What an alternative host does and why you need one
An alternative host in Zoom is someone who can start and manage your meeting if you cannot attend. When you add an alternative host to a scheduled meeting, that person gets the ability to start the meeting on time, admit participants, record the session, and end it — all the things a host normally does. You stay the original host, but the alternative host has the same controls while the meeting is running.
This matters most when you schedule recurring meetings, hand off meetings to team members, or want a backup in case you get stuck in traffic or have a technical problem. Without an alternative host, your meeting sits locked until you join, and participants are left waiting.
Key Takeaways
- You can add an alternative host when you create a meeting or edit one that already exists in your Zoom calendar.
- The alternative host must be someone in your Zoom account's contact list or a user in your organization if you are on a work account.
- The alternative host receives no notification that you have added them — they will only know when they try to start the meeting.
- You can change or remove the alternative host at any time by editing the meeting details.
How to add an alternative host when scheduling a new meeting
Open the Zoom web portal and sign in with your account. Click Meetings in the left menu, then click the blue Schedule a Meeting button in the top right.
Fill in the meeting title, date, time, and duration as you normally would. Scroll down to the Meeting Options section. You will see a field labeled Alternative Hosts. Click in that field and start typing the name or email address of the person you want to add. Zoom will show you matching contacts. Click the person's name to select them.
If you want to add more than one alternative host, click in the field again and repeat the process. When you are done, click Save at the bottom of the page. The meeting is now scheduled with your alternative host assigned.
How to add an alternative host to a meeting you already scheduled
Sign in to the Zoom web portal and click Meetings. Find the meeting you want to edit in the list. Hover over it and click the Edit button that appears on the right side of the row.
Scroll down to Meeting Options and locate the Alternative Hosts field. Click in the field and type the name or email of the person you want to add. Select their name from the dropdown that appears. You can add multiple alternative hosts the same way.
Click Save when you are finished. The change takes effect immediately. If the meeting is coming up soon, you may want to send the alternative host a message to let them know they have been added, since Zoom does not notify them automatically.
What happens if you add someone who is not in your contacts
If you type an email address that does not match anyone in your Zoom account's contact list, the field will not let you complete the selection. You will need to add that person to your contacts first, or ask your Zoom administrator to add them to your organization's directory if you are on a work account.
To add a contact, click Contacts in the Zoom web portal menu. Click Add Contact, enter their name and email, and click Save. Once they appear in your contacts, you can go back and add them as an alternative host.
How to remove or change an alternative host
Go to Meetings in the Zoom web portal and click Edit on the meeting you want to change. Scroll to Meeting Options and find the Alternative Hosts field.
To remove someone, click the X button next to their name. To replace them, click the X first, then click in the field and add a new person. Click Save when you are done. These changes take effect right away, even if the meeting is scheduled for later today.
What the alternative host can and cannot do
Once the meeting starts, the alternative host has the same host controls as you do: they can mute and unmute participants, remove people from the meeting, share their screen, record the session, and lock the meeting so no one else can join. They can also admit people from the waiting room and change the meeting layout.
The alternative host cannot change the meeting settings before the meeting starts — only you can do that by editing the meeting details. They also cannot delete the meeting or change who the original host is. If you join the meeting after the alternative host has started it, you both have host controls and can work together.
Troubleshooting: Alternative host cannot start the meeting
If your alternative host tries to start the meeting and gets an error, the most common reason is that they are not signed into their Zoom account. They need to be logged in to the account associated with the email address you added. Ask them to sign out and sign back in, then try starting the meeting again.
Another possibility is that the meeting has not started yet according to the scheduled time. Zoom will not let anyone start a meeting more than a few minutes before the scheduled start time. If the alternative host is trying to start it too early, they should wait until the meeting time is closer.
If neither of those is the issue, remove the alternative host from the meeting and add them again. Sometimes the assignment does not sync properly. Edit the meeting, click the X next to their name, save, then add them back and save again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the alternative host get notified when I add them?
No. Zoom does not send a notification to the alternative host. They will only find out when they look at their Zoom calendar or when they try to start the meeting. It is a good idea to send them a message separately to let them know they have been added and what time the meeting is scheduled for.
Can I have more than one alternative host for the same meeting?
Yes. You can add multiple alternative hosts to a single meeting. Any of them can start the meeting, and they will all have host controls once it begins. This is useful for large team meetings where you want backup coverage.
What if I join the meeting after the alternative host has already started it?
You will join as a host alongside them. Both of you will have full host controls, and you can work together to manage the meeting. The alternative host does not lose their permissions when you arrive.
Can the alternative host see my meeting password?
No. The alternative host does not need a password to start the meeting — their host status lets them bypass the password requirement. Participants who join later will still need the password if you have one set.
What if I want to remove the alternative host before the meeting starts?
Edit the meeting, click the X next to their name in the Alternative Hosts field, and click Save. They will no longer be able to start the meeting. If they have already started it, removing them will not end their host access — you would need to remove them from the meeting itself while it is running.