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Changing participant layout

Participant Layout Options​

In rooms that have video chat enabled, you can choose to view participants in a number of ways:

  1. The Original layout arranges participants down the left-hand side, with a choice of either circular or rectangular thumbnails
  2. The Filmstrip layout arranges participants in a row above the viewer
  3. Grid layout tiles your participants and your source, for a more traditional conferencing view
  4. You can also use the Spotlight feature, to show an active speaker window at the top of the participants list. This feature allows for individual management of speaker focus without affecting others in the conference.

Change the video layout​

Participants can change their own video layout without affecting the other participants in the room. To do so:

  • Click on the video layout thumbnails in the top menu to select either original, filmstrip or grid layouts.
  • Toggle the Spotlight thumbnail in the top menu to turn the active speaker window on or off
  • While in the original layout mode, you can click on either the circle or rectangular buttons at the top of the left sidebar to view participant videos as circular or rectangular thumbnails.

Change the video layout for all participants with Host Controls​

As the host of a session, you can control how your participants experience the video chat. This is useful if you’d like to start a meeting with a discussion, in grid view for example, before changing to one of the presentation layouts, where the source takes priority on screen.

The host has access to Host Controls, accessible under the gold crown icon at the top of the right tool bar. Click on Host Controls to open the panel, and select your preferred option:

  • change the layout to original for all
  • change the layout to filmstrip for all
  • change the layout to grid for all
caution

When you use the circular view, your full webcam frame is sent to the room, but you won't see it entirely. The left and right edges will be cut off. If another participant uses the rectangular mode, they will see more of your webcam frame than you do.