The Problem
The Meeting SDK’s creator role (ZoomSDKBOMeetingCreator) blocks createBreakoutRoom, updateBOName, and removeBO once breakout rooms have been started via startBO. These methods return errors while rooms are open.
The Zoom Apps SDK has the same restriction: addBreakoutRoom is documented as “allowed only when breakout rooms are closed.”
The native Zoom desktop client, however, does allow the host to create new rooms, rename existing rooms, and delete rooms while breakout rooms are open — provided the account-level setting “Allow host to manage breakout rooms” is enabled. We have confirmed this setting is enabled on our account and that the native client permits these operations mid-session.
What the SDK Allows Today (While Rooms Are Open)
The admin role (ZoomSDKBOMeetingAdmin) does support some operations while rooms are running:
-
assignNewUser(toBO:boid:)— move/assign participants between open rooms -
startBO/stopBO— open/close rooms -
broadcastMessage— send messages to all rooms -
inviteBOUserReturnToMainSession— pull users back
So the SDK already supports live room management for participants. The gap is that the creator role operations (create, rename, remove) are locked to the pre-start phase.
Requested Change
Allow the following ZoomSDKBOMeetingCreator methods to succeed while breakout rooms are open, matching native client behavior when the account setting permits it:
| Method | Current Behavior (rooms open) | Requested Behavior |
|---|---|---|
createBreakoutRoom(_:) |
Fails | Creates a new room; participants can be assigned to it immediately |
updateBOName(_:boid:) |
Fails | Renames an open room |
removeBO(_:) |
Fails | Removes a room (moving its participants to unassigned or main session) |
The SDK should respect the same account-level setting that gates this behavior in the native client.
Rationale
This is a parity request. The native Zoom client supports full room CRUD while breakout rooms are open. SDK integrators are forced to close all rooms, make changes, and reopen — disrupting every participant in every room — for operations as simple as adding one new room or fixing a typo in a room name.
Platform & Version
macOS Meeting SDK 7.0.0. Same limitation exists on Windows/Linux. The Zoom Apps SDK (addBreakoutRoom, renameBreakoutRoom, deleteBreakoutRoom) has the same restriction.