required message with a Log in button on a meeting page](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-11-login-required.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-11-login-required.webp) If Google Classroom sign-in is on, students also see a Sign in with Google button. Its language comes from Google, so it can differ from your site language. When a logged-in user does not have an allowed role, the page shows **Access Denied** and **You do not have permission to access this meeting.** [![Access Denied message shown to a logged-in student](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-12-access-denied.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/goodmeet-access-and-hosts-12-access-denied.webp) This student is logged in, but the meeting only allows administrators and GoodMeet instructors. ## How GoodMeet decides who can open a meeting page GoodMeet checks these rules in order: 1. The meeting's host can always open it. 2. Site administrators can always open it. 3. If the meeting's **Page access** is **Site default**, GoodMeet uses **Default access** from settings. Otherwise it uses the meeting's own choice. 4. **Logged in** and **By role** send logged-out visitors to **Login Required**. **By role** sends logged-in users without a listed role to **Access Denied**. **Note:** Meetings linked to an LMS course or a Google Classroom class can be limited further to that course's or class's students. Those rules only narrow access; they never open a page that Page access blocks. See [How to run Google Classroom classes from WordPress with GoodMeet](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-use-google-classroom-with-wordpress/). ## Benefits of access rules and co-hosts - **Members-only pages:** **Logged in** and **By role** close the meeting page to everyone else. - **One rule, with exceptions:** **Default access** covers every meeting set to **Site default**, and a staff-only meeting can still set its own roles. - **Help running the call:** Co-hosts skip the waiting room and can admit, mute and remove participants. - **No dead ends:** Logged-out visitors get **Login Required** with a **Log in** button and return to the same meeting afterwards. ## Troubleshooting ### Visitors still open the meeting page without logging in The meeting's own **Page access** wins over the site default. Check that: - The meeting's **Page access** is not set to **Public**. Set it to **Site default** or **Logged in** and click **Update meeting**. - **Default access** in **Access & hosts** is not set to **Everyone**, if the meeting follows the site default. - You test in a private window. Administrators and the host always get in. ### I set By role, and now nobody can open the page The visitors' role is not in the list, or no role is picked at all. Check that: - **Allowed roles** lists the roles your visitors have. - You edited the right list. A meeting's own **Allowed roles** replaces the site's list for that meeting. ### Co-hosts were not added to the Google Meet call The connected Google account cannot add co-hosts, or it was connected before co-host permissions existed. 1. Click **Check my plan** in **Access & hosts**. 2. If it asks you to reconnect, reconnect in **Settings** > **Connect**. 3. Open the meeting and click **Update meeting**. ### New default co-hosts are missing from older meetings Co-hosts are added when a meeting is created or updated, not when you save settings. 1. Open each older meeting. 2. Click **Update meeting**. ### A person I removed is still a co-host GoodMeet removes co-hosts that are no longer listed only while at least one co-host is still listed for that meeting. 1. Remove the person in Google Meet or Google Calendar directly, or 2. Keep at least one co-host listed and click **Update meeting**. ### The Access & hosts fields are greyed out GoodMeet Pro is not active. Activate GoodMeet Pro. Clicking a locked field opens the upgrade dialog. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do restricted meetings still appear in Google Calendar? **Yes.** Page access only controls the meeting page on your site. Calendar invitations and the Google Meet link follow Google's own rules. ### Can a meeting host be locked out of their own meeting? **No.** The host and site administrators always pass the check, whatever the rule says. ### Do co-hosts need an account on my site? **No.** Use **Co-host emails** for anyone with a Google account. Use **Co-host users** for people who already have a site account. ### Is "Everyone" in settings the same as "Public" on a meeting? **Yes.** Both let anyone with the link open the page. ### Does a free @gmail.com account support co-hosts? **No.** Co-hosts need a paid Google Workspace plan. Page access works with any Google account. ## Security best practices - Start strict. Use **Logged in** or **By role** as the site default, and set **Public** only on meetings meant for everyone. - Remember that page access protects the meeting's own page. If you embed a meeting on another page with a shortcode, limit access to that page too. See [How to show meetings on any page with GoodMeet shortcodes](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-embed-google-meet-meetings-with-shortcodes/). - Anyone who has the raw Google Meet link can still knock to join. Share the meeting page, not the Meet link, and let the host admit people. - Give co-host controls only to people you trust. Co-hosts can admit, mute and remove participants. - Review **Default co-hosts** when people leave your team, then click **Update meeting** on upcoming meetings so Google gets the new list. - Test every rule in a private window as a logged-out visitor and as a user with each role. ## You're ready to control access and co-hosts Your meeting pages now open only for the roles you picked, and your co-hosts get host controls in Google Meet. Next, put meetings on your own pages and set up the pages your instructors and students use. - [How to show meetings on any page with GoodMeet shortcodes](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-embed-google-meet-meetings-with-shortcodes/) - [How to let instructors create meetings from the front end](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-let-instructors-create-meetings-from-the-front-end/) - [How to require registration for a meeting with GoodMeet](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-require-registration-for-google-meet-meetings/) - [How to connect your Google account to GoodMeet](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-connect-google-meet-to-wordpress-with-goodmeet/)