How to Raise Hand on Zoom

Zoom's Raise Hand feature does exactly what it sounds like. It lets you signal to the host or presenter that you want to speak without talking over anyone or causing a disruption. The feature works across desktop, mobile, and dial-in, but the steps vary depending on your device and whether you're in a regular meeting or a webinar. This guide covers every platform including Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android, plus what to do when the option doesn't show up at all.

How to Raise Your Hand in Zoom on Desktop (Windows and Mac)

The steps are identical on Windows and Mac. Zoom's desktop interface looks the same on both operating systems, so you only need to learn this once.

During a live meeting, look at the toolbar running along the bottom of the Zoom window. Click Reactions, which sits roughly in the center of the toolbar. A small panel will pop up showing emoji reactions at the top and a Raise Hand button at the bottom of that panel. Click it.

Once your hand is raised, a small hand icon appears in the top-left corner of your video tile and next to your name in the Participants list. The host and co-hosts can see it immediately. If they want to call on you, they may unmute you directly or acknowledge you verbally.

To lower your hand, open the Reactions menu again and click Lower Hand, which appears in the same spot where Raise Hand was.

One thing worth knowing: if you don't see a Reactions button in your toolbar at all, hover your cursor over the bottom of the Zoom window to make the toolbar appear. It hides automatically when the window is idle.

Here's how to raise your hand in Zoom if you're using a Windows device or macOS:

How to raise your hand in Zoom on Windows  

Step 1: Navigate to the  "Participants" icon from "Reactions" and click on it during a meeting. You'll find the icon at the bottom of your center screen.

Step 2: Click the "Raise Hand" icon, which you'll find on the Window's button.

How to Raise Your Hand in Zoom on Linux (Ubuntu and Others)

Linux users often run into confusion here because the Zoom interface on Linux can look slightly different from Windows and Mac, and some older Linux builds of Zoom didn't surface the Reactions menu in the same location.

On a current Zoom Linux client, the process is the same as on Windows and Mac: click Reactions in the bottom toolbar and then click Raise Hand. If you're running an updated version of Zoom, this should work without any issues.

If the Reactions button is missing from your toolbar, the most reliable fix is the keyboard shortcut. Press Alt+Y to raise your hand directly without touching the toolbar at all. The same shortcut toggles your hand back down, so pressing it again lowers your hand.

Some Linux users have reported that after a Zoom update in 2024, the Raise Hand option moved or disappeared entirely from the UI. If you're experiencing this, check which version of Zoom you're running by going to Help > About Zoom. If you're on an older version, updating to the latest release through Zoom's Linux download page typically restores the Reactions menu. On Ubuntu specifically, you can update through the terminal using your package manager or by downloading the latest .deb file directly from zoom.us/download.

The Alt+Y shortcut works even when the Reactions button isn't visible, so it's worth memorizing if you're on Linux and use Zoom regularly.

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How to raise your hand in Zoom on Android or iPhone?

How to Raise Your Hand in Zoom on Android

On the Zoom mobile app for Android, the raise hand option sits inside the More menu rather than on the main toolbar.

During a meeting, tap the screen once to bring up the bottom controls if they aren't already showing. Tap the More button in the bottom-right corner, which appears as three dots. In the menu that comes up, tap Raise Hand.

A hand icon will appear on your video feed to signal to the host that your hand is up. To lower it, go back to More and tap Lower Hand.

Here's how to raise your hand on the Zoom webinar if you're using an Android device:

Step 1: Click "More" at your screen's bottom right corner. The "More" icon is the three horizontal dots on your screen.

Step 2: Click on "Raise Hand" when it pops up on your screen.

The meeting host should see your raised hand now and permit you to speak.

How to Raise Your Hand in Zoom on iPhone

The process on iPhone is the same as on Android. Tap More (three dots) in the bottom-right corner during the meeting, then tap Raise Hand from the menu that appears.

If you don't see the Raise Hand option listed under More, the meeting host may have turned off nonverbal feedback for the session. In that case, you'd need to type in the chat or wait until the host opens the floor verbally, since the feature is controlled at the host level.

Zoom Raise Hand Keyboard Shortcuts

If you're on desktop and want to raise your hand without touching the mouse, these shortcuts work on all three operating systems:

Platform

Shortcut

Windows

Alt + Y

Mac

Option + Y

Linux

Alt + Y

Pressing the shortcut a second time lowers your hand on all platforms. The shortcut only works when the Zoom meeting window is active and in focus on your screen.

How to Raise Your Hand on a Zoom Dial-In Call

If you joined the meeting by dialling in from a regular phone rather than using the Zoom app, you can still raise your hand. Simply press *9 on your phone's keypad during the call. The host will see a notification that your hand is raised, the same as if you were using the app.

To lower your hand on a dial-in call, press *9 again.

Raise Hand Not Showing or Missing? How to Fix It

This is one of the most common Zoom frustrations. There are a few different reasons the option might not appear, and the fix depends on which one applies to you.

The toolbar is hidden

If you're in fullscreen mode or haven't moved your mouse recently, the bottom toolbar minimises automatically. Move your mouse or tap the screen (on mobile) to bring it back, then look for Reactions. On desktop, you can also press Alt+Y (Windows and Linux) or Option+Y (Mac) to raise your hand without the toolbar being visible at all.

