How to Spotlight on Zoom (and Why It's Not the Same as Pin)

Spotlight is the Zoom feature that decides what everyone in the meeting looks at. It's how you keep a guest speaker on everyone's screen while other people cough, nod and wander off camera. It's easy to confuse with pinning, which only changes your own view. Here's how to spotlight on desktop and mobile, the rules Zoom applies, and when to use it.

How to spotlight a participant on desktop

1. Start the meeting as the host, or join and be made a co-host.
2. Hover over the video of the person you want to spotlight.
3. Click the three-dot (ellipsis) icon on their video.
4. Click Spotlight for everyone.
5. To spotlight more people, repeat the steps and click Add spotlight, up to 9 in total.

Spotlighting from the Zoom phone app

1. Start the meeting as host, or join and be made co-host.
2. In the meeting controls, tap More, then Participants.
3. Tap the person's name to see their options.
4. Tap Spotlight for everyone. To add more people, tap another name and choose Add spotlight.

To cancel on mobile, go back to More, Participants, tap the person's name and choose Remove spotlight.

The rules Zoom applies

Rule	Meeting	Webinar
Who can spotlight	Host or co-host	The host or a co-host
Minimum needed	3 or more participants with video on	2 or more panelists, at least one with video on
Maximum spotlighted	Up to 9	The same limit of 9
Exception	None	Not available in the webinar backstage area

That 'three people with video on' rule is why the option sometimes seems to be missing at the start of a meeting. Wait until enough cameras are on and it appears.

Spotlight versus pin

This is where most confusion comes from. Spotlight changes what everyone sees. Pinning makes up to 9 videos the main view on your own screen only. Everyone else carries on seeing the active speaker. So if a participant asks 'how do I keep the speaker big on my screen?', the answer is pin. If you're running the meeting and want everyone focused on one person, it's spotlight.

How to remove a spotlight

• One person spotlighted: click Remove spotlight in the top-left corner of their video.
• Several people spotlighted: click View in the top-right corner of the meeting window, then Remove all spotlights.

Removing all spotlights returns the meeting to Speaker or Gallery view, so nobody is left staring at a speaker who's finished.

Spotlighting yourself when you talk

There's a related setting for your own view. In the Zoom desktop app, click your profile picture, then Settings, open the Meetings & webinars tab and, under My video, turn on Show me as an active speaker when I talk. Zoom notes this is especially useful if you're recording the meeting on your own computer, because your own video takes the main spot when you speak instead of the person who spoke last.

Spotlight and recordings

If you record to the cloud, Zoom says cloud recordings can recognise and record up to 9 spotlighted participants in the Gallery View recording layout. That's handy for panels: spotlight your speakers and the recording keeps the focus where you want it, rather than jumping between whoever made a noise.

When spotlight is worth using

• Webinars and talks, to keep the presenter on screen for the whole audience.
• Panels, by spotlighting each panellist so the conversation looks organised.
• Training sessions, where the trainer demonstrates while others watch.
• Interviews you plan to share later, so the recording focuses on host and guest.

If you run regular online events, my webinar planning resources cover the rest of the set-up, and if a colleague helps you run them, a simple co-host agreement makes it clear who handles spotlight, chat and admissions.

A tip for smoother events

If you're hosting something important, make a trusted colleague a co-host before you start presenting, then let them handle spotlighting. Switching spotlights while you're also talking, sharing slides and watching the chat is where hosts fumble. A co-host can move the spotlight between speakers at the right moment, and you can concentrate on what you're saying. Agree in advance who speaks when, so they know exactly when to switch.

If you can't find the spotlight option

Work through three checks. First, are you host or co-host? Ordinary participants can't spotlight, though they can still pin videos for their own view. Second, do at least three people have their video on in a meeting? Third, in a webinar, are you still backstage? Spotlight isn't available there. Updating the Zoom app to the latest version is also worth doing, as Zoom requires a minimum app version for the feature.

My verdict

Spotlight when you're running the meeting and want everyone looking at the same person; tell participants to pin when they just want a better view for themselves. Remember the two rules that trip people up: you need host or co-host rights, and a meeting needs three cameras on before the option appears.

Frequently asked questions

How do I spotlight someone on Zoom?

As host or co-host, hover over their video, click the three-dot icon and choose Spotlight for everyone.

Why can't I spotlight on Zoom?

You need to be the host or a co-host, and a meeting needs three or more participants with video on. Spotlight isn't available in webinar backstage.

How many people can you spotlight on Zoom?

Zoom allows up to 9 spotlighted participants.

What's the difference between pin and spotlight on Zoom?

Spotlight changes the main view for everyone. Pin changes the view on your own device only.

Does spotlight show in Zoom recordings?

Zoom says cloud recordings recognise and record up to 9 spotlighted participants in the Gallery View recording layout.