How to Set Up a Microsoft Teams Waiting Room (Lobby)

To set up a Microsoft Teams waiting room, open your scheduled meeting’s options and choose who can bypass the lobby. Select Only organizers and co-organizers if you want other attendees to wait for approval. Check the separate phone dial-in setting, too.

Teams calls its waiting room the lobby. It controls entry; it does not automatically gather everyone and start the meeting at the same time. Configure it before the meeting so you can review arrivals when you are ready.

Set up the lobby before your meeting

Use the account that organized the meeting. These instructions follow the current Teams desktop interface; the layout can vary. Microsoft’s meeting options guide documents the current controls.

1. Open the event. In Teams, select Calendar, choose your scheduled meeting, and select View event. You do not need to start a channel meeting first.

   

2. Open the access settings. Select Options, then Meeting access. Meeting options may open in a separate browser window.

   

3. Choose who must wait. Open Who can bypass the lobby? and select Only organizers and co-organizers. This is the current choice for making other attendees wait, rather than the older “Only me” wording.

   

4. Check admission controls and apply. Turn People dialing in can bypass the lobby off if callers should wait. Set Who can admit from the lobby to Organizers and co-organizers if only those roles should approve arrivals. Select Apply.

   

If shown, leave Reject anyone who can’t bypass the lobby off when you want people to wait for admission. Turning it on rejects people who lack bypass permission.

Choose the right bypass setting

You can allow familiar groups to enter directly while keeping others in the lobby. The organizer and co-organizers bypass the lobby with each choice below.

Do not assume every meeting lets everyone enter by default. Your administrator determines the initial rules. Microsoft’s lobby policy reference explains how participant types and phone callers are handled.

For a busy meeting, arrange for a co-organizer to help monitor arrivals. Co-organizers can bypass the lobby and admit people. See Microsoft’s co-organizer requirements and setup instructions before assigning that role.

Change lobby settings during a meeting

In the meeting toolbar, select Controls > View more options. Open Meeting access, adjust the bypass, dial-in, or admission settings, and select Apply. People already waiting in the lobby remain there; admit them separately.

Admit or deny people waiting in the lobby

By default, organizers, co-organizers, and presenters can manage the lobby, unless the admission setting restricts that permission.

1. Select People in the meeting toolbar.
2. Under Waiting in the lobby, select the check mark beside a name to admit that person, or the X to deny entry.
3. Use Admit all, when available, only after reviewing the group.

See Microsoft’s lobby management instructions for additional admission controls.

What attendees see

Attendees who must wait see a message that someone needs to let them in. Waiting does not mean their connection failed. If nobody admits them, they should contact the organizer directly.

Fix common lobby problems

• A setting is locked: A meeting template or sensitivity label may enforce it. Ask your IT administrator to check the configuration.
• Someone enters without approval: Review their meeting role, the bypass group, and the separate dial-in toggle.
• An attendee cannot join: A sign-in requirement or organizational policy may prevent entry. Changing the lobby alone does not override those restrictions.
• The lobby is full: Ask the attendee to wait a few minutes and try again as people are admitted or leave.

For specific error messages, use Microsoft’s Teams meeting join troubleshooting guide.

Turn off the waiting room

Return to Meeting access, set Who can bypass the lobby? to Everyone, and select Apply. Organizational policies can still require some arrivals to wait until an eligible participant joins. For a meeting series, lobby changes also affect future meetings in that series.