Zoom - Converting Meeting to Webinar

Overview

The meeting and webinar platforms offer similar features and functionality but have some key differences. Meetings are designed to be a collaborative event where all parties can see, hear, and share with each other, whereas webinars are designed so that the host and designated panellists can share and view-only attendees can watch the presentation. 

Requirements for converting meetings and webinars

• Host user type must be Licensed and be assigned the Zoom Webinars add-on
• Scheduled meeting must use an automatically generated meeting ID; cannot be scheduled with PMI

How To

Convert a Meeting to a Webinar

When converting a meeting to a webinar:

• The meeting/webinar ID remains the same.
• The registration link changes slightly, but the original link will automatically redirect to the new one.
• Existing registrants can still join using their original join link.
• Meeting settings and registrants are transferred to the webinar.

Steps to Convert:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Meetings.
3. Click the name of the meeting you want to convert.
4. Scroll down and click Convert this Meeting to a Webinar (located next to the Start, Edit, and Delete options).
5. Click Convert to confirm.

Convert a Webinar to a Meeting

When converting a webinar to a meeting:

• Webinar-only features (e.g., Q&A, multiple-answer polls, webinar emails, post-webinar surveys) will be removed.
• The registration link will change, but the original link will redirect to the new one.
• Branding elements (e.g., logo, banner) will be retained.
• Panelists will be converted to registrants.
• Existing registrants can still join using their original join link.
• Reports will move from:
  • Webinar Reports → Meeting Reports
  • Attendee Reports → Usage / Active Hosts (for admins)
• For recurring webinars, reports from past sessions will remain under Webinar Reports.

Steps to Convert:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Webinars.
3. Click the name of the webinar you want to convert.
4. Scroll down and click Convert this Webinar to a Meeting (located next to the Start, Edit, and Save as Template options).
5. Click Convert to confirm.

Additional Notes

• Conversions are only available for scheduled meetings or webinars.
• Ensure you review feature differences between meetings and webinars before converting.
• If the event is part of a recurring series, only future sessions will reflect the new format.