--- title: How to set default meeting settings with ZooMeet description: "If you keep picking the same time zone, waiting room and video options on every new meeting, set them as defaults instead. ZooMeet keeps them in two sections of its settings: **Events** and **Video**. Once they are saved, the Add…" url: "https://sovlix.com/docs/zoomeet-default-meeting-settings/" updated: "2026-10-06" category: ZooMeet / Meetings --- # How to set default meeting settings with ZooMeet If you keep picking the same time zone, waiting room and video options on every new meeting, set them as defaults instead. ZooMeet keeps them in two sections of its settings: **Events** and **Video**. Once they are saved, the Add New Meeting form opens with those values filled in. Each meeting can still change any field for itself. By the end of this guide, you will have: - A default time zone and recording option for new meetings - Joining rules: waiting room, authentication, joining before the host and more - Default host and participant video options - Default page layout switches for every new event page - A clear idea of how the save bar works, so nothing changes by accident **Estimated setup time:** 5 minutes. Defaults only shape new meetings, so meetings you already made stay exactly as they are. ## Before you begin Make sure you have: - ZooMeet installed and activated, with Zoom connected. See [How to connect Zoom with ZooMeet using Server-to-Server OAuth](https://sovlix.com/docs/connect-zoom-with-zoomeet/). - An administrator account on your WordPress site - ZooMeet Pro, if you want to change **Recurring meeting** or **Registration required** ## Step 1: Open the Events section Let's get started. Event defaults live in one section of the settings, split into three groups. 1. In the WordPress admin menu, go to **ZooMeet** > **Settings**. 2. In the settings menu on the left, click **Events**. 3. Check that the heading reads **Events**, with the line **Choose the defaults used when creating events.** [![ZooMeet Settings with Events highlighted in the settings menu](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-01-open-meetings-tab.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-01-open-meetings-tab.webp) The section has three groups: Event, Joining and Event page. **Tip:** You can open this section directly by adding `#/meetings` to your ZooMeet settings address. ``` https://brightpath.example.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=zmeet-settings#/meetings ``` Your actual URL may look different. Always copy it from your own ZooMeet settings. ## Step 2: Set the Event defaults The **Event** group reads **Applied to every event you create.** 1. Set **Time zone** to the zone most of your meetings happen in. The start time on the form is shown in this zone. 2. Pick **Automatically record**: **Off**, **Locally** (on the host's computer) or **In the cloud** (in Zoom's cloud, on paid plans). 3. Turn on **Recurring meeting** if new meetings should start as recurring meetings. 4. Turn on **Registration required** if attendees should register with a name and email before they get the join link. [![Event group with Time zone, Automatically record, Recurring meeting and Registration required](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-02-meeting-group.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-02-meeting-group.webp) Recurring meeting and Registration required show a lock icon while ZooMeet Pro is inactive. The time zone list is long, so it has a filter box. 1. Click the **Time zone** field. 2. Type a city in the filter box, for example `London`. 3. Click the zone you want. [![Time zone list open with London typed and (GMT+1:00) London in the results](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-05-timezone-list.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-05-timezone-list.webp) Type a city name. If nothing matches, try a nearby city in the same zone. ## Step 3: Set the Joining defaults The **Joining** group reads **How people get into an event once it starts.** 1. Leave **Waiting room** on if attendees should wait until you let them in. 2. Turn on **Require authentication to join** only if every attendee has a Zoom account. Only people signed in to Zoom can join, so guests without an account cannot. 3. Turn on **Allow participants to join anytime** if attendees may join before you arrive. 4. Turn on **Mute participants upon entry** for large sessions. 5. Turn on **Allow attendees to join from multiple devices** if one person may join a webinar from a phone and a laptop at once. It applies to webinars only. 6. Turn on **Enable practice session** if webinar hosts and panelists should rehearse before attendees are let in. It applies to webinars only. [![Joining group with Waiting room, Require authentication to join, Allow participants to join anytime, Mute participants upon entry, Allow attendees to join from multiple devices and Enable practice session](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-03-joining-group.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-03-joining-group.webp) Waiting room, Require authentication to join and Allow participants to join anytime apply to meetings. Webinars do not use them. ## Step 4: Set the Event page defaults The **Event page** group reads **What visitors see on the event page.