The fastest way to create a Zoom meeting link
Open Zoom on your computer or phone, sign in to your account, and click the New Meeting button. Zoom generates a meeting link automatically — you do not have to do anything else to create one. The link appears on your screen when ready, and you can copy it and send it to others right away.
If you want to start the meeting right now, click Start. If you want to send the link to people first and start later, click Copy the invitation or Copy Meeting Link (the button name varies by device). Paste that link into an email, text message, or chat app, and anyone who clicks it can join.
The link stays the same every time you use it, so you can save it and reuse it for recurring meetings with the same group. Zoom calls you a Personal Meeting ID (or PMI) — it is your permanent meeting room.
Key Takeaways
- Click New Meeting in the Zoom app, and Zoom creates a link automatically — no setup steps required.
- Copy the link from the screen and send it by email, text, or any messaging app to invite people.
- Your Personal Meeting ID link works the same way every time, so you can reuse it for regular meetings with the same people.
- Anyone with the link can join unless you turn on a waiting room or password, which you can do before the meeting starts.
- Scheduled meetings (ones you set for a specific date and time) also get their own link, separate from your Personal Meeting ID.
Where to find and copy your meeting link
When you click New Meeting, a window opens showing your meeting details. The link appears near the top, usually labeled Meeting Link or Invite Link. On a computer, look for a Copy button next to the link — click it once and the link goes into your clipboard. On a phone, tap and hold the link, then select Copy from the menu that appears.
Once you have copied the link, open your email, text app, or messaging platform and paste it. You can also click Invite or Share (depending on your device) and Zoom will open your email or messaging app for you, with the link already filled in.
If you close the meeting window before copying the link, you can still find it. Open Zoom, go to Meetings or Schedule, find the meeting in your list, and click on it to see the link again.
Scheduling a meeting for a specific date and time
If you want to set up a meeting that starts at a particular time rather than right now, click Schedule a Meeting instead of New Meeting. Fill in the date, start time, and duration. Zoom creates a separate link for that scheduled meeting.
When you schedule a meeting, Zoom can send calendar invitations automatically. On a computer, click Calendar after you fill in the details, choose whether to send invites through Outlook, Google Calendar, or another service, and Zoom adds the meeting to your calendar and sends invitations to anyone you list. On a phone, you usually have to copy the link and send it yourself through email or messaging.
Scheduled meetings appear in your Upcoming section in the Zoom app. You can edit the time, add a password, or change other settings by clicking on the meeting in that list.
Adding a password or waiting room for security
By default, anyone with your meeting link can join when ready. If you want to control who gets in, you have two options: a password or a waiting room.
A password is a short code (usually numbers and letters) that people must type in when they join. To add one, open the meeting details, look for Security or Password, and turn it on. Zoom generates a password automatically, but you can change it to something easier to remember. When you send the link, tell people the password separately — do not include it in the link itself.
A waiting room holds people in a separate space until you let them in one by one. Turn it on in the same Security section. This takes more time on your end (you have to click Admit for each person), but it gives you complete control over who enters. Many people use a waiting room for meetings with people they do not know well, or for sensitive conversations.
Sharing your link through different platforms
After you copy your meeting link, you can paste it anywhere: email, text message, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, or any other app. The link works the same way no matter where you send it.
On a computer, Zoom can integrate directly with some platforms. If you use Outlook or Google Calendar, you can add a Zoom meeting to a calendar event and Zoom will include the link automatically. If you use Slack, you can type /zoom in a channel and Zoom will create a meeting link right there.
On a phone, you usually copy the link and paste it manually into whatever app you are using. Some phones let you share through a menu — tap Share in Zoom and select the app you want to use, and your phone will open that app with the link ready to paste.
What happens when someone clicks your link
When a person clicks your Zoom meeting link, their browser opens and asks whether they want to open Zoom or join in a web browser. If they have Zoom installed, clicking Open Zoom Meetings launches the app and takes them straight into the meeting (or the waiting room, if you turned that on). If they do not have Zoom installed, they can click Join from Your Browser and join without downloading anything.
If you set a password, people will see a screen asking them to type it in before they can join. If you set a waiting room, they will see a message saying they are waiting for you to admit them, and they will wait in that space until you click their name and let them in.
People do not need a Zoom account to join a meeting — the link is all they need. They can join from a computer, phone, or tablet.
Reusing your Personal Meeting ID for regular meetings
Your Personal Meeting ID is the same link every time you use it. If you hold a weekly team meeting or a regular class, you can send the same link to everyone and use it over and over. People will recognize the link and know what to expect.
The downside is that if you share your Personal Meeting ID publicly (on a website or social media), anyone can try to join any meeting you start with that link. For public or large meetings, it is safer to create a new scheduled meeting each time, which gives you a different link for each event.
You can see your Personal Meeting ID in your Zoom profile. On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right, select Profile, and look for Personal Meeting ID. On a phone, tap Settings, then Profile, and scroll down to find it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my meeting link after I send it to people?
No — the link you send stays the same. If you need a different link, you have to create a new meeting. For scheduled meetings, you can edit the time or other details without changing the link, but if you want a completely new link, you must delete that meeting and create a new one.
What if someone joins my meeting without permission?
If you have a waiting room turned on, you can see who is trying to join and refuse to admit them. If you do not have a waiting room, you can remove someone after they join by right-clicking their name and selecting Remove. To prevent this in the future, add a password or turn on the waiting room before you send the link out.
Do I need to be in the meeting for people to join using the link?
No — people can join and wait in the meeting room before you arrive. If you have a waiting room turned on, they will wait there until you join and admit them. If you do not have a waiting room, they will be in the meeting room, and you will see them when you join.
Can I send the same link to different groups of people?
Yes — your Personal Meeting ID works for anyone you send it to. However, if you send it to multiple groups at different times, they will all be in the same meeting room if they join at the same time. For separate meetings, create a new scheduled meeting each time, which gives you a different link.
What if my link stops working?
Zoom links rarely stop working, but if someone tells you they cannot join, ask them to copy and paste the link directly into their browser instead of clicking it. If that does not work, create a new meeting and send a new link. You can also check your Zoom account settings to make sure your account is active and your subscription has not expired.