Why can't I see the Raise Hand button?

You may be in a webinar as an attendee (check under More → Raise Hand), or the host has disabled reactions. On mobile, it's under the More (•••) menu.

Can the host see when I raised my hand?

Yes. Hosts see a list of raised hands in the Participants panel, sorted by the order they were raised.

Does raising my hand unmute me?

No. Raising your hand just signals you want to speak. The host can then give you permission to unmute, or you may need to unmute yourself.

How do I lower my hand?

Click Reactions → Raise Hand again (it toggles), use the same keyboard shortcut, or the host can lower it for you.

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ZOOM GUIDE

How to Raise Your Hand in Zoom

Desktop, mobile, keyboard shortcuts, and all the other Zoom reactions you should know.

Updated Feb 20263 min read

Quick answer: Click Reactions → Raise Hand in the Zoom toolbar. Or use the keyboard shortcut: Alt+Y (Windows) or Option+Y (Mac).

[01]Three Ways to Raise Your Hand

Desktop

1. Click Reactions in toolbar
2. Click Raise Hand ✋
3. Click again to lower

Mobile

1. Tap More (•••)
2. Tap Raise Hand
3. Tap again to lower

Shortcut

Windows

Alt + Y

Mac

Option + Y

[02]All Zoom Reactions/ Non-verbal feedback

Beyond raising your hand — here's the full list of non-verbal feedback in Zoom.

✋

Raise Hand

Stays until lowered

👍

Thumbs Up

Disappears after 10s

👎

Thumbs Down

Disappears after 10s

👏

Clap

Disappears after 10s

❤️

Heart

Disappears after 10s

😂

Joy

Disappears after 10s

😮

Surprised

Disappears after 10s

🎉

Celebrate

Disappears after 10s

[03]Webinars vs Meetings/ Different behavior

IN MEETINGS

Everyone sees your raised hand
Host can lower your hand
You can unmute after being called on

IN WEBINARS

Only host/panelists see raised hands
Host may promote you to panelist
Used to request to speak

[04]Pro Tips

→

Don't forget to lower it. Your hand stays raised until you click again or the host lowers it.

→

Hosts see a list. The Participants panel shows all raised hands in order.

→

Use reactions for quick feedback. Thumbs up/down are faster than unmuting to agree.

→

Don't lose what was said while waiting. If you're focused on when to raise your hand, you might miss context. Convo captures everything in your Zoom meeting automatically so you can focus on participating.

FAQ