# How do I run large Jitsi meetings with visitors and moderation?

> Visitors watch a Jitsi conference through WebRTC while extra Prosody instances distribute audience signaling. Docker stable-11248 includes visitor settings but requires a custom topology, not just ENABLE_VISITORS=1. Lobby controls admission; message moderation deletes sent chat messages and does not provide a message approval queue. [S5][S8][S9][S12]

Source: https://jitsi.help/guides/jitsi-large-meetings-visitors-lobby/
Updated: October 6, 2026
Publisher: Jitsi Help (https://jitsi.help/)

## Who this is for

You run a panel, class or town hall with many viewers and fewer speakers. `stable-11248`, released 2026-09-14, is still the newest Docker release checked on 2026-10-06. [S1][S20]

## How it works

Visitors receive conference media without joining the main room as ordinary publishing participants. Main participants use the main Prosody instance. Additional visitor Prosody instances distribute audience signaling; multiple videobridges supply media capacity. Adding bridges alone does not build this signaling topology. [S3][S8][S20]

Upstream's example discusses 10,000 participants, around 50 bridges on machines with at least eight cores, and 2,000 viewers per visitor node. These are sizing guidance, not a supported capacity guarantee. The reference is marked work in progress. Docker's current default is much lower: 250 occupants per visitor room. Load-test your actual layout. [S6][S8]

Lobby holds people before admission. Audio/video moderation controls permission to publish media. Message moderation supports deleting sent messages. These are separate features; none turns ordinary room chat into a queue awaiting approval. [S5][S12][S14][S15]

## Before you start

- Have a working HTTPS meeting at `meet.example.com`, valid DNS and certificates. Standard public ports are TCP 80 and 443 and UDP 10000 for media. Restrict internal XMPP connections to the required servers. [S2][S3]
- Keep the Compose files and Jitsi images from the same release. Establish moderator authentication before testing admission or moderation. [S2]
- Budget extra Prosody instances, browser proxy routes, server-to-server XMPP routing and sufficient bridges. Stock Docker Compose starts no visitor Prosody instances. [S4][S8][S9]
- Rehearse joins, promotion, departures and prolonged load, including known disconnect and memory problems. [S16][S17]

## Steps

1. **Docker stable-11248: enable ordinary meeting moderation first.** In your existing `.env`, set the following. Lobby and AV moderation already default to enabled; a moderator still activates the relevant room controls. [S2][S5]

   ```ini
   ENABLE_LOBBY=1
   ENABLE_AV_MODERATION=1
   ENABLE_MESSAGE_MODERATION=1
   ```

   `ENABLE_MESSAGE_MODERATION` defaults to enabled in the Prosody template, but this release's Compose file does not forward it. To make the setting controllable, merge this fragment into `compose.override.yaml`. Preserve any existing overrides. [S4][S5][S21]

   ```yaml
   services:
     prosody:
       environment:
         ENABLE_MESSAGE_MODERATION: ${ENABLE_MESSAGE_MODERATION:-1}
   ```

   Recreate Prosody during maintenance. Use the same file list subsequently. [S21]

   ```bash
   docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f compose.override.yaml config --quiet
   docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f compose.override.yaml up -d prosody
   ```

2. **Docker stable-11248: prepare visitors before enabling them.** Provision separate Prosody services with `PROSODY_MODE=visitors` and a unique `PROSODY_VISITOR_INDEX`. Configure Jicofo connections, authentication, main/visitor S2S routes and browser BOSH/WebSocket proxying. The upstream package reference describes these moving parts, but there is no complete released Docker visitor recipe. [S6][S8][S9]

   Only after that topology works, set:

   ```ini
   ENABLE_VISITORS=1
   VISITORS_MAX_PARTICIPANTS=30
   VISITORS_MAX_VISITORS_PER_NODE=250
   ```

   These use an example speaker threshold and Docker's visitor-room default. `VISITORS_XMPP_SERVER` takes comma-separated `host[:port]` entries for your configured nodes, starting at `v0`. Validate C2S and S2S ports separately. Stock Compose omits `VISITORS_XMPP_PORT` and `JICOFO_VISITORS_REQUIRE_MUC_CONFIG` from Jicofo's environment. Custom deployments must forward settings they use. [S4][S6][S7]

3. **Docker stable-11248: choose promotion policy.** Visitors request participation with **Raise your hand**; moderators use **Admit**, **Reject** or **Admit all**. Promotion allows joining the main meeting and publishing media. Docker renders `auto_allow_visitor_promotion = true`, so approval is not required by default. There is no corresponding Docker environment switch. [S5][S10][S11][S13]

