Outside Guests Joining and the Host Waiting Room
Guests open its own link, enter name and passcode, wait in the lobby, and the host admits or denies them from the waiting panel in the room.
For School administrators, HR managers. Updated 2026-10-09.
Overview
When Let outside guests join is on, the guest link its own link works without any login. The guest page shows the school, meeting title, time and host. The guest enters a Name (at least 2 characters) and the 6-character Passcode (if one is required), then selects Continue. A wrong passcode returns "That passcode is not right.
Check it and try again." Guests then preview camera and microphone (off by default) in the lobby. With the waiting room on, the request is Pending and the host sees a panel in the room with a toast "<name> is waiting to join" and buttons to admit or deny each person, or Admit everyone.
The guest page shows steps such as "The host will let you in shortly"; once admitted and the meeting is live, they join automatically, shown as "(guest)" in the room. If denied they see "The host did not let you in. If this is a mistake, ask them for a new link." With the waiting room off, guests are admitted straight away.
Invalid or cancelled links show "This meeting link is not valid." and ended meetings show "This meeting has ended." Pending requests older than 6 hours are not shown to the host. Guests cannot start a meeting.
Before you start
- The meeting allows outside guests
- The host is in or will start the room to admit guests
Steps
- Guest opens the link from the Share dialog
- Guest enters their name and the passcode, then selects Continue
- Guest checks camera and microphone and waits in the lobby
- Host opens the waiting panel in the room and selects the admit tick for the guest, or Admit everyone
- Guest joins automatically once admitted and the meeting is live
Common problems
Guest is stuck on "Waiting for the host to start and let you in"
The host has not started the meeting or has not admitted them yet. Make sure the host joins the room and checks the waiting panel.
Guest passcode is rejected
Passcodes are 6 characters from letters and digits and are not case sensitive. If the host created a New passcode, send the latest one.
Guest sees "This meeting link is not valid"
Guests are not allowed on this meeting, it was cancelled, or the link was copied incorrectly. Edit the meeting to allow guests (before it starts) and resend the link.
Host cannot see waiting guests
Only the host or an Admin/HR manager with the “edit meeting” permission sees the waiting panel, and only requests from the last 6 hours.