Disabling the ability for meeting participants from unmuting themselves can be a temporary component of starting a Zoom session if it is used in conjunction with Locking the meeting.
PLEASE READ Safely starting a Zoom session in the age of Zoom Bombing (CLICK HERE) before continuing this document.
Conditions where it can be considered safe to Lock a Zoom session:
1 - All expected participants are logged into the session.
2 - All participants have been checked by the host to confirm that they are supposed to be in the meeting.
3 - All undesired users have been Removed from the session and Waiting Room by the host.
Locking the Zoom Session
Step 1 - Confirm that all Conditions listed above are met.
Step 2 - Click Manage Participants in the in-call menu bar.
Step 3 - Looking in the lower right corner of the Participants area, click More.
Step 4 - Click Lock Meeting. A popup confirmation window will open to confirm the lock.
Step 5 - Click Yes.
--- Your Meeting is now Locked. No new attendees can join the meeting even if they have the Meeting ID and Password. ---
With the room now locked, the user experience for the attendees can be made more open.
Allow Participants to mute and unmute their microphones
Step 1 - Looking in the lower right corner of the Participants area, click More.
Step 2 - Click "Allow Participants to Unmute Themselves" so that this option shows as CHECKED. The menu should look like the image below.
Give all Participants the ability to share their screens
Step 1 - Click the up arrow to the right of the Share Screen button.
Step 2 - Under the Who can share? heading, Click All Participants. Leave "Who can start sharing when someone else is sharing?" as Host Only.
Step 3 - Click the X in the top right corner to close this popup.