Most hosts aim for 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled start. That's enough time to run through a checklist without keeping attendees waiting.
Webinar Glossary
Green room
The green room is where webinar organizers prepare for the live event. It is the same room where the live event will take place, however, it is not being broadcasted to viewers.
What is a webinar green room?
The green room is where webinar organizers prepare for the live event. It is the same room where the live event will take place, however, it is not being broadcasted to viewers. Attendees may join the webinar room, but can not see or hear what is happening until presenters go on stage.Webinar participants, moderators, and hosts can use the green room to meet and practice their material.
The green room is also where any additional documents like slides or videos can be uploaded to a webinar. Screen sharing can be managed from the green room, as well as polls, questions, and comments. Webinar moderators stay in the green room so that they can answer questions and perform other activities while unseen by the audience.
What is going on stage in a webinar?
Going on stage is what happens when webinar speakers and presenters go live. The audience can hear and see them and any content that was uploaded to the green room.
Green room checklist before going live
Before opening the doors to attendees, hosts and speakers typically run through a short checklist in the green room:
- Test camera framing and lighting
- Confirm microphone input and check for background noise
- Share slides or screen-share content once to confirm resolution and legibility
- Assign roles — who presents first, who monitors chat, who runs polls
- Do a quick run-through of the opening two minutes, since that’s when attendees decide whether to stay
Because the green room isn’t broadcast to viewers, it’s also where last-minute issues get resolved — a co-host running late, a slide that didn’t update, a guest speaker who needs a tech check — without the audience ever knowing there was a hiccup.
Editorial & methodology — Written and reviewed by the Livestorm content team, based on first-party product experience and platform documentation. Last updated: July 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before a webinar should you enter the green room?
Can attendees accidentally end up in the green room?
No. It's a separate, host-only space that attendees never see. They only enter the main room once the host starts the session.
Does every webinar platform have a green room feature?
Most modern platforms do, though it might be called something different, like backstage or a staging area. The function is the same across tools.
Who should be in the green room besides the main host?
Any co-hosts, guest speakers, or team members monitoring chat or tech, since it's also where last-minute coordination happens before going live.
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