Even if you offer in-person visits in your office or lab, you can also offer a Zoom meeting for students who are at a distance. Use this process to offer consistent virtual drop-in hours across all Canvas courses using a single Zoom Personal Meeting Room.
Setup and Provide Link to Students
- Access any course, click Zoom on the navigation panel, and click the Personal Meeting Room tab.

- Check/Update settings:
- Scroll to the bottom and click Edit this Meeting.
- Select the Passcode checkbox (recommended) and enter a passcode of up to 10 characters.
HINT: This becomes encrypted and embedded in the link; users do not see or need the passcode. - Select the Waiting room checkbox (optional) and click Save.
HINT: The waiting room is beneficial when you are having a private conversation with a student. You can message students in the waiting room, as needed.
- Highlight the Join URL link, right-click, and select Copy.

- IMPORTANT: Students do not see the Personal Meeting Room tab in the Zoom integration, so add the link to a page, announcement, syllabus, etc., in each course.

Start Personal Meeting Room Meeting
- Access any course, click Zoom on the navigation panel, and click the Personal Meeting Room tab.
- Scroll to the bottom and click Start this Meeting.