The Zoom pin feature lets you lock one participant’s video to the main part of your screen so they stay in view no matter who is talking. This is perfect for following a sign-language interpreter, keeping a presenter front and center, or watching one person during a performance or interview. Pinning affects only your own view, so nobody else sees a difference and no host permission is needed.
In this guide you will learn how to pin a participant on desktop and mobile, how to pin more than one person at once with multi-pin, and how pinning differs from spotlighting, which is a host tool that changes the view for everyone. We also cover why the pin option sometimes goes missing and how to fix it.
Pin vs. spotlight: what’s the difference?
These two features look similar but do very different things. Pinning is a personal setting that keeps a chosen video large on your screen only. Everyone else in the meeting still sees their own layout. You can pin anyone at any time without special permission.
Spotlighting, by contrast, is a host or co-host action that forces a participant’s video to the main position for all attendees. Use spotlight when you want the whole room to focus on a speaker, and use pin when the choice is just for you. A meeting needs at least three participants before spotlight becomes available.
How to pin someone in Zoom on desktop
Pinning on a computer takes just a couple of clicks.
- Find the person’s video tile in Gallery or Speaker view.
- Hover over their tile so the blue three-dot More icon appears in the top-right corner.
- Click the three-dot menu.
- Select Pin from the list of options.
- Their video is now pinned to your main view and stays there even when others speak.
- To remove it, click Remove Pin near the top-left of the video or reopen the menu and choose Unpin.
How to pin multiple people (multi-pin)
Zoom lets you pin up to nine participants at once. Pin the first person using the steps above, then hover over the next person, open the three-dot menu, and choose Add Pin. Repeat for anyone else you want to keep on screen. This is useful for keeping an interpreter and a speaker visible together.
How to pin someone in Zoom on mobile
The mobile apps make pinning even faster.
- Open the meeting in the Zoom app on your phone or tablet.
- Swipe to the person you want to pin if you are in Gallery view.
- Double-tap their video tile.
- Their video is pinned and a Pinned label appears.
- Double-tap again or tap the small pin label to unpin them.
You personally want to keep watching one person, like an interpreter or a presenter, without affecting anyone else’s screen. No host rights needed.
You are the host and want everyone in the meeting to see the same speaker. Requires at least three participants and host or co-host permission.
| Feature | Pin | Spotlight |
|---|---|---|
| Who it affects | Only your screen | Everyone’s screen |
| Who can do it | Any participant | Host or co-host only |
| Max people | Up to 9 (multi-pin) | Up to 9 |
| Minimum participants | Works with 2+ | Needs 3+ |
| Affects recordings | No | Yes (spotlighted speaker) |
Why can’t I pin someone in Zoom?
If the Pin option is missing, one of a few things is usually going on. Multi-pin may be disabled by the host, so you can only pin one person. In small two-person calls the pin option can look different because Zoom already shows the other person full-size. On some managed accounts the “Allow participants to multi-pin” setting is turned off by an administrator. Ask the host to enable it, or restart the app if the menu is not appearing at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does pinning someone in Zoom notify them?
No. Pinning is completely private. The person you pin receives no notification, and other participants cannot tell that you have pinned anyone.
How many people can I pin at once?
You can pin up to nine participants at the same time using the multi-pin feature, as long as the host has allowed multi-pinning for the meeting.
Does pinning affect the meeting recording?
No. Pinning only changes your local view. If you want a specific person to appear in the recording, the host should spotlight them instead.
What is the difference between pin and spotlight?
Pin changes only your own screen and can be used by anyone. Spotlight is a host tool that changes the main video for everyone in the meeting and is captured in recordings.
Why is the pin option missing on my screen?
Multi-pin may be disabled, you may be in a two-person call where it behaves differently, or an administrator has restricted it. Ask the host to enable multi-pin or try restarting the Zoom app.
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