Zoom breakout rooms: how to create & best practices for success

Key takeaways

• Breakout rooms allow for more personalized discussions, fostering engagement and collaboration even in large online gatherings.
• Understanding how breakout rooms work and implementing strategies can significantly improve their efficiency and outcomes.
• Leveraging tools such as MinutesLink for automated note-taking and summaries can save time, streamline sessions, and enhance overall productivity.

What are Zoom breakout rooms?

At their core, Zoom breakout rooms are virtual spaces that allow a meeting host to divide participants into smaller groups for more focused discussions or activities. The breakout room feature is perfect for virtual workshops, team meetings, online classes, and more.

With Zoom breakout rooms, participants can work in separate sessions, and the host can manage breakout activities to ensure discussions remain productive. Participants can be assigned to breakout rooms manually or automatically, offering flexibility to cater to various group dynamics.

Common use cases for breakout rooms

 •  Workshops and training sessions
Train employees or students in smaller groups to provide tailored guidance and hands-on learning experiences. These sessions allow for personalized feedback, fostering skill development and deeper understanding of the topics covered.

 •  Team collaborations
Facilitate effective team brainstorming sessions or collaborative work on shared tasks. Smaller group settings encourage open communication, creativity, and problem-solving, ensuring projects move forward smoothly and efficiently.

 •  Networking events
Create opportunities for one-on-one conversations or small group discussions during virtual conferences. These setups help attendees connect on a more personal level, exchange ideas, and build valuable professional relationships in an engaging and interactive environment.

Why are breakout rooms effective?

• Breakout rooms encourage intimate discussions in smaller groups, creating a space where participants feel more comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions.
• This setup significantly improves participation and helps maintain the overall focus of attendees during breakout sessions, leading to more productive and meaningful conversations.
• Additionally, breakout rooms enable screen share capabilities, allowing participants to present visuals, documents, or slides seamlessly, fostering better collaboration and engagement within the group.

Benefits of using Zoom breakout rooms

Breakout rooms enhance both the engagement and efficiency of virtual meetings in several ways.

Encourages participation

Smaller groups mean less intimidation. Participants feel more comfortable sharing thoughts, leading to interactive and meaningful discussions.

Boosts focus

By isolating participants into specific rooms, breakout room sessions are free from distractions and tailored to meeting objectives.

Enables collaboration

Teams can collaborate on problems in real-time. Features like screen sharing help visually communicate ideas.

Enhances networking

Breakout rooms are excellent for building personal connections during networking or icebreaker activities in large events.

👌🏻 For businesses and educators, these benefits can translate into actionable insights and better engagement metrics from virtual sessions.

How to create Zoom breakout rooms

Creating breakout rooms is simple and can enhance collaboration during virtual meetings. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set them up and manage them effectively.

Step 1: Enable breakout rooms

1. Log in to the Zoom web portal as an admin.
2. Go to Settings. Under "Meeting," locate the "Breakout Room" option.
3. Enable Breakout Rooms and check the box to allow meeting hosts to assign participants to breakout rooms automatically or manually.

Step 2: Start a meeting and create rooms

1. Begin your Zoom meeting.
2. Click the "Breakout Rooms" button in the menu bar.
3. You’ll have three options to assign participants:
   Assign automatically – Zoom divides participants evenly across rooms.
   Assign manually – You assign participants to breakout rooms one by one.
   Let participants choose room – Participants can choose rooms by theirselves.
4. Use the “Add Rooms” option to create breakout rooms and organize participants.

Step 3: Manage breakout rooms

Meeting hosts can actively manage breakout rooms to ensure productivity.

 •  Join breakout rooms
Hosts can visit rooms individually to monitor discussions or offer assistance.

 •  Broadcast messages
Send updates or instructions to all participants in breakout rooms simultaneously.

 •  Exchange participants
Easily move participants between rooms if required.

Step 4: Close breakout rooms

1. Set a countdown timer to notify participants that conversations are ending.
2. You can give additional time or close breakout rooms automatically when the timer expires.
3. Once breakout rooms close, participants return to the main room for follow-ups.

Best practices for breakout rooms

To take full advantage of breakout rooms, follow these best practices.

1. Set clear goals

Before diving into breakout sessions, clearly define what participants aim to achieve. This will keep discussions focused and productive.

2. Assign moderators

Assign a moderator or team leader for each room to guide discussions. Moderators ensure that goals are met, and time is managed efficiently.

3. Use timers

If you're juggling multiple breakout rooms, set breakout room time limits to stick to your meeting agenda.

4. Mix and match groups

For recurring sessions, rotate participants across different rooms. This exposes individuals to diverse viewpoints and promotes collaboration.

5. Follow up in the main room

After closing breakout rooms, reconvene in the main meeting session to share insights and wrap-up key takeaways.