   For moderator approval, adapt the server configuration to `auto_allow_visitor_promotion = false` and configure the documented conference-request HTTP route. The package reference also requires `conferenceRequestUrl` in the browser configuration. Test this custom arrangement before the event. [S8][S10]

4. **Debian/Ubuntu packages, Jitsi Meet 11248: use the package topology reference.** It creates numbered Prosody instances, including `/etc/prosody-v1/prosody.cfg.lua`, and requires manual main-Prosody and Nginx wiring. Review its helper before running it: it uses shell tracing while handling the existing Jicofo password. Do not run it blindly on production. [S8][S25]

   For configured visitor nodes with `hocon` installed, activate with: [S8]

   ```bash
   sudo hocon -f /etc/jitsi/jicofo/jicofo.conf set "jicofo.visitors.enabled" true
   sudo hocon -f /etc/jitsi/jicofo/jicofo.conf set "jicofo.visitors.max-participants" 30
   sudo service prosody restart
   sudo service jicofo restart
   sudo service nginx restart
   ```

   The package example includes lobby and AV moderation. For sent-message deletion, add `"muc_message_moderation";` to the existing `modules_enabled` lists of the main and breakout MUC components in `/etc/prosody/conf.avail/meet.example.com.cfg.lua`, then check and restart Prosody. Visitor MUCs need it for local history too. Docker `.env` variables do not configure packages. [S12][S15][S22]

   ```bash
   sudo prosodyctl check config
   sudo service prosody restart
   ```

5. **Both installation types, 11248: restrict group chat separately.** Docker loads `filter_messages` with `PROSODY_ENABLE_FILTER_MESSAGES=1`; packages need `"filter_messages";` in the main and breakout MUC module lists. [S5][S24]

   Docker: append `config.showChatPermissionsModeratorSetting = true;` to `${CONFIG}/web/custom-config.js`, owned by UID 1000, then recreate `web`. Packages: set `showChatPermissionsModeratorSetting: true,` in `/etc/jitsi/meet/meet.example.com-config.js`. The moderator checkbox is hidden when room metadata reports `allownersEnabled`. [S2][S15][S21][S24]

   The moderator opens **Settings**, **Moderator** and selects **Disable chat for non-moderators**. This sets `groupChatRestricted` for that room. [S13][S24]

   When `groupChatRestricted` is true, the server requires `send-groupchat` permission. Built-in defaults grant non-token moderators access. A JWT containing features must explicitly grant it, even for a moderator. Test allowed and denied senders before the event. [S24]

## Configuration reference

Defaults below apply to Docker `stable-11248`, unless marked otherwise. [S4][S5][S6][S7]

| Setting | Where | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| `ENABLE_VISITORS` | Docker `.env` | `0` | Enables visitor support, not extra services. [S6][S7] |
| `VISITORS_MAX_PARTICIPANTS` | Docker `.env` | Unset, Jicofo uses `50` | Main-participant threshold. [S7] |
| `VISITORS_MAX_VISITORS_PER_NODE` | Docker `.env` | `250` | Jicofo selection threshold and visitor MUC occupant cap. [S6][S7] |
| `VISITORS_XMPP_SERVER` | Docker `.env` | Empty | Comma-separated configured visitor servers. [S6][S7] |
| `VISITORS_XMPP_DOMAIN` | Docker `.env` | `meet.jitsi` | Visitor domain base. [S6][S7] |
| `VISITORS_XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN` | Jicofo environment | `auth.meet.jitsi` | Visitor authentication domain. [S7] |
| `PROSODY_VISITORS_MUC_PREFIX` | Docker `.env` | `muc` | Visitor room domain prefix. [S6][S7] |
| `VISITORS_XMPP_PORT` | Docker environment | `52220` plus index | Template fallback, verify forwarding and routing. [S4][S6][S7] |
| `JICOFO_VISITORS_REQUIRE_MUC_CONFIG` | Jicofo environment | `0` | Requires room visitor flag when enabled. [S7] |
| `PROSODY_MODE` | Each Prosody service | `client` | Use `visitors` on separate visitor nodes. [S6] |
| `PROSODY_VISITOR_INDEX` | Visitor service | `0` | Number used in its XMPP domain. [S6] |
| `ENABLE_LOBBY` | Docker `.env` | `true` | Loads lobby support. [S5] |
| `ENABLE_AV_MODERATION` | Docker `.env` | `true` | Loads AV moderation support. [S5] |
| `ENABLE_MESSAGE_MODERATION` | Prosody environment | `true` | Sent-message deletion; Compose forwarding required. [S4][S5] |
| `PROSODY_ENABLE_FILTER_MESSAGES` | Docker `.env` | `false` | Loads server chat restriction. [S5] |
| `auto_allow_visitor_promotion` | Visitors component | Docker `true`, module `false` | Automatic versus approved promotion. [S5][S10] |
| `conferenceRequestUrl` | Browser `config.js` | Unset | HTTP conference/promotion requests. [S8][S24] |
| `showChatPermissionsModeratorSetting` | Browser `config.js` | Unset, control hidden | Shows chat permission control. [S24] |
| `groupChatRestricted` | Room permissions metadata | Unset | Activates restricted group chat. [S24] |
| `allownersEnabled` | Room metadata | Deployment-dependent | Hides chat permission control when true. [S24] |
| `send-groupchat` | JWT context features | Absent means denied when restricted | Allows the sender to post. [S24] |
| `jicofo.visitors.enabled` | Package `jicofo.conf` | `false` | Activates configured visitor topology. [S7] |
| `jicofo.visitors.max-participants` | Package `jicofo.conf` | `50` | Threshold used by package activation step. [S7] |