The host has disabled nonverbal feedback

If the host has turned off nonverbal feedback in their Zoom settings, the Raise Hand button won't appear for anyone in the meeting. There's no workaround for this from the participant side. You'd need to let the host know via the chat window and ask them to enable it.

You're in a Zoom webinar, not a meeting

Zoom webinars and Zoom meetings behave differently. In a webinar, participants are in view-only mode by default, which changes where the Raise Hand option appears. In a webinar, look for a Q&A panel or a Raise Hand button in the webinar controls at the bottom of your screen rather than in the Reactions menu. If neither appears, the host may have restricted the feature for that session.

Your Zoom app is outdated

Zoom has updated its interface several times and moved features around as it has done so. If your toolbar looks different from what's described above, you may be on an older version. Updating the Zoom app usually restores the current interface. On the desktop, go to your profile icon in the top-right corner and click Check for Updates.

You're on Linux and the Reactions menu is missing after a 2024 update

This is a known issue specific to some Linux distributions. Updating to the latest Zoom release usually resolves it. In the meantime, use Alt+Y to raise your hand as a workaround.

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How to lower your hand in Zoom meetings

Once you've spoken or no longer need to contribute, lowering your hand keeps the participants list tidy and helps the host manage the queue.

On Windows or Mac, open the Reactions menu again and click Lower Hand, or press Alt+Y (Windows) or Option+Y (Mac).

On iPhone or Android, tap More and then tap Lower Hand.

On a dial-in call, press *9 again to toggle the hand down.

The host can also lower your hand for you from their end, which typically happens after you've finished speaking.

For Hosts: Enabling and Managing the Raise Hand Feature

How to enable Raise Hand for participants

If participants are telling you they can't see the Raise Hand option, nonverbal feedback may be switched off in your account settings. To turn it on, log into your Zoom account at zoom.us and go to Settings. Under the Meeting tab, scroll down to find Nonverbal Feedback and toggle it on. This setting applies to all future meetings you host.

How to see who has raised their hand

During a meeting, raised hands appear in two places. A hand icon shows in the top-left corner of the participant's video tile, and their name moves to the top of the Participants list. You can also open the Participants panel by clicking Participants in the toolbar to see everyone in queue order.

How to lower a participant's hand as a host

Open the Participants panel, hover over the participant's name whose hand you want to lower, and click the option that appears. You can lower individual hands this way or use the option to lower all hands at once if you want to reset the queue after a round of questions.

Again, like in physical meetings, you can lower your hand when you no longer need to ask a question. Here's how to drop your hand on a PC, Mac, Android, or iPhone:

Step 1: Select "Participants" and tap on "Lower Hand" to lower your hand on your Windows PC or Mac

Step 2: Tap "More" and select "Lower Hand" to lower your hand on an iPhone or Android device.

Step 3: Lower your hand by clicking Alt+Y on your Windows PC or Option+Y on Mac if you wish to use the shortcut.

Read more: How to Take Zoom Meeting Notes

FAQs

How to raise a hand in Zoom dial-in calls

If you joined a Zoom meeting by dial-in, you can simply raise your hand by dialing *9 on your phone dial pad.

What are the advantages of using the Raise Hand feature in Zoom?

There are many reasons why you may want to use the "Raise Hand" feature on Zoom. First, it lets you indicate that you have a question or concern to express. You may also use it when you need to make a comment or draw a speaker's attention to something. Sometimes, it may be that you want the host to acknowledge your presence.

Regardless of your reasons for raising your hand, the "Raise Hand" feature is necessary for an organized meeting. It prevents rowdiness by ensuring that only approved participants can speak or make contributions. Again, you can lower your hand as you will in real life if you no longer need to answer a question or make a suggestion.

How can a meeting host enable the "Raise Hand" feature for participants?

Here's how meeting hosts can enable the nonverbal feedback option on Zoom to allow participants to raise their hands:

● Access Zoom by signing into the app on your browser

● Select "My Browser"

● Select "Settings" under the personal tab

● Navigate to the "Meeting" tab and scroll down till you reach the "Nonverbal Feedback" option

● Switch the "Nonverbal Feedback" option on and viola! you have now enabled "Raise Hand" options for your participants

How can meeting hosts view participants who raised their hands?

As a meeting host, you can view participants with raised hands by clicking on "Raised Hands" on your screen. Alternatively, check for the participants with raised hands from the participants' menu.

How to lower a participant's hand as a meeting host

Participants using Mac or Windows PC can lower their hand by pressing "Alt+Y '' and toggling the "Lower Hand'' option to off. If you use Android and iPhone, navigate to "More" and toggle the "Lower Hand'' to off too.

You can also lower a participant's hand if you're a host. To do this, visit the meeting controls and navigate to "Participants." Then, go to the participant's name and tap on it. You should see a popup menu with the "Lower Hand" option.

Conclusion

For top-notch user experience, Zoom meetings try to replicate physical conferences as much as possible. So, you can expect to find many features that mimic elements of physical conversations in the software. For example, Zoom lets you create, schedule, and host meetings like in real life.

You may also make gestures like a hand raise in an ongoing Zoom conference call. The "Raise Hand" feature indicates to the host that you wish to make a suggestion, ask, or answer a question. If you wish to transcribe voice notes on your Zoom call, Notta can help.