** 1. Turn on **Hide sidebar** to remove the sidebar from event pages. 2. Turn on **Hide header and footer** to remove your theme header and footer, so the page shows only the event. 3. Leave **Vendors use their own account** off unless marketplace vendors should connect their own Zoom keys. Off, everyone uses your credentials. [![Event page group with Hide sidebar, Hide header and footer and Vendors use their own account](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-04-meeting-page-group.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-04-meeting-page-group.webp) Each new event starts with these switches. You can change them per event on the Page design step. ## Step 5: Set the Video defaults 1. In the settings menu, click **Video**. 2. In the **Video** group, **Whose video is on when an event starts.**, turn on the video you want on from the start: **Host video**, **Participant video** and, for webinars, **Panelist video**. 3. Turn on **HD video** for webinars that need sharper video. [![Video section with Host video, Participant video, Panelist video and HD video](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-08-video-tab.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-08-video-tab.webp) Video off is the polite default. People can still turn their own camera on. ## Step 6: Save your changes ZooMeet keeps nothing until you save, so you can try values and back out safely. 1. Change a value. A bar appears at the bottom of the screen and counts your unsaved changes. 2. Click the count, for example **1 unsaved change**, to see what changed and its old and new value. 3. Click **Save changes** to keep your defaults, or **Discard** to put everything back. [![Save bar with 1 unsaved change, Discard and the Save changes button highlighted](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-07-save-changes.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-07-save-changes.webp) Here Hide sidebar was switched on. Nothing is stored until you click Save changes. **Note:** The save bar covers every settings section. A change made on **Events** is still listed when you open **Video**, and saved together. ## Benefits of setting meeting defaults - Most new meetings need only a name and a start time, because the rest of the form is already filled in. - Your joining rules, such as the waiting room, are the same on every meeting unless you change them on purpose. - Instructors who create meetings get your time zone and video rules, not a guess. - A single meeting can still differ, and changing it there leaves the site defaults alone. ## Troubleshooting ### "Connect Zoom to change these settings." ZooMeet is not connected to Zoom, so the section is blurred and locked. The **Connect** item in the settings menu shows a **Set up** badge. [![Events section blurred behind the message Connect Zoom to change these settings, with Connect Zoom highlighted](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-11-connect-gate.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/zoomeet-meeting-defaults-11-connect-gate.webp) Your saved defaults are kept. They are only locked until Zoom is connected again. 1. Click **Connect Zoom**. 2. Finish [How to connect Zoom with ZooMeet using Server-to-Server OAuth](https://sovlix.com/docs/connect-zoom-with-zoomeet/). ### A switch is greyed out with a lock icon The setting is part of ZooMeet Pro, and Pro is not active. Activate ZooMeet Pro and reload the page. ### My existing meetings did not change after I saved Defaults only fill in the form for new meetings. Open the meeting from **All Events**, change the field and click **Update meeting**. ### Guests cannot join and Zoom asks them to sign in **Require authentication to join** is on. Turn it off here for new meetings, and on the meeting's **Access and controls** step for meetings you already made. ### I cannot find the Joining or Event page switches Marketplace vendors see a shorter list, because site-wide rules belong to the site owner. Log in with an administrator account to see every group. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do defaults change meetings I already created? **No.** Defaults only fill in the Add New Meeting form. Saved meetings keep their own settings. ### Can I override a default on one meeting? **Yes.** Every default is also a field on the meeting form. Change it there, and only that meeting is affected. ### Why is Automatically record set to In the cloud but nothing is recorded? Cloud recording needs a paid Zoom plan with cloud recording turned on in Zoom. On a free plan, pick **Locally** or **Off**. ## You're ready to set meeting defaults The Add New Meeting form now opens with your time zone, joining rules and video options. Next, create a meeting with them, or set up recurring meetings. - [How to create your first Zoom meeting with ZooMeet](https://sovlix.com/docs/zoomeet-create-zoom-meeting/) - [How to set up recurring Zoom meetings with ZooMeet](https://sovlix.com/docs/zoomeet-recurring-zoom-meetings/) - [How to connect Zoom with ZooMeet using Server-to-Server OAuth](https://sovlix.com/docs/connect-zoom-with-zoomeet/)