How to Raise Hand in Zoom [2025]: Complete Guide

You're in a Zoom meeting bursting with a brilliant idea, but unsure how to chime in without interrupting. Sounds familiar? That’s where the Raise Hand feature comes in! From team meetings, webinars, to virtual classrooms, this handy tool in Zoom lets you politely signal when you have something to say. 

The Zoom interface has changed a bit since I first started using it. In case you're uninitiated, let me show you how to raise your hand in Zoom (on desktop and mobile) and ways you can use this feature as a host or a participant. As a bonus, I'll also share a tool to run productive meetings on Zoom, so stay tuned!

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What is the ‘Raise Hand’ Feature in Zoom?

The ‘Raise Hand’ feature in Zoom allows participants to notify the host or speaker that they have a question or would like to contribute without disrupting the flow of the meeting. 

When someone clicks the ‘Raise Hand’ button, an icon appears next to their name in the participant list. It helps the host to identify those who wish to speak. The host can then unmute or call on the participant when it's their turn to speak.

The feature is useful in large meetings, as it keeps the conversation organized and ensures everyone has a chance to be heard in an orderly manner. 

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Why Should You Use the Raise Hand Feature in Zoom Meetings?

Here’s why I always recommend using the Raise Hand feature in Zoom meetings:

1. Keeps things organized: It’s easy for conversations to get chaotic, especially when multiple people want to speak at once. The raise hand feature makes sure everyone knows when it’s their turn to speak
2. Helps hosts manage the flow: As a host, it lets me control who speaks next. Instead of trying to juggle requests, I can just look for raised hands and call on people in order
3. Prevents interruptions: How many times have we all experienced that frustrating moment where two people talk over each other? The raise hand feature helps avoid that, making sure only one person speaks at a time
4. Gives everyone a chance to talk: In group meetings, some voices can go unheard. The raise hand feature is a great tool to assure everyone gets a fair chance to speak, no matter how large the group
5. Creates a professional atmosphere: Using the feature shows respect for the meeting’s structure and keeps things running smoothly. It feels more professional when everyone abides by the meeting etiquette

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How Do You Raise Your Hand in Zoom on Desktop? (Windows/MacOS/Web Client)

1. In the meeting or webinar controls, click Reactions, then select Raise Hand (✋).

2. The host will be notified that you’ve raised your hand.
3. If the host allows you to speak, you’ll be prompted to unmute yourself. While unmuted:

• Your profile picture and name will be visible to the host and panelists
• Only your name will be shown to other attendees

4. To lower your hand, click Lower Hand in the meeting controls. Lowering your hand will not mute you if you are already unmuted.

💡 Pro Tip: You can also raise or lower your hand with the Alt+Y (Windows) or Option+Y (macOS) keyboard shortcuts.

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Looking for more hacks to improve Zoom productivity? Check out our guide on Zoom tips and tricks. 

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How Do You Raise Your Hand in Zoom on Mobile Devices? 

‍For Android/iOS

If you’re joining a Zoom meeting from your mobile, you’ll have to follow the same steps we showed for desktop. However, the UI is slightly different.  

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1. Open the meeting or webinar controls and tap Reactions, then select Raise Hand (✋).

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2. The host will be notified that you’ve raised your hand.
3. If the host allows you to speak, you may need to unmute yourself. While unmuted:

• The host and panelists can see your profile picture and name
• Other attendees will only see your name

4. To lower your hand, tap Reactions again and select Lower Hand. Lowering your hand does not mute you if you are already unmuted.

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For Telephone

If you're joining the webinar by phone, press *9 to raise or lower your hand.

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How Do Hosts See and Manage Raised Hands in Zoom?

Here’s everything you need to know to use the Raised Hands feature as a meeting host: 

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👉 What do hosts see when participants raise their hands? 

A raised hand icon (✋) appears next to the participant’s name in the Participants panel. In webinars, hosts and panelists can see raised hands, but other attendees cannot.

