# Jitsi asks for a login, moderator or password: what to do

> Check which Jitsi server you are using and what the prompt asks for. On meet.jit.si, the person starting a room must sign in; a guest may need to wait for them. A room password comes from the organizer, while a lobby requires admission. Private servers can also require a company login or an application-issued token.

Source: https://jitsi.help/guides/jitsi-login-moderator-password/
Updated: October 2, 2026
Publisher: Jitsi Help (https://jitsi.help/)

Start by checking the domain in the address bar. The public `meet.jit.si` service and your company's own meeting server can show similar screens while using different access rules.

## Identify the prompt before trying a password

| Prompt or situation | What it means | Next step |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sign in to start a room on meet.jit.si | The room creator must authenticate. | If you are hosting, use the sign-in providers offered. If you are a guest, ask the organizer to start the room. |
| Waiting for a moderator | An authorized host may need to start the room. | Confirm the invitation and ask the organizer to join that exact server and room. |
| Enter a room password | This meeting has a shared access password. | Get the current password from the organizer. |
| Waiting in a lobby | A moderator needs to admit you. | Use a recognizable name and contact the organizer if the wait continues. |
| Company login or token error | The private server or application controls access. | Use the organization's login or ask for a fresh invitation through its app. |

Changing your camera permissions will not resolve a password or login prompt. Likewise, a server administrator's login is not automatically the room password.

## Why meet.jit.si asks for sign-in

The official service requires an account for the person starting a room. Guests who join afterward do not need to create one. The sign-in providers shown by the service can change, so use the options on the actual screen.

If you follow an invitation before the organizer arrives, you may be offered sign-in or the option to wait for a moderator. Ask them to start the room. Do not move the meeting to a different website just because the room name looks the same.

This distinction is documented in [Jitsi's room-creation announcement](https://jitsi.org/blog/authentication-on-meet-jit-si/). For the basic joining flow, see [how to join or start a meeting](/guides/join-or-start-jitsi-meeting/).

## Room passwords and lobby admission

A room password protects entry to a particular meeting. Ask whoever sent the invitation for the password they set for this session. There is no universal password that opens other people's rooms.

The [official Jitsi FAQ](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/faq/) explains that the usual room password disappears when the meeting ends. Returning to the same link later starts a new meeting; the organizer should set and share the new password if needed.

A lobby is an approval step. If you are waiting there, tell the organizer your display name so they can recognize and admit you. Repeatedly reopening the same link will not grant admission by itself.

## Login on a private Jitsi server

On a server such as `meet.example.com`, the operator decides which accounts can create rooms and whether guests can join. Some existing installations use host usernames and passwords; others use a company sign-in page or tokens from an application.

Use the account issued by that organization. A Google account that works on meet.jit.si is not automatically an account on every private Jitsi server.

If the organizer says your invitation comes through a portal or course platform, open it through that application. An expired access token may require a fresh invitation; report the exact error to its administrator rather than editing token values yourself.

## For server administrators

Check your actual authentication configuration before changing it. Diagnose whether the failure happens before sign-in, during token validation or at room admission. Keep secrets, full invitation tokens and private meeting links out of public logs and forum posts.

The upstream handbook now marks the older secure-domain setup as deprecated for new installations. Use the [current authentication documentation](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/authentication/) when planning a new setup. For the configuration our platform deploys, see the release-specific [JWT guide](/guides/jitsi-jwt-authentication/) and [JWT troubleshooting](/troubleshooting/jitsi-jwt-not-working/).

If you need an engineer to investigate an existing server, use [our contact form](/contact/?topic=troubleshooting). Include the server domain, sanitized prompt text, affected users and whether a host can start the meeting.

## Sources and scope

Documentation checked October 2, 2026. This explains access prompts; it does not prescribe one authentication setup for every deployment.

- [Official Jitsi joining instructions](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/user-guide/user-guide-join-jitsi-meeting/).
- [Official room-creation authentication announcement](https://jitsi.org/blog/authentication-on-meet-jit-si/).
- [Official FAQ: meeting protection and password lifecycle](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/faq/).
- [Upstream status of the older secure-domain method](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/secure-domain/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the default Jitsi meeting password?

There is no universal meeting password. A room password is set for that meeting, and the organizer must provide it. A server login is a separate credential controlled by that server's operator.

### Why is Jitsi waiting for a moderator?

The room may require an authenticated person to start it. Check that the organizer is joining the same complete meeting link. On meet.jit.si, the person starting the room must sign in.

### Why did yesterday's room password stop working?

Jitsi's usual room password is removed when the meeting ends and everyone leaves. Ask the organizer for the password set for the new meeting. A custom deployment can have additional access rules.


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