Zoom's video conferencing platform offers various features, such as the "Pin Video" option. This feature allows you to magnify and center a particular participant, putting other participants in the background. Are you interested in knowing how it all works? This article explains everything you need to know about the Zoom pinning feature, starting with how to pin and unpin someone, why the feature is important. We'll also find out if it's possible to tell when someone has pinned you on Zoom.
Let's start.
How to Pin Someone on Zoom
Different devices have slightly different methods of accessing the pin function. This section will guide you through using the feature on Windows, Mac, and mobile devices.
First, your meeting must have a minimum of two participants to use the pin feature. You can pin a maximum of nine videos to your screen.
It's important to note that it's not possible to pin users from an iPhone, but the feature is available if you access Zoom from your iPad.
Pin to Android or iPhone
You will most likely use the platform's mobile app on these devices. Before you begin, you'll need to make sure your controller for Zoom Rooms has been set up. You can do this by downloading the Zoom Rooms controller app from the Zoom website.
1.You can then proceed by following the instructions below: Open Zoom on your device and start a meeting or join an existing one.
2.Tap the "Manage Participants" icon on your screen to view everyone in the meeting.
3.Select the name of the participant and click on the “Select Video” option available on the right side of the screen.
4.The selected user will now be pinned to the top of your screen.
Pin to your PC (Windows and Mac)
- Open the Zoom desktop client and start or join a meeting.
- Hover your mouse pointer over the video of the participant you want to pin.
- A menu with three dots will become visible in the upper right corner of the participant's video. Click on it once it appears.
- Select "Pin Video" from the drop-down menu that appears.
- The participant's video will automatically be brought to the front of your screen.
Is it possible to find out if someone has pinned you on Zoom?
Many Zoom users are curious if it's possible to find out if a participant has pinned them to their screen. The answer is no. Zoom does not send notifications to users when other participants pin their videos.
Pinning videos is a local action, which means it only affects your screen view and not the view of other call participants. It will also not appear in their recordings of the meeting or on the cloud recording of the session.
Some people think that a notification is sent to the participant once their video is pinned, but that's just not the case. However, notifications are sent if you choose to register a user.
Pin the label on Zoom
Zoom, by default, switches the main view to the last speaker, but sometimes that might not be the person some users are most interested in. This is especially true for hearing-impaired participants who prefer to follow the ASL interpreter.
Therefore, the pin feature is handy for selecting a particular participant that you want to keep as the focal point of your meeting. However, some people are not comfortable being the center of attention, especially if they are not leading the session. It is then easy to understand why many users of the platform would like to know if their colleagues have pinned them.
Since there's no way to tell if you or anyone else has been pinned during the meeting, proper etiquette here would be to respect everyone's privacy and only pin others when it's an issue. essential part of your Zoom experience.
Additional FAQs
What happens when you pin someone on Zoom?
Once you pin a participant, other users' videos are minimized to thumbnails in the background. Your pinned participant is in focus, allowing you to pay more attention to the user. This feature comes in handy if the attendee is giving a presentation.
Pinned videos stay active on your screen even when other call participants are talking. Essential pinning disables the active speaker view and brings your pinned video to the front.
How to unpin a video on Zoom?
Tearing a video is a fairly simple process.
1. In the upper left corner of the pinned video, you will see the option "Unpin video".
2. Click this icon and you will return to the “Active Speaker” layout.
What is the difference between pinning and highlighting?
Many people are unclear about the pinning issue because they may confuse it with highlighting. Both pinning and highlighting bring the speaker to the fore, so it's easy to confuse one with the other.
Spotlighting occurs when the meeting host or co-host pins a particular video, making it visible to everyone on the call. Other participants cannot control this feature. Up to nine videos can be highlighted at a time. No permission is required to spotlight attendees, so it would be helpful to keep that in mind during your next Zoom session.
Hosts tend to use the spotlight feature to make sure everyone can see the speaker. This is handy for minimizing distractions, for example, preventing others from unintentionally attracting the microphone's attention by coughing or making other such noises.
If you pin a video, you'll see it on your screen regardless of the featured video.
Set the clocks
Zoom has some amazing features, all designed to make it easier for businesses and organizations to hold meetings, even when participants are in different locations.
With its “Pin Video” feature, the platform has made it easier for attendees to adjust and control their screen view. While this makes the session less difficult to follow, it might make some of your colleagues uncomfortable. For all that this brings to the table, there's currently no way to tell if you've been pinned on Zoom.
Do you find the pin function useful? Want to know if someone pinned you on Zoom? Let us know in the comments section below.
