How to Raise Your Hand on Zoom (Phone, Computer, Dial-In)

Big Zoom calls are chaos without a polite way to interrupt. Raise Hand is the digital version of putting your arm up in a classroom, and it matters just as much when you're the host trying to run a Q&A as when you're the guest with a question.

The button hides in different places depending on your device, so here's every route Zoom's help centre lists, plus what the host sees and how to take your hand down again.

Raising your hand on Zoom from a computer

On Windows, macOS or Linux, Zoom's help gives this path:

1. Join the meeting or webinar in the Zoom desktop app.
2. Click Reactions in the meeting controls.
3. Select Raise Hand.

Prefer the keyboard? Zoom lists Alt+Y on Windows and Option+Y on a Mac, and the same shortcut puts your hand back down. Its help page doesn't list a shortcut for Linux, so use the button there.

Raising your hand on the Zoom app for iPhone or Android

On a phone or tablet, tap Reactions, then tap Raise Hand. Zoom's participant controls list also shows raise hand and emoji reactions sitting under the More menu on mobile, so if the Reactions button isn't on your toolbar, look there. Menus vary a little between app versions.

Raising your hand in the Zoom Web App or by phone

If you've joined from a browser, sign in to the Zoom Web App, click Reactions, then choose Raise Hand. And if you've dialled in with an ordinary phone and no screen at all, Zoom's help says to press *9 to raise your hand. Press *9 again to lower it.

What the host sees when you raise your hand on Zoom

This is the bit most guides skip. According to Zoom, the host is notified when you raise your hand. If they decide to let you talk, you may be prompted to unmute. While you're unmuted, the host and panelists can see your profile picture and name, while other attendees see only your name.

To manage raised hands yourself, Zoom's requirements say you need to be a webinar host, co-host or panelist, or have meeting host or co-host permission granted by the host. So if you're a guest and nothing seems to happen, remember the host can only act on your hand if they're watching for it. A short message in the chat is a sensible backup.

Lowering your hand on Zoom after you've spoken

Don't leave your hand up. It's the digital equivalent of someone who's finished speaking but still has an arm in the air, and it makes the host's list harder to read.

• Computer or browser: click Lower Hand in the meeting or webinar controls, or use the same Alt+Y or Option+Y shortcut.
• iPhone or Android: tap Reactions again, then tap Lower Hand.
• Phone call: press *9 again.

Zoom adds a reassuring detail: lowering your hand doesn't mute you if you're already unmuted, so you won't accidentally cut yourself off mid-sentence.

Zoom raise hand versus emoji reactions and hand gestures

People mix these up. Raise Hand sends a signal the host can see and act on. An emoji reaction, like a clap or a thumbs up, is just a visible reaction. Zoom also offers gesture recognition: holding the matching hand gesture in front of your camera for 2 seconds triggers a reaction, but it only works with your video on and your hand inside the frame Zoom captures.

So if you physically wave at a camera and nothing happens, that's not a fault. Use the button when you need the host to notice you.

Using Zoom's raise hand feature when you host a call

If you run client sessions, workshops or webinars, tell people at the start how you want questions handled. Zoom's help makes the same point, suggesting hosts explain how they'll use the feature. Something like 'raise your hand and I'll call on you, or type it in the chat' saves a lot of talking over each other.

It's also worth asking whether the session will be recorded before people start asking questions. I've covered where replays end up in my guide to finding the webinar recording after a Zoom call, and the privacy side of AI listeners in the AI meeting notetaker problem nobody warns you about.

Raising your hand on Zoom in a webinar versus a meeting

The button is the same in both, but the room feels different. In a small team meeting, a raised hand is usually a polite nudge between colleagues. In a webinar with a crowd, it's the main way attendees signal a question, so hosts and panelists tend to watch the list closely. If you're the one presenting, nominate a co-host or panelist to keep an eye on raised hands while you talk, because it's hard to teach and monitor a list at once. As an attendee, keep your question short, lower your hand once it's answered, and don't raise it again for the same thing.

If you can't find the Zoom raise hand option

• Look under More on mobile, or under React on a desktop toolbar, because labels differ.
• Update the Zoom app, since Zoom says features need a minimum app version.
• Check you've joined with the desktop app, mobile app or Web App, not a very old client.
• Ask the host whether the session has settings that limit reactions.
• If it's still missing, Zoom's help centre is the place to ask.

Frequently asked questions

How do I raise my hand on Zoom?

On a computer click Reactions, then Raise Hand, or press Alt+Y on Windows or Option+Y on a Mac. On a phone tap Reactions, then Raise Hand.

How do I raise my hand on Zoom by phone call?

Zoom's help says to press *9 on your phone's keypad to raise your hand and *9 again to lower it.

Does the host know when I raise my hand on Zoom?

Yes. Zoom says the host is notified when you raise your hand, and if they let you speak you may be prompted to unmute.

How do I lower my hand on Zoom?

Click Lower Hand in the controls, use the same keyboard shortcut, or on mobile tap Reactions then Lower Hand. It won't mute you if you're already unmuted.

Why can't I raise my hand on Zoom?

Check your app is up to date, look under React or More depending on your device, and ask the host whether the meeting limits reactions.