If your Zoom event attendees can't type in the chat, there are a few likely reasons—and they depend on whether you’re using a Zoom Meeting or a Zoom Webinar.
🔹 Zoom Meetings
Zoom Meetings are designed for collaboration. Chat is usually enabled by default, but attendees might not be able to chat if:
Host Settings Disabled Chat
The host can turn off chat for everyone, or limit it so participants can only message the host or co-hosts.Breakout Room Rules
In breakout rooms, chat may be limited to participants inside that specific room.In-Meeting Restrictions
Hosts can change chat settings mid-meeting. If you once could chat and now can’t, check if the host toggled chat off.
🔹 Zoom Webinars
Webinars work differently. They’re built for broadcasting to an audience—not back-and-forth conversation.
Attendee Chat is Off by Default
In Zoom Webinars, only panelists and hosts can chat with each other unless the host enables chat for attendees.Q&A vs. Chat
Often, hosts use the Q&A feature instead of chat for audience interaction. If you can’t find the chat box, look for the Q&A panel.Registration Settings or Zoom Roles
If you registered late or joined as an attendee (vs. a panelist), you won’t have the same chat privileges.
🛠️ How to Fix It (for Hosts)
Go to Webinar Settings > In-Session Chat and allow attendees to chat with panelists or everyone.
In Meetings, click the chat box, then click the three-dot menu to adjust permissions (host-only, everyone, etc.).
Double-check your account-level default settings on Zoom.us under “Settings > Meeting > In Meeting (Basic).”