## Common mistakes

- **Turning on lobby after visitors arrive:** the 11248 client refuses this. Browser console text is exactly `Ignoring enable lobby request because there are visitors in the call already.` Plan admission before opening the audience. [S14]
- **Treating demotion as harmless:** #2103 reports everyone disconnecting when a moderator makes a participant a visitor. It was closed for inactivity, not a confirmed fix; its custom stack PR was not merged. Cause remains unconfirmed, not fixed as of 2026-10-06. [S16]
- **Assuming stable-11248 fixes memory growth:** #2411 reports an expired non-visitor endpoint retained in speech activity, followed by `java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space`. Proposed PR #2461 is open and unmerged. Stable-11248 retains the original code, not fixed as of 2026-10-06. [S17][S18][S19]
- **Using limits as capacity proof:** Jicofo selection is soft; Prosody enforces an occupant cap. Measure before raising either. [S6][S7]

## Verify

**Docker stable-11248:** confirm selected images and rendered message moderation without printing passwords. [S4][S21][S23][S26]

```bash
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f compose.override.yaml config --images
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f compose.override.yaml exec -T prosody grep -oF '"muc_message_moderation";' /run/prosody/config/conf.d/jitsi-meet.cfg.lua
```

All Jitsi image tags should end in `:stable-11248`. With default breakout support, the second command returns exactly two lines, one per configured MUC: [S4][S5]

```text
"muc_message_moderation";
"muc_message_moderation";
```

This proves rendered configuration. On both 11248 installation types, join as moderator and attendee. Enable lobby before visitors join, approve the attendee and delete a test message. Another browser should display **Deleted by a moderator.** Test visitor admission above the example threshold, then request promotion under your chosen policy. Repeat departures during prolonged load. [S7][S10][S11][S13][S14]

## If it still fails

For Docker 11248, collect service logs. Include your custom visitor services separately; their names depend on your deployment. [S21]

```bash
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f compose.override.yaml logs --tail 100 prosody jicofo jvb web
```

Visitor Prosody startup should report `Prosody visitor mode, using alternate config`. Promotion rejection can contain `Visitor needs to be allowed by a moderator`. Restricted chat can return `Sending group messages not allowed`. Investigate the relevant topology or permission, not an assumed participant limit. [S10][S24][S26]

For packages, inspect `/var/log/prosody/prosody.log` and `/var/log/jitsi/jicofo.log`. Check visitor S2S connections, browser proxy requests and promotion routing. For growing bridge memory, preserve logs and heap evidence for #2411; extra heap does not establish that retention is fixed. [S3][S8][S17]

## FAQ

### Does ENABLE_VISITORS=1 support thousands of viewers?

It enables configuration support. Extra Prosody nodes, proxy routes and bridge capacity are still required; no fixed capacity follows from the switch. [S8][S9]

### Can moderators promote visitors to speakers?

Yes, current code supports requests and approval. Docker defaults to automatic promotion, so moderator approval requires adapting the server policy. [S5][S10][S11]

### Should I use visitors or live streaming?

Choose visitors for conference-like latency and possible promotion. Choose a Jibri stream to a streaming service for a mainly passive audience, with that service handling distribution. [S20]

### Does message moderation approve every message first?

No. It supports deletion after sending. Restricted chat is a separate feature with explicit sender permission checks. [S12][S24]

## Sources

[S1] [stable-11248 release](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/releases/tag/stable-11248), 2026-09-14; release note, latest checked 2026-10-06.

