As a host or cohost, breakout sessions are easy to create. You can create the sessions any time during the meeting and then when you're ready, start them.

Breakout sessions in Meetings have many of the same benefits as Webex Meetings including:

  • Voice Chat

  • Video

  • Screen Sharing

  • Text Chat

  • Notes

Manually Create Breakout Sessions


  1. In Webex Meetings versions 40.9 or later, locate the Breakout option from the top menu bar of Webex Meetings and click Enable Breakout Session (red arrow below).

  2. Click the Breakout sessions button (red box below) which will now appear in your meeting controls at the bottom of the Webex window

  3. In the Breakout session assignments box, select the number of sessions you would like to have (red box below). Next, select the Manually radio button option (blue box below) and finally, click the Create Assignments button (green arrow below)

  4. Webex will now add the number of sessions you selected and present your list of participants (blue box below).


  5. Check the participant(s) you wish to add to a session (blue box above) and clicking the Move to session button (red box above), select the session to move those participant(s) to.

  6. When you have assigned all your participant(s), click the Start breakout sessions button (green arrow above) to start sessions.

Enabling Cameras in Breakout Sessions

  1. To enable camera feeds when in a Breakout Session, simply select the Start video button (blue box below) in the Webex Meetings control bar at the bottom of the screen

Enabling Virtual Backgrounds in Breakout Sessions

  1. If you would like to use a virtual background, select the dropdown option for video (blue box below) in the Webex Meetings control bar at the bottom of the Webex meeting screen and select the Change virtual background option (green arrow below).

  2. Your camera settings will now open and you can choose from a variety of preset virtual backgrounds (blue box below) or by uploading your own virtual background by clicking the box (red box below) and uploading your own image.

  3. When you are satisfied with your virtual background choice, click the Apply button (green arrow above) to set your virtual background.