Zoom Removes Its Meeting Time Limit for the Holidays

MakeUseOf

By Joe Keeley

Published Dec 17, 2020

You will be able to catch up with loved ones for as long as you like on special holiday dates.

To help make it easier for people to connect this holiday season, Zoom will be removing its 40-minute meeting limit on key dates. This will mean that you can chat with loved ones without watching the clock.

Zoom Makes Meetings Unlimited This Holiday Season

For many of us, the holiday season is going to look very different this year. Instead of traveling to see relatives or hanging out with friends, the coronavirus pandemic means that Christmas and other celebrations will be more subdued.

It also means that video conferencing software will act as a great way to connect with others. While opening presents or tucking into food on a video call isn't quite like the real thing, it's better than nothing.

Ordinarily, free users of Zoom are limited to 40 minutes per meeting when there is more than three people. Although you can get around this by creating a new meeting, it's a hassle to get everyone back in the call—especially when dealing with technologically challenged relatives who might need help with Zoom.

As announced on the Zoom blog, in an event the company is branding as #ZoomTogether, there will be no time limit on meetings on several upcoming special occasions.

The days for unlimited meetings are the last day of Hanukkah, Christmas Eve and Day, New Year's Eve and Day, and the last day of Kwanzaa.

The specific dates and times for unlimited meetings are:

10 a.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 17, to 6 a.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 19
10 a.m. ET Wednesday, Dec. 23, to 6 a.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 26
10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 30, to 6 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 2

Zoom recommends that you use a meeting passcode and enable waiting rooms to protect your session from uninvited guests. This is advice that you should follow all the time anyway, not just for these holiday calls.

Don't forget you can also use Zoom's virtual backgrounds feature to give yourself a fun and festive backdrop.

Zoom isn't the only video conferencing platform where you can host meetings without a time limit this holiday season. You could also use Google Meet, which has 24-hour calls, or something more traditional like Skype.

Consider Paying for Zoom

If you use Zoom regularly, you might want to consider paying for it. Not only does Zoom Pro let you host unlimited meetings at any time of the year, but you also get other benefits like social media streaming and cloud recording.