User Interface Overview
The BigBlueButton conference room is divided into three main areas: the communication panel on the left, the presentation area in the center, and the toolbar at the bottom. Depending on your role, different controls and options will be available to you.
Communication Panel (Left Column)
The left side of the BigBlueButton interface houses several communication tools that help you interact with other participants during a session.
- Public Chat – open by default, visible to all participants
- Private Chat – start a private conversation by clicking on a participant
- Shared Notes – collaborative text editor for real-time note-taking
- Participant List – overview of all attendees and their current status
- Breakout Rooms – visible when breakout rooms are active
Each panel can be individually shown or hidden by clicking on its icon. This lets you customize your workspace without affecting other participants.
Participant List
The participant list shows all attendees currently in the session. Each participant is displayed with role-specific icons to help you quickly identify who is who.
| Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Square icon | Moderator |
| Round icon | Participant |
| Board symbol (top left) | Presenter |
| Headphone icon | Listen-only user |
| Green microphone | Microphone active |
| Red crossed-out microphone | Microphone muted |
The currently active speaker is highlighted in the list. This makes it easy to follow who is talking during a discussion.
Moderator Moderators have access to the gear button in the participant list, which provides options for creating breakout rooms, managing participant settings, and configuring lock settings.
Presentation Area (Center)
The center of the screen is dedicated to the main content. This area displays the current presentation, whiteboard, screen share, or shared external videos.
- Presenter Slide navigation buttons and zoom controls are available to the presenter
- Full-screen button in the top-right corner (available to all roles)
- Presenter Whiteboard toolbar on the right side for annotations and drawing
Toolbar (Bottom)
The toolbar at the bottom of the screen provides quick access to the most frequently used controls during a session.
| Button | Function | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Mute or unmute your microphone | All |
| Audio menu arrow | Switch microphone or speaker, or leave audio | All |
| Camera | Turn webcam on or off | All |
| Screen share | Start or stop screen sharing (blue when active, grayed out when inactive) | Presenter |
| Plus button | Upload presentation, start poll, share external video, random selection, multi-user mode | Presenter |
| Recording | Start, pause, or stop recording | Moderator |
| Raise hand | Raise or lower your hand to signal you want to speak | All |
| Minimize presentation | Hide or show the presentation area | All |
Three-Dot Menu (Top Right)
The three-dot menu in the top-right corner provides access to additional options:
- Open Settings
- Help
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Set or reset "Away" status
Next to the three-dot menu, you will find the red End button. This allows you to leave the conference, or – as a moderator – to end the conference for all participants.
Connection Status Indicator
Located near the top of the screen next to the recording button, the connection status indicator shows the quality of your current network connection:
| Color | Meaning | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Excellent connection | No action needed |
| Yellow | Moderate connection | Consider improving your network connection |
| Red | Poor connection | Urgently check your network – consider disabling webcam or switching to a wired connection |
If your connection status is yellow or red, try turning off your webcam, closing other bandwidth-heavy applications, or switching from Wi-Fi to a wired Ethernet connection.