Once a live room is open, the people running it control who speaks, who's on stage, and who stays in the room. This article covers choosing a room type and the controls inside the room. To start, schedule, record, or end a session, see Go live: stream to your community.
Who can do this: The room's owner (the person who set it up), hosts, and co-hosts have every control. Moderators can mute, remove, and block people, but can't give roles or end the room. People who manage the space get host controls. · Where: Web and the iOS and Android apps. Screen sharing is on the web. · Plan: Which room types you can use and how many people fit depend on your platform plan.
Choose a room type: video room, audio room, or webinar
| Room type | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive video room | Everyone can turn on their camera and microphone | Meetings, workshops, small groups |
| Interactive audio room | Voice only, no cameras; people are speakers or listeners | AMAs, casual hangouts |
| Webinar | A few people on stage, everyone else watching; anyone can be invited up | Your largest sessions |
When you set up the room, Who can speak (Everyone who joins or Hosts and speakers only) and Screen sharing (Hosts and speakers, Everyone, or Off) decide who can use their microphone, camera, and screen. A room type your plan doesn't include isn't offered.
Live room roles
Each person in the room has a role, shown next to their name: Owner, Host, Co-host, Moderator, Speaker, or Attendee.
- Co-host: can open and end the room, manage everyone in it, and give the same access to others.
- Moderator: can mute, remove, and block people. Can't end the room or change anyone's role.
- Speaker and Attendee: speakers can talk; attendees are the audience.
Nobody can change the owner's role.
Mute, spotlight, remove, or block a participant
Click Participants to open In the room. Moderators and above can click Mute everyone; people can unmute themselves afterwards. For one person, open their Manage participant menu:
- Spotlight for everyone puts them on everyone's main view (video rooms and webinars).
- Mute microphone or Turn camera off works for the moment; they can turn it back on.
- Remove from this room disconnects them. They can join again.
- Block for this session disconnects them, and they can't rejoin this session.
In the app, tap People, then a person, for Mute now, Pin to the stage, Remove from the room, and Ban from this session.
Give someone a role in a live room
Owners, hosts, and co-hosts can use the same menu to Make a co-host, Make a moderator, Remove co-host, or Remove moderator. When Who can speak is Hosts and speakers only, they can also Make a speaker or Move to the audience. Mateflow asks you to confirm and explains what the person will be able to do.
The role changes right away, but the ability to speak or share video, and host controls, take effect the next time the person joins. Someone who loses a role is disconnected for a moment while the change takes effect.
Run the stage and raised hands in a webinar
- Raised hands: audience members click Raise hand. Hosts see a Raised hands button with a count; open it and click Invite up or Dismiss.
- Hand-raising on or off: in the raised hands panel, switch Let the audience raise hands. When it's off, only people you invite can come on stage.
- Invite anyone: choose Invite up in a person's Manage participant menu. They see "The host invited you on stage" and choose Go on stage or Stay in the audience. Nothing turns on until they accept.
- Take someone down: use Take down, or Withdraw invitation if they haven't accepted. Speakers can click Leave the stage themselves.
Share your screen in a live room
On the web, click Share screen, and Stop sharing when you're done. Everyone sees "[name] is presenting". Whether you can share depends on the room's Screen sharing setting.
Recording consent in a live room
In a room that allows recording, everyone is asked "This room may be recorded" before they join. They can click Agree and join, or Don't join and still use the chat. You can't start recording until everyone in the room has agreed. While a recording runs, a Recording label shows, and anyone can click Opt out to leave the room's audio and video. To start or stop recording, see Live replays and recordings.
Unblock someone from a live room
Owners, hosts, and co-hosts can open Manage on the session page and use Blocked from this room to Unblock someone, even after the session ends. Moderators can block but not unblock.
Troubleshooting a live room
Symptom: "This room is full." or "The maximum number of cameras are already on." Why it happens: The room reached its seat or camera limit. Fix: See Check live streaming usage and limits.
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