Zoom lists raised hands in the order they were raised, so you can address them systematically.

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👉 How can hosts acknowledge and lower raised hands? 

Call on the participant and if they’re muted and request them to unmute. After they respond, lower their hand manually or allow them to lower it themselves.

If a participant forgets to lower their hand, the host can do so from the Participants panel.

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👉 How can you manage multiple raised hands?

• Address hands in order or based on topic relevance
• If many hands are raised, encourage brief questions in the chat
• Let participants know when and how you’ll address raised hands
• Ask participants to use emojis (e.g., thumbs-up) for quick responses instead of raising hands

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👉 What are the host settings that affect the Raise Hand feature? 

Hosts can enable or disable the Raise Hand option in Zoom’s settings. In webinars, only attendees can raise hands—panelists do not need to. Hosts can choose whether participants can unmute themselves after raising their hands.

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👉 How can co-hosts help manage raised hands? 

Co-hosts have the same controls as the host for managing raised hands. They can track raised hands, unmute participants, and lower hands after questions. When the host is busy conducting the meeting or webinar, assigning a co-host to handle raised hands ensures a smoother and more organized session.

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What Are Best Practices for Using the Raise Hand Feature in Different Meeting Types?

The Raise Hand feature is simple to use, but you should be aware of the meeting etiquettes for different virtual settings. 

1. Webinars

For hosts:

• Set clear expectations at the beginning of the meeting—explain when and how participants should raise their hands (e.g., during Q&A only)
• Assign a moderator to monitor raised hands and manage the queue, especially if you have a large number of participants 
• Regularly check for raised hands to keep participants engaged during long sessions
• Lower hands manually if necessary after addressing a question to keep things organized

For participants:

• Raise your hand only during designated times, as communicated by the host
• Lower your hand if the host has already answered your question before you're called on
• Use the chat feature if your question is urgent and can't wait for the host to call on you
• Be patient—wait for the host to acknowledge you before speaking

2. Small Meetings/Team Discussions

For hosts:

• Encourage participants to use Raise Hand instead of interrupting others
• Acknowledge raised hands and respond to maintain a steady flow of conversations

For participants:

• Raise your hand when you want to say something and wait; don’t interrupt when others are speaking
• If the conversation moves on and your point is no longer relevant, lower your hand
• Be mindful of time—if multiple attendees have raised their hands, keep your input concise

3. Large Corporate Meetings/Town Halls/All-Hands Meetings

For hosts:

• Define Raise Hand rules—should it be used for all questions or only at the end?
• Assign a co-host or moderator to track raised hands and keep the meeting moving
• If time is limited, prioritize raised hands over chat questions
• Ensure diverse voices are heard—avoid calling on the same few people repeatedly

For participants:

• Be prepared to unmute quickly when called on to keep the meeting efficient
• If the meeting is long and fast-paced, follow up in chat or email if your question isn't answered/gets missed

4. Virtual Classrooms/Lectures/Trainings  

For hosts (Teachers/instructors):

• Clearly set ground rules about when students should raise hands (e.g., for asking questions, giving answers, or requesting clarifications)
• Set a system for students to communicate with the teacher during lectures. E.g., you can use chat for quick responses and Raise Hand for in-depth discussions
• Ensure everyone gets a fair chance to speak
• Lower students’ hands if they forget to do so after speaking

For participants (Students):

• Raise your hand to ask or answer a question instead of speaking out of turn
• If another student asks your question first, lower your hand
• Respect others—wait for the teacher to call on you before speaking

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Bonus Tip: Make Your Zoom Meetings More Productive with Jamie

Raising your hand in Zoom is a great way to actively take part in virtual meetings. But what happens after you speak? You can lose track of important ideas, overlook action items, or get distracted from conversations by focusing on note-taking. That’s where Jamie, your AI-powered meeting assistant, comes in.

Here’s how Jamie can improve your Zoom call experience: 

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✅ Accurate transcription and human-like summary

Jamie transcribes your meetings, intelligently summarizes discussions, highlights key insights, and extracts action items. You’ll never have to worry about missing important details!

