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Zoom Admins Can Now Disable PMIs; Additional Security Updates for Basic Accounts Coming May 9

Zoom account owners and admins can now disable the use of a personal meeting ID (PMI) for scheduling or starting an instant meeting. Learn more...

Updated on June 25, 2020

Published on May 05, 2020

In this blog

01 FAQs - Jumplink to FAQs
02 Best practices for using a PMI - Jumplink to Best practices for using a PMI
03 Upcoming security changes for free Basic accounts - Jumplink to Upcoming security changes for free Basic accounts

Edward Lee

Security Product Manager

One really great Zoom security feature that was released this past weekend gives you more control over the use of personal meeting IDs (PMIs) in your organization. With this latest release, Zoom account owners and admins can now disable the use of a PMI for scheduling or starting an instant meeting. Because PMIs are always accessible using the same ID or meeting link, anyone can join unless they’re properly secured. Disabling the use of PMIs reduces that risk altogether and doesn’t leave PMI security up to individual users. This option to disable PMIs can be locked at the account or group level. To provide more details on what disabling PMIs means for an organization and its users, we’ve put together some FAQs, which includes actions required to update any PMI-scheduled meetings.

What happens when PMIs are disabled? When PMIs are turned off, existing PMIs and personal links will become invalid and cannot be used to host a meeting. Users will get a message stating that “PMI is disabled" when accessing those meetings. Will I have to update your previously scheduled or recurring meetings? Yes, any previously scheduled and recurring meetings using a PMI will need to be updated. Our recommendation: Go into the Zoom web portal, navigate to Meetings, and delete any Upcoming Meetings that use a PMI. Create new meetings from your preferred scheduler and send out new invitations. Visit our support page for additional information. Is there any change to how I schedule meetings if PMI is disabled? Scheduling workflows remain the same, but users no longer have the option in the scheduler to use a personal meeting ID. Every meeting will use a randomly generated meeting ID. Can I still start an instant meeting? Yes, instant meetings will always be started with a randomly generated ID. Do I still have a personal meeting room? With PMIs disabled, you won’t have a meeting ID or personal link unique to your Zoom account, but you’ll still have access to private and secure meetings using a randomly generated meeting ID.

The ability to disable a PMI is a great option for organizations seeking added control and security for their enterprise-wide Zoom meetings. Some organizations, however, may still want to provide the convenience of PMIs. We recommend these features for protecting all meetings, especially if you are using a PMI or personal link:

Require a meeting password
Disable join before host
Enable waiting room
Require authenticated users to join
Lock the meeting after it’s started
Mute participants on entry

You can enable any of these features by going to Settings -> Meetings -> Personal Meeting Room in your Zoom account. Additionally, it’s best practice to avoid using your PMI for meetings with people you do not meet with regularly and for back-to-back meetings.

Zoom will also deploy additional security changes for our free Basic users this coming weekend, and these include default safeguards. Beginning May 9, Basic Zoom accounts will be updated with the following changes:

Passwords will be required for all meetings, including new meetings, previously scheduled meetings, and those using PMI
Waiting Rooms for PMI will be turned on by default
Screen sharing privileges will be Host Only by default

These enhanced protections will help enable our free users to securely meet right out of the box. For additional info on all recent Zoom platform updates, check out our Release Notes. To learn more about securing your Zoom meetings, check out our Privacy and Security webpage for additional information and resources.