How to use Zoom breakout rooms

Complete guide with multiple methods and troubleshooting for Zoom breakout rooms.

7-10 min read
Expert Verified
Last Updated: August 2025

Quick Answer

Using Zoom breakout rooms allows hosts to split participants into smaller groups for discussions or activities. This feature enhances collaboration and engagement during meetings, particularly in educational or workshop settings.

Medium⏱ 7-10 min read

Prerequisites & Requirements

Before using Zoom breakout rooms, ensure you meet the following requirements.
  • •A Zoom account with a Pro, Business, or Education plan, as breakout rooms are not available on free accounts.
  • •The Zoom desktop client version 5.3.0 or higher, or the Zoom mobile app version 5.3.0 or higher.
  • •Host permissions to create breakout rooms during a meeting.
  • •Stable internet connection to ensure smooth operation of video and audio.

Method 1: Creating Breakout Rooms During a Meeting

This method is used when you want to create breakout rooms on-the-fly during an active Zoom meeting.
  • •Step 1: Start your Zoom meeting as the host. Click on the 'Breakout Rooms' button in the meeting controls at the bottom of the window.
  • •Step 2: In the 'Breakout Rooms' window, select the number of rooms you want to create (1-50) and how you want to assign participants (Automatically or Manually). Click 'Create Rooms'.
  • •Step 3: After creating the rooms, you can click 'Options' to set a timer for the breakout sessions or allow participants to return to the main session at any time.
  • •Step 4: Click 'Open All Rooms' to start the breakout sessions. Participants will receive a prompt to join their assigned room.
  • •Step 5: To verify it worked, check the 'Breakout Rooms' window to see which participants are in each room. If they do not join, you can click 'Ask All to Join' to prompt them.

For Windows 11

Windows 11 specific steps for creating breakout rooms.
  • •Ensure your Zoom app is updated via the Microsoft Store or directly from the Zoom website.
  • •Follow the same steps as above, noting that the interface may have slight visual differences due to the Windows 11 design.

For Windows 10

Windows 10 specific steps for creating breakout rooms.
  • •Open the Zoom desktop client and ensure it is updated to the latest version.
  • •Follow the same steps as above, where the 'Breakout Rooms' button is located in the same position.

Method 2: Pre-Assigning Breakout Rooms

Use this method to pre-assign participants to breakout rooms before the meeting starts.
  • •Step 1: Sign in to your Zoom account on the Zoom website. Navigate to 'My Account' > 'Settings'.
  • •Step 2: Under the 'Meeting' tab, enable 'Breakout Room' and 'Allow host to assign participants to breakout rooms when scheduling'.
  • •Step 3: Schedule a new meeting and scroll down to the 'Breakout Room' section. Click 'Edit' to assign participants by entering their email addresses.
  • •Step 4: Save the meeting and send out the invites. Participants will automatically be assigned to their respective rooms when the meeting starts.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter issues while using breakout rooms, try the following solutions.
  • •Error: 'Breakout Rooms' button is missing - Solution: Ensure you are the host of the meeting and that your account has the breakout room feature enabled in the Zoom settings.
  • •Issue: Participants cannot join their breakout rooms - Fix: Check if the rooms are open. If not, click 'Open All Rooms' in the breakout room window.
  • •Problem: Participants are not assigned to rooms - Workaround: Manually assign participants by clicking 'Assign' next to their names in the breakout room window.

Advanced Tips & Shortcuts

Enhance your Zoom breakout room experience with these tips.
  • •Keyboard shortcut: Alt + Shift + B (Windows) or Option + Command + B (Mac) - Opens the Breakout Rooms window quickly.
  • •Command line: Zoom does not support command line for breakout rooms, but using keyboard shortcuts can speed up your workflow.
  • •Hidden feature: Use the 'Broadcast a message to all' option to send announcements to all breakout rooms simultaneously.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common pitfalls:

Expert Tips

To maximize engagement, consider using breakout rooms strategically to facilitate discussions and activities tailored to participant needs.