What is an Alternative Host?

Alternative Host is a role in Zoom with additional permissions that Co-Hosts do not have, such as starting, recording, and ending a meeting in the original host's absence.

The Alternative Host role must be assigned ahead of time by the original host.

Alternative Hosts must have an email address and Zoom account affiliated with the University of Illinois.

Add an Alternative Host to a New Zoom Meeting

Please reference this Zoom documentation to schedule an Alternative Host in a new meeting. For pre-existing and/or reoccurring Zoom meetings, please refer to the steps below.

Add an Alternative Host to a Pre-Existing Zoom Meeting (VIA DESKTOP APP)

1. Log into your University Zoom account with SSO in the Zoom desktop app.
   
   
2. Click on Meetings at the top of the Zoom page.
   
   
3. Select your preferred pre-existing meeting and click Edit.
   
   
4. Click on Advanced Options.
   
   
5. Add the University-affiliated email address of your chosen Alternative Host and click the box to "Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls."
   
   
6. Save your settings. Your Alternative Host will receive an email confirmation with the meeting information.
   
   
7. You may remove Alternative Host permissions after the event has occurred by repeating the above steps and removing the email address in "Advanced Options" and then clicking Save. Your Alternative Host will receive an email that they have been removed as an Alternative Host from the meeting. 

Add an Alternative Host to a Pre-Existing Zoom Meeting (VIA BROWSER)

1. Log into your University Zoom account in your internet browser with illinois.zoom.us.
   
   
2. Click on Meetings in the left navigation pane.
   
   
3. Select your preferred pre-existing meeting and click Edit.
   
   
4. If your pre-existing meeting does not have a set scheduled time, skip ahead to Step 6.
   
   
5. If you have preset reoccurring meeting times already scheduled for your meeting, you will receive a pop up-window titled "Edit Recurring Meeting." If you get this pop-up, select "Edit All Occurrences."
   
   
6. Click Show next to "Options" near the bottom of the page.
   
   
7. Add the University-affiliated email address of your chosen Alternative Host and click the box to "Allow alternative hosts to add or edit polls."
   
   
8. Save your settings. Your Alternative Host will receive an email confirmation with the meeting information.
   
   
9. You may remove Alternative Host permissions after the event has occurred by repeating the above steps and removing the email address in "Advanced Options" and then clicking Save. Your Alternative Host will receive an email that they have been removed as an Alternative Host from the meeting.