Zoom: Choose a Video Layout

There are multiple video layout options available for you as a host, co-host, and participant in Zoom.

Layout Options

There are 4 video layout options in Zoom:

Active Speaker (default layout)

  • Switches the large video window to the current speaker
  • Available regardless of screen sharing
    A screenshot of Zoom Active Speaker View in a meeting with 5 participants

Gallery View

  • Shows up to 25 participants at a time, use the arrow to scroll through remaining participants
  • Available regardless of screen sharing
  • Participants can click on speaker tiles and drag them to desired order; Host can enable Follow Host View Mode to control/lock speaker tile order for all participants
  • You can hide non-video participants so that those who do not have webcams or who have their video turned off do not appear
    Screenshot of a meeting in Gallery View with 4 participants

Mini

  • shrinks the Zoom video, but keeps it on top of other applications you have open on your computer
  • you can move the window around your screen or hide the video entirely
  • only available when no one in the meeting or webinar is sharing their screen
    • Use the minimize icon (top right in Windows or top left in Mac) to enter Mini Window view.

Side-by-Side mode

  • allows you to see a shared screen along with either the Speaker View or Gallery View simultaneously
  • you can move the separator between the shared screen and video to change the relative size of each portion
  • does not work if using dual monitors/displays or a projector

For more information, additional screenshots and detailed instructions on using any of the above, see How Do I Change The Video Layout? in the Zoom Help Center.  For Side-by-Side mode specifically, see Side-By-Side Mode For Screen Sharing.

Pin Video

Pin video disables Active Speaker view to only view a specific speaker. Pinning another participant's video will only affect your view, not the view of other participants or cloud recordings. Cloud recordings follow the host's view. 

The Pin Video feature is only available when using the Zoom client for meetings desktop application. 

For instructions on how to pin video, with screenshots, see Pin Video in the Zoom Help Center.

Pinning Multiple Zoom Participants

By default, only Hosts and co-hosts on Zoom desktop client version 5.2.3 and higher can pin multiple people. Hosts and co-hosts can enable this feature for individual participants (ex. for ASL interpretation). 

Note: Host or co-host must enable this feature per participant during each meeting:

  1. Select Participants.
  2. Find the participant you wish to enable this feature for and click More.
  3. Select Allow to Multi-Pin.
    Zoom desktop client. More selected over example participant. Allow to Multi-pin highlighted.

Spotlight Video

Spotlight video sets a participant or multiple participants as the primary active speaker for all participants. All participants will only see this speaker as the active speaker. This feature is often used to spotlight a keynote speaker. 

Note: Only a host or co-host can spotlight videos.

Requirements

See the Spotlight Video article in the Zoom Help Center for detailed instructions, including screenshots, on using this feature on your device.