Knowledge Base

Focus Mode allows your students to stay focused during a Zoom meeting by placing meeting participants in a view where they are only able to see themselves, the host/co-hosts, any participants spotlighted by the host, and any content they are sharing. Students cannot see other students while the meeting is in Focus Mode, except if they are spotlighted. Hosts and co-hosts can view all participants in gallery view to see all participants simultaneously, and can switch between each participant’s shared screen, while the participants can only view their own content.



1. Start a meeting in the Zoom desktop client as the host or co-host.
   
2. Click More 
   
3. Click Start Focus Mode.
   
4. Optional: Select the Don't ask me again checkbox to skip the confirmation going forward.
   
5. Click Start to confirm. 
   
When Focus mode begins, you and the participants are notified with a banner along the top of the video window. Additionally, the focus mode  icon is always visible in the top-left corner of the video window, next to the encryption icon, while focus mode is active. 





Once Focus mode has been started, participants in focus mode will only see the video of the host, co-hosts, any participants spotlighted by the host, and their own video. They will only see other participants' names, their nonverbal feedback or reactions, and hear them when unmuted.

1. Click the up arrow  to the right of Share Screen .
   
2. Under Shared screens can by seen by, click All participants. 
   
3. Optional: To return to just host and co-hosts viewing shared content, select Host only.
   

1. Click More  in the meeting toolbar.
   
2. Click Stop Focus Mode.