Enable and update passcodes for UW Zoom meetings

Last updated: August 16, 2022

Passcodes (formerly “passwords”) provide an additional layer of security for your Zoom meetings. You can require a passcode when scheduling new meetings and/or embed a passcode into the meeting invitation link.

Passcodes are particularly useful when you are hosting:

  • Small meetings where you know everyone will enter the meeting by clicking the link you have sent them
  • Large meetings where you do not know the names of all participants (and therefore encounter challenges when admitting people from a waiting room)

Embed or unembedded passcode

When you require a passcode when scheduling new meetings, users will either enter the passcode when prompted or use a meeting link that includes an encrypted passcode.

When you embed a passcode in a meeting invitation link for one-click join, participants with this custom link can bypass the step of entering the passcode manually. If this feature is disabled, the link to the meeting will not include an encrypted passcode, so participants will need to know the code in order to access the meeting.

For comparison, here is what these two formats look like:

Embedded link:

https://washington.zoom.us/j/944111234?pwd=XYkM22LTVXpxRHROaFdZTTdhR0dUUT09

Link with separate passcode (unembedded):

https://washington.zoom.us/j/944111234
passcode: 1234

Notes:

  • A passcode does not guarantee that unwanted participants cannot join your meeting. Meeting links can be copied, pasted, and shared with people you have not explicitly invited. Anyone who has the link with a passcode can enter the meeting. For a more failsafe method of only admitting invited participants to a meeting, consider turning on the Zoom waiting room.
  • Avoid posting passcodes or meeting links with embedded passcodes in public-facing spaces, such as websites or social media. If meeting information needs to be shared with a public audience, consider using Zoom’s registration option.
  • For better passcode security, use multiple types of characters (capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers, special characters) and avoid predictable sequences (abcd, 1111, etc.)

Enable a passcode by default

  1. Sign into https://washington.zoom.us.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Under Security, scroll down to Require a password when scheduling new meetings.
  4. Toggle the switch on if necessary. This will ensure that each new meeting you schedule has a passcode enabled by default.
    Note: You will still be able to turn passcodes off for individual meetings if desired, but will need to enable a Waiting Room for any meeting without a passcode.
    Require a password when scheduling meetings

Embed a passcode in the invite link for the meeting

This allows users with the link to join your meeting without being prompted for a passcode.

  1. Sign into https://washington.zoom.us.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Under Security, scroll down to Embed password in invite link for one-click join and toggle this switch on if it is not enabled already.
    Embed password for one-click
    Now when you schedule a meeting, a unique code will be embedded in the link you send to meeting participants.

Previously scheduled meetings

You will need to enable a passcode for each individual meeting that you scheduled previously. For previously scheduled recurring meetings, you only need to do this once for the series. Remember to resend calendar invitations for any meetings you previously scheduled in order to include the passcode.

Update the passcode setting for an individual meeting via UW Zoom

  1. Sign into https://washington.zoom.us.
  2. Go to Meetings.
  3. Locate the meeting you want to add a passcode to and click the Meeting title to select and open the meeting.
  4. Scroll down and click Edit this Meeting.
  5. Scroll down and next to Meeting Password, select Require meeting password (when you select, Zoom will automatically assign a number).
    Require meeting password
  6. Click Save.
  7. To the right of Invite link, click Copy Invitation.
  8. Click Copy Meeting InvitationThe text is copied to the clipboard.
  9. Add this new information to your meeting invitation and resend so that meeting participants have the correct link.

If you primarily schedule Zoom meetings through the Microsoft Outlook plugin, updating passcodes and other meeting settings through the plugin will require a few unique steps. For instructions on updating meeting settings in the Outlook plugin, please visit the following Zoom Support guide: Microsoft Outlook plugin (desktop) | Zoom Support