Enhancing breakout room productivity with MinutesLink

While Zoom breakout rooms provide excellent opportunities for collaboration, keeping track of discussions in multiple rooms can be a challenge. This is where MinutesLink comes in handy.

How does MinutesLink Work?

MinutesLink is an AI-powered meeting assistant designed to make your virtual sessions more productive and efficient. By automatically generating notes, summaries, and follow-up action points, MinutesLink ensures you never miss a detail and can focus on meaningful discussions rather than tedious documentation.

Key features for breakout rooms

 1.  AI Transcription.  
Get highly accurate transcriptions of all your breakout room discussions. Whether it’s brainstorming sessions or detailed project updates, every word is captured and organized for easy reference.

 2.  Summarization
Generate concise, easy-to-digest summaries that highlight the main takeaways from each breakout session. Quickly review key points without having to sift through lengthy transcripts.

 3.  Secure and private
Your data is safe with us. MinutesLink uses end-to-end encryption and adheres to strict GDPR compliance standards, ensuring your breakout room conversations remain private and secure.

 4.  Multi-language support
Perfect for international teams, MinutesLink supports over 100 languages, making collaboration seamless no matter where your team is located or what language they prefer.

MinutesLink transforms your breakout room sessions into actionable insights, saving you hours of manual documentation while improving team collaboration. With its advanced AI capabilities, you can make every meeting more productive and valuable.

Questions about breakout rooms

How do I assign participants manually?

During the breakout room setup process, select "Manually" under the participant allocation options. This allows you to assign individual participants to specific rooms of your choice. Once you’ve assigned everyone to their desired room, click "Save" to finalize the setup. This feature is especially useful for organizing participants based on specific topics or group dynamics.

Can co-hosts manage breakout rooms?

Yes, co-hosts can fully manage breakout rooms, including creating, managing, and joining them. They have access to almost all breakout room controls, making collaboration seamless. However, keep in mind that only the primary host has the authority to assign participants to rooms. This ensures that participant placement remains consistent and organized.

What happens if a participant arrives late?

If a participant joins the meeting after breakout rooms have already started, the meeting host can assign them to an active room without disrupting the session. The process is simple and ensures that latecomers can still participate in the breakout activity without missing important discussions.

Can breakout participants choose rooms themselves?

Yes, participants can choose which breakout room to join if you enable the "Allow participants to choose room" option under breakout room settings. This is particularly useful for sessions where participants are given the freedom to select topics or groups based on their preferences or areas of interest.

Do breakout rooms close automatically?

Breakout rooms can close automatically if you enable a countdown timer in the settings. When the timer runs out, participants are given a warning before being returned to the main session. This feature helps you stick to a precise schedule and ensures a smooth transition back to the main meeting without confusion or delays.

Make every breakout session count

Breakout rooms are a powerful way to improve participation, focus, and collaboration in virtual meetings. By following this guide and implementing tools like MinutesLink, you can take your breakout sessions to the next level. Whether you're hosting workshops, meetings, or networking events, breakout rooms bridge the gap between virtual efficiency and meaningful interaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to do breakout rooms in Zoom?

To create breakout rooms in Zoom, start by ensuring the feature is enabled in your Zoom account settings under "In Meeting (Advanced)." During a meeting, click the "Breakout Rooms" button in the toolbar. You can then choose how many rooms you want and whether to assign participants manually or automatically. Once set up, click "Open All Rooms" to send participants to their assigned rooms. You can join, move between rooms, or close them at any time.

Does Zoom record breakout rooms?

Yes, Zoom can record breakout rooms, but only if the host or participants in the breakout room manually start the recording. The host can also assign permission to participants to record. However, recordings of breakout rooms are saved locally on the participant's device and not in the main meeting's cloud recording.

How to put people in breakout rooms on Zoom?

To put people in breakout rooms on Zoom, you need to be the host of the meeting. First, make sure the breakout room feature is enabled in your Zoom settings. During the meeting, click the "Breakout Rooms" button on the toolbar. This will open a window where you can assign participants to rooms either manually or automatically. Once the assignments are set, click "Open All Rooms" to send participants into their designated breakout rooms. Participants can then join their rooms and return to the main session when you're ready.

How to create a breakout room in Zoom?

To create a breakout room in Zoom, start by ensuring that the breakout room functionality is enabled in your Zoom account settings. During a meeting, click on the "Breakout Rooms" option in the meeting controls. From there, you can decide how many rooms you want to create and whether you want participants to be assigned automatically or manually. Once you've made your selections, click "Create Rooms" to set them up. You can then open the rooms for participants to join and manage them as needed.

Why can't I see breakout rooms in Zoom?

If you can’t see breakout rooms in Zoom, it’s likely because the feature hasn’t been enabled by the host or in your account settings. Make sure the host has turned on breakout rooms for the meeting, and if you're a host yourself, check your Zoom settings to enable the feature. Additionally, ensure you’re using the latest version of Zoom, as older versions may not support all features.