How to Enable End-to-End Encryption on Zoom

Nov. 2, 2020

After a year ofsecurity mishaps and controversies, Zoom is finally getting back to track. The company hasintroducedthe long-awaited End-to-End encryption (E2E) on Zoom for both free and paid users which is great. Earlier, Zoom had taken a controversial stand to not offer E2E encryption to free users, but after facing privacy backlash, the companyquickly backtracked. Now, you can enable End-to-End encryption on Zoom by validating your identity through a phone number. With all that said, let’s go ahead and learn about Zoom’s E2E encryption and how to enable it.

Enable End-to-End Encryption on Zoom

We have covered enabling Zoom’s E2E Encryption for both individual users and groups and enterprise users in different sections. We have also mentioned some notable points that you should keep in mind. Use table of content below to quickly move to the section you want.

Zoom says as End-to-End encryption is currently in Technical Preview so it will take more than a year to bring all the features with ironclad encryption. Apart from that, both free and paid users have E2E support, butfree users have to verify their identitythrough a mobile number or need to add a valid billing option.

Next, End-to-End encryption on Zoom is currently available on the official clients only. Basically, E2E encryption is available on the dedicated apps ofWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and Zoom Rooms. As of now, E2E encryption is not supported on the web. Also, all participants must have E2E encryption enabled to join an E2E meeting.

Lastly, as we noted in ourZoom vs Google Meet comparison, End-to-End encryption is the same GCM encryption that was deployed earlier on Zoom. However, this time, thedecryption keys are generated locallyon users’ computers — instead of Zoom’s servers — which was decrypting and managing the keys earlier. In tandem, the packets can only be decrypted at the receiver’s end which makes it a secure End-to-End channel.

1. You can enable End-to-End encryption on Zoom onlythrough the web portal. So first off, open theSettings page of Zoomand move to the “Meeting” tab.

2. Here, scroll down andenable the togglefor “Allow use of end-to-end encryption”.

3. It will then ask for yourphone number. Enter it and click on “Send Verification Code”.

4. Next, enter theone-time codethat you will receive on your phone number and click on “Verify”.

5. Finally, the option for End-to-End encryption on Zoom will be enabled. Now, simply select “End-to-End encryption” as thedefault encryption typeand click on “Save”. You are done.

6. To verify if the Zoom meeting is End-to-End encrypted, you will find a green shield logo on the top left corner. Keep in mind, GCM encryption also has a green shield, but it features a checkmark sign. But with E2E enabled, you will find apadlock symbolinside the green shield along with a security code.

7. OpenZoom’s Settings pageby clicking on the link and move toAccount Management-> Account Settings.

8. Here, click on “Meeting” and move to the “Security” tab. Now, enable the toggle for “Allow use of end-to-end encryption”.

9. Next, choose “End-to-End encryption” as thedefault encryptiontype and click on “Save”.

10. If you want to make E2E encryption mandatory for all users in your group or account,click the Lock iconto confirm the changes. That’s it.

So that is how you can enable End-to-End encryption on Zoom and make your web meetings secure from all kinds of security attacks. As the feature is in Technical Preview, many essential features are not available and that is understandable. So I would suggest you that use E2E encryption only when the meeting is extremely confidential. To get all the features, you will have to wait for quite some time. Anyway, that is all from us. You can learn more suchZoom tips and tricksfrom our linked article.

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.