Zoom: Session Duration and Timeouts

Covers settings and defaults in Zoom for timeouts and meeting durations

Showing Meeting Duration

It is possible to include a clock on the meeting display to show everyone how long the meeting has been taking place. Using Zoom in a browser does not support this setting.

On Mac

  1. Open your Zoom app.

  2. In the upper-left corner of your screen, click Zoom Workplace.

    Zoom Workplace indicator at the top of the window.

  3. Click Settings on the drop-down menu that appears.

    Settings option under menu bar.

  4. In the new Settings window that pops up, ensure you are on the Meetings and Webinars - the fifth option in the left-side menu. 
    Meetings and webinars option tab in settings.


  5. Then ensure the "Show meeting timer" option is turned on.Indicator that meeting timer is on or off.
  6. Now you will see a clock in the top right corner of your Zoom meeting screen.

    Meeting timer

On Windows

  1. Click the ^ next to the Mute/Unmute button on the bottom right side of the screen and select Audio Settings… from the menu that pops up.

    Image shows in meeting with the audio carrot clicked and audio settings circled.
  2. You will see a list of settings. Click Meetings and Webinars - the fifth option in the left-side menu. Then ensure the "Show meeting timers" option is turned on.

    Image shows meeting and webinar settings.

  3. Then ensure the "Show meeting timer" option is turned on.Meeting timer indicator on.
  4. Now you will see a clock in the top right corner of the Zoom meeting screen.

Meeting Timer.

Read more about Zoom meeting duration on Zoom's website.

Zoom Session Timeout

Zoom sessions that are inactive or idle have timeout implications. Read below for more details:

  • Meeting ends after 30 hours (active or idle)
    • 1 host, no participant
    • 1 host, any number of participants
    • 0 host, any number of participants (join before host)
  • Meeting ends after 40 minutes (active or idle)
    • 1 host and 1 or more participants joined. Only one person remains in the meeting. The meeting will end 40 minutes later if no one else joins. 

Read More about Zoom's timeout feature on their Time Limit page.



Keywords:
Zoom, sessions, timeout*, duration, meetings, meet*
Doc ID:
126933
Owned by:
iSchool U. in School of Information Sciences
Created:
2023-03-28
Updated:
2025-07-23
Sites:
University of Illinois School of Information Sciences