Zoom Admin Access: How to Set It Up Correctly (and When It Actually Matters)
ManyMeet works with Zoom Meetings, not Zoom Webinar.
That makes Zoom account structure important — especially when other people help manage Zoom.
This article explains:
- how Zoom accounts and admin access really work
- when Zoom works fine out of the box
- when limitations appear
- the two valid setup options, with pros and cons
When This Article Applies (and When It Doesn't)
In a normal organization, Zoom works exactly as intended.
A typical setup looks like this:
- one owner (for example a coach or business owner)
- internal assistants or staff
- everyone belongs to the same Zoom account (organization / tenant)
In this case, assistants can be admins and manage Zoom settings and meetings without any complications.
The limitations described in this article only apply when an external person — such as a freelancer, consultant, or agency — needs admin access to someone else's Zoom account.
If your assistant is part of your organization, you can stop reading here.
Background: How Zoom Accounts Actually Work
Zoom uses a strict concept called an account (also referred to as an organization or tenant).
An account is a hard boundary:
- admins must belong to the same Zoom account
- Zoom does not support cross-account admin access
- being an admin does not require a paid license
- a paid license is only required to host meetings
This model is optimized for internal teams, not for external consultants working across many clients.
Why External Freelancers Create Complications
External helpers typically:
- already have their own Zoom accounts
- work with multiple clients
- should not share client passwords
However, Zoom does not allow someone from one Zoom account to administer another.
As a result:
- an external freelancer cannot use their own Zoom account to manage a coach's account
- the coach cannot "just add them as admin" from the outside
From here, only two valid setup options exist.
Common Misunderstanding
"Can my external assistant use their own Zoom account and just be admin on mine?"
No.
Zoom only allows admins inside the same Zoom account.
This is a Zoom limitation, not a ManyMeet limitation.
Option 1: Share the Coach's Zoom Credentials (Simple, Not Recommended)
How it works:
- the external assistant logs in using the coach's Zoom email and password
- they manage meetings, settings, and integrations directly
Pros:
- fast to set up
- no additional users needed
Cons:
- password sharing
- no separation of responsibility
- assistant appears as the coach in meetings
- does not scale beyond one person
This approach is common but fragile.
Option 2 (Recommended): Create a Separate Zoom Admin User
This is the clean and professional setup for external freelancers and agencies.
How It Works
- the coach creates an additional Zoom user in their account
- this user:
- belongs to the coach's Zoom account
- has the Admin role
- does not need a paid license
- the external assistant logs in using their own credentials
Email Address for the Admin User
The admin user must have a unique email address.
Common approaches:
- email alias (if supported):
coach+admin@gmail.com, name+zoom@company.com - dedicated address:
admin@company.com, assistant@company.com
What This Admin Account Is (and Is Not)
This account is for:
- managing Zoom settings
- connecting integrations (including ManyMeet)
- configuring meetings and webinars
- technical setup
This account must not be used for:
- hosting meetings
- joining webinars
- appearing on camera
Best practice:
give the account a very obvious name, for example "ADMIN – DO NOT USE FOR MEETINGS"
Summary of the Two Valid Setups
- internal teams: Zoom works as expected
- external freelancers: Zoom has structural limitations
The two valid options are:
- share the coach's credentials (simple, risky)
- create a separate admin user (recommended)
There is no third option in Zoom.
What ManyMeet Assumes
ManyMeet assumes:
- meetings are hosted from the coach's Zoom account
- external helpers use a separate admin user
- no Zoom credentials are shared
If this setup is used, Zoom Meetings and ManyMeet work reliably and predictably.
Final Note
This is not a limitation of ManyMeet.
It is a direct consequence of how Zoom's account model works.
Once set up correctly, this configuration usually never needs to be touched again.