[S2] [Docker handbook](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/devops-guide-docker), checked 2026-10-06; official doc.

[S3] [Scalable setup](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/devops-guide-scalable), checked 2026-10-06; official doc.

[S4] [11248 Compose](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/blob/stable-11248/docker-compose.yml), 2026-09-14; source code.

[S5] [11248 main Prosody template](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/blob/stable-11248/prosody/rootfs/defaults/conf.d/jitsi-meet.cfg.lua), 2026-09-14; source code. [PR #2318](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/pull/2318), 2026-09-04; maintainer change.

[S6] [Visitor template](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/blob/stable-11248/prosody/rootfs/defaults/conf.d/visitors.cfg.lua) and [global template](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/blob/stable-11248/prosody/rootfs/defaults/prosody.cfg.lua), 2026-09-14; source code.

[S7] [Docker Jicofo template](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/blob/stable-11248/jicofo/rootfs/defaults/jicofo.conf) and [11248 reference](https://github.com/jitsi/jicofo/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/jicofo/src/main/resources/reference.conf), 2026-09-14; source code.

[S8] [Extra-large conference reference](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/resources/extra-large-conference/README.md), 11248, checked 2026-10-06; official repository doc.

[S9] [Maintainer on missing Docker visitor setup](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/issues/2183#issuecomment-3597088416), 2025-12-01; maintainer comment.

[S10] [Visitors component](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_visitors_component.lua), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S11] [Visitor actions](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/react/features/visitors/actions.ts) and [approval UI](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/react/features/participants-pane/components/web/VisitorsItem.tsx), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S12] [Message moderation module](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_muc_message_moderation.lua), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S13] [Message menu](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/react/features/chat/components/web/MessageMenu.tsx) and [labels](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/lang/main.json), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S14] [Lobby actions](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/react/features/lobby/actions.any.ts), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S15] [Package example](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/doc/debian/jitsi-meet-prosody/prosody.cfg.lua-jvb.example), [Prosody installer](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/debian/jitsi-meet-prosody.postinst) and [web installer](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/debian/jitsi-meet-web-config.postinst), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S16] [Disconnect report #2103](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/issues/2103), 2025-05-29, and [custom PR #2086](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/pull/2086); community report, status checked 2026-10-06.

[S17] [Bridge retention/OOM #2411](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-videobridge/issues/2411), 2026-05-13; community report, open on 2026-10-06.

[S18] [Proposed fix #2461](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-videobridge/pull/2461), 2026-10-05; source code proposal, unmerged on 2026-10-06.

[S19] [11248 endpoint expiry](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-videobridge/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/jvb/src/main/java/org/jitsi/videobridge/Conference.java#L981-L1005), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S20] [Large-audience architecture](https://jitsi.org/blog/low-latency-conference-streaming-to-very-large-audiences/), 2022-11-10; official engineering article.

[S21] Docker [merge](https://docs.docker.com/compose/how-tos/multiple-compose-files/merge/), [up](https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/compose/up/), [config](https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/compose/config/), [exec](https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/compose/exec/) and [logs](https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/compose/logs/), checked 2026-10-06; official docs.

[S22] [prosodyctl](https://prosody.im/doc/prosodyctl), 2026-02-09; official doc.

[S23] [grep manual](https://manpages.debian.org/trixie/grep/grep.1.en.html), checked 2026-10-06; official package documentation.

[S24] [Chat filter](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_filter_messages.lua), [permissions](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_jitsi_permissions.lua), [config](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/config.js), [moderator settings](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/react/features/settings/functions.any.ts) and [metadata action](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/react/features/settings/actions.web.ts), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S25] [Package setup helper](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/stable/jitsi-meet_11248/resources/extra-large-conference/pre-configure.sh), checked 2026-10-06; source code.

[S26] [Docker Prosody startup](https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet/blob/stable-11248/prosody/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/scripts/config), 2026-09-14; source code.

## Open questions

- A complete custom Docker visitor topology and the package reference need testing on a real server; this guide does not claim a tested production recipe.
- Individual visitor chat permissions across S2S forwarding need runtime verification. [S24]
- #2103 supplies no confirmed disconnect cause or fix. #2461 has not shipped; the separate memory observations in #2411 remain unresolved. [S16][S17][S18]
- The reference's old opening says promotion is unavailable, while its later instructions and current code implement it. Capacity for your codec mix, network and deployment requires measurement. [S8][S11]

---

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