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✅ Seamless AI assistant 

Jamie has an Executive Assistant Sidebar (accessible through CTRL+J or Command +J) which uses advanced LLMs like GPT-4, Claude 3.5, and Jamie’s own AI. It lets you quickly retrieve meeting notes, glean insights, and get answers to your general queries. 

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✅ Quick meeting notes sharing 

You can instantly share meeting notes with colleagues via email, through simple copy-paste, or by generating a shareable link. It lets you send follow-up messages to participants and keep both attendees and those who missed the meeting updated on key action items.

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✅ Works offline and bot-free

As Jamie works locally on your device, you can use it for both virtual and offline meetings. And guess what, Jamie doesn’t require bots to enter meetings—it runs in the background silently without disturbing your flow.

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✅ Secure operations 

Being a EU-hosted, GDPR-compliant tool, Jamie prioritizes your security and privacy above everything. Jamie doesn’t store your confidential data—after processing the meeting audio, the file automatically gets deleted to avoid security breaches. But you get access to your meeting notes anytime you want. 

Zoom Notes You Can Rely On!

Jamie gets everything right.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Raising Your Hand in Zoom

‍1. Why can't I find the raise hand option in my Zoom meeting?

If you don’t see the Raise Hand option on your Zoom window, it could be due to:

• The host disabling the feature in meeting settings
• Your role in the meeting—co-hosts and hosts don’t have the option to raise their hands

‍2. Can the meeting host disable the raise hand feature?

Yes, the host can turn off the Raise Hand option in the Zoom settings. If it’s disabled, participants won’t see the option in their meeting controls.

3. Do raised hands automatically lower after speaking?

No, raised hands remain up until the participant or the host manually lowers them. If you forget to lower your hand, the host can do it for you.

4. Is there a keyboard shortcut for raising my hand in Zoom?

Yes! Use the following shortcuts:

• Windows: Alt + Y
• Mac: Option + Y

These shortcuts toggle the raised hand feature on and off.

5. How do I know if the host has seen my raised hand?

There’s no concrete signal for you to know if the host has seen your raised hand. If the host acknowledges you verbally or calls on you to speak, you can be certain that they’ve noticed your raised hand.

In some cases, the host may lower your hand after addressing your question.

And if you’re in a large meeting or webinar, be patient, as the host may be managing multiple raised hands.

6. What's the difference between raising your hand and using other reactions?

• Raising your hand signals to the host that you want to speak or ask a question. It stays active until you or the host lowers it
• Other reactions (e.g., thumbs-up, clapping, emojis) are temporary and disappear after a few seconds. They are used for quick feedback rather than requesting to speak

7. Will other participants see when I raise my hand?

• In meetings: Yes, all participants can see raised hands in the Participants panel
• In webinars: Only the host and panelists can see raised hands. Other attendees cannot

8. How do I raise my hand if I'm calling into a Zoom meeting by phone?

If you’ve joined a Zoom meeting via phone, press *9 to raise or lower your hand. The host will see your raised hand in the participant list.

9. Can I customize the raise hand notification or appearance?

No, the Raise Hand icon and notification are standard across all Zoom meetings and you can’t customize them. However, Zoom does offer customizable emoji reactions for other types of participant engagement.

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Read More

• How to Transcribe A Zoom Meeting: Learn how to transcribe Zoom meetings for free using Jamie
• Zoom Meeting Summary: Summarize your Zoom video calls with Jamie‍
• Screen Sharing on Zoom: Learn how to share screen on Zoom for different devices
• Zoom Pricing: Get a detailed breakdown of Zoom’s pricing plans
• Zoom Background Blurring: Find out how to quickly blur your Zoom background in a few simple steps
• How to Change Name on Zoom: A step-by-step guide to change your display name on Zoom 
• How to Schedule a Zoom Meeting: Know how to schedule Zoom meetings from desktop, mobile, and web 

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