Breakout rooms let you split one Zoom meeting into smaller group conversations
A breakout room is a separate video space within a single Zoom meeting. The host can divide participants into smaller groups — each group gets its own room with its own video, audio, and chat. When the host closes the breakout rooms, everyone returns to the main meeting. This is useful for group projects, small-group discussions, training sessions with breakout activities, or any meeting where you need people to talk in smaller clusters instead of all together.
You create breakout rooms from the meeting controls while the meeting is already running. Zoom does not let you set them up in advance — you have to be in the meeting to make them. The host controls which room each person goes to, how long the rooms stay open, and when people return to the main meeting.
Key Takeaways
- Breakout rooms are created during the meeting, not before — click the Breakout Rooms button in your meeting controls to start.
- You choose how many rooms to create and can assign people manually or let Zoom distribute them randomly.
- The host can visit each breakout room, send messages to all rooms at once, and set a countdown timer before rooms close.
- Participants can request to return to the main meeting early, and the host can close all rooms at any time.
- Breakout rooms work on desktop, mobile, and web — but the host must use desktop or web to create or manage them.
What you need to create breakout rooms
You must be the meeting host to create breakout rooms. If you are a participant in someone else's meeting, you cannot create them — only the host can. The host account does not need any special paid plan; breakout rooms are available on Zoom's free plan.
The meeting must already be running. You cannot set up breakout rooms before the meeting starts or in the meeting settings ahead of time. You have to be inside the active meeting, with participants already present, to create the rooms.
To create or manage breakout rooms, you must use the desktop app or web client. The mobile app does not have the breakout room controls. If you are hosting from a phone or tablet, you will not be able to create or manage breakout rooms — you would need to switch to a computer.
How to create breakout rooms step by step
Start the meeting and wait until all participants have joined. Once people are in the main meeting, look at the meeting controls at the bottom of your screen. Click the button labeled Breakout Rooms (it may appear as a grid icon or be listed in a menu if your screen is small).
A window will open asking how many breakout rooms you want to create. Type a number between 2 and 50. Click Create. Zoom will create that many empty rooms.
Next, you assign people to rooms. Zoom shows you a list of all participants and a list of all rooms. You can drag each person's name into a room, or you can click Auto Assign and Zoom will distribute people randomly. If you want some people to stay in the main meeting, you can leave them unassigned — they will remain there while the breakout rooms are active.
Once everyone is assigned, click Open All Rooms. Each participant will see a notification that their breakout room is ready, and they will be moved into it automatically. The host stays in the main meeting but can visit any breakout room by clicking on it.
Managing breakout rooms while they are running
While breakout rooms are active, you can visit each room to check on the conversation. Click the room name in the Breakout Rooms panel, and you will join that room temporarily. You can see and hear what is happening, then return to the main meeting by clicking Leave Breakout Room.
You can send a message to all breakout rooms at once. In the Breakout Rooms panel, click Broadcast a Message to All, type what you want to say, and send it. Everyone in every breakout room will see the message in their chat.
If you need to close the breakout rooms, click Close All Rooms. You can set a countdown timer (for example, 60 seconds) so people know they are about to return to the main meeting. When the timer runs out, all participants are moved back to the main meeting automatically.
Participants can request to return to the main meeting early. If someone clicks Ask for Help in their breakout room, you will see a notification. You can then manually move that person back to the main meeting, or you can close all the rooms.
Assigning people to rooms after they are created
If you create breakout rooms but do not assign people right away, you can do it later. The rooms will sit empty until you assign participants. Click on a room name, then drag people into it from the participant list. You can also move people between rooms by dragging them.
If you assigned people but want to change the groups, you can reassign them before you open the rooms. Once the rooms are open and people are inside, you can still move individuals between rooms — click the person's name and select which room to move them to. They will be moved when ready.
What participants see and experience
When the host opens breakout rooms, each participant sees a notification that their room is ready. They are moved into their assigned room automatically. Inside the breakout room, they see only the people in that room — not the main meeting or other breakout rooms.
Participants can use video, audio, and chat within their breakout room just like in a regular meeting. They can share their screen, record, and use all the normal Zoom features. If they want to return to the main meeting before the host closes the rooms, they can click Ask for Help or Leave Breakout Room (depending on the host's settings).
When the host closes the breakout rooms, all participants are moved back to the main meeting automatically. Any chat messages sent in the breakout rooms stay in those rooms — they do not transfer to the main meeting chat.
Common settings and options
Before you open the breakout rooms, you can choose whether participants are allowed to leave their room and return to the main meeting on their own. Click Options in the Breakout Rooms panel. If you turn on Allow participants to return to the main session, people can click a button to leave their room early. If you turn it off, they must wait for the host to close the rooms.
You can also choose whether to allow participants to switch between breakout rooms. If you turn this on, people can move themselves to a different room. If you turn it off, they stay in the room you assigned them to.
You can set a countdown timer before closing the rooms. When you click Close All Rooms, you can choose to give people a 60-second warning. A timer will appear in each breakout room so people know they are about to return to the main meeting.
Troubleshooting breakout room problems
If the Breakout Rooms button does not appear in your meeting controls, check that you are the host. Only hosts can create breakout rooms. If you are using the mobile app, switch to the desktop app or web client — mobile does not support creating or managing breakout rooms.
If a participant is not moving to their assigned breakout room, ask them to check their internet connection. A weak connection can delay the move. You can also try reassigning them — click their name and select their room again.
If you need to add more rooms after the breakout rooms are already open, you cannot do that. You have to close all the rooms, create new ones, and reassign people. Plan the number of rooms you need before you open them.
Chat messages sent in breakout rooms are not saved to the main meeting transcript. If you need to keep a record of what was discussed in breakout rooms, ask participants to take notes or have them report back to the main meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create breakout rooms before the meeting starts?
No. Breakout rooms can only be created while the meeting is running and participants are already present. You have to be inside the active meeting to set them up.
What happens to chat messages in breakout rooms?
Chat messages stay in the breakout room where they were sent. When people return to the main meeting, those messages do not appear in the main meeting chat. If you need to preserve what was discussed, ask participants to share key points verbally when they return.
Can a participant move themselves to a different breakout room?
Only if the host turns on the Allow participants to switch between breakout rooms option before opening the rooms. If that setting is off, participants stay in their assigned room until the host closes all rooms or moves them manually.
Do I need a paid Zoom plan to use breakout rooms?
No. Breakout rooms are available on Zoom's free plan. Any host can create and use them, regardless of which plan their account is on.
Can I record what happens in breakout rooms?
Yes. If you have recording turned on for the meeting, the audio and video from each breakout room will be recorded. However, each room's recording is saved separately, and you will need to manage multiple files.