What causes "Can't Join Webex Meeting: 'Meeting Has Not Started'"?

Host hasn't started the meeting yet Time zone mismatch between invite and your calendar Join before host is disabled You're in the lobby waiting for the host to admit you Webex service outage affecting meeting joins

How do I fix "Can't Join Webex Meeting: 'Meeting Has Not Started'"?

1. Refresh until Join turns green: Keep the meeting page open Refresh every minute; the Join button becomes active once the host starts 2. Check the time zone: Compare the time zone in the invite with your device time zone Ask the host to confirm the start time 3. Contact the host: Message or email the host that you're waiting If you see 'Notify host', you're in the lobby and the host must admit you 4. Ask the host to allow join before host: Host: when scheduling, open Advanced options Enable letting attendees join before the host 5. Check for an outage: Visit status.webex.com If joining is failing broadly, wait for Cisco to resolve it

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Can't Join Webex Meeting: 'Meeting Has Not Started'

Workaround available Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Android Updated October 21, 2026

Quick answer

This message means the host hasn't started the meeting yet, no matter what time it was scheduled. Keep refreshing until the Join button turns green, double-check the time zone, or ask the host to start it or enable join before host.

Most likely fix: Refresh until Join turns green.

Symptoms

Webex says the meeting has not started or that you're waiting for the host, the Join button is greyed out, or you're stuck in the lobby.

Why it happens

Host hasn't started the meeting yet
Time zone mismatch between invite and your calendar
Join before host is disabled
You're in the lobby waiting for the host to admit you
Webex service outage affecting meeting joins

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. Refresh until Join turns green
1. Keep the meeting page open
2. Refresh every minute; the Join button becomes active once the host starts
2. Check the time zone
1. Compare the time zone in the invite with your device time zone
2. Ask the host to confirm the start time
3. Contact the host
1. Message or email the host that you're waiting
2. If you see 'Notify host', you're in the lobby and the host must admit you
4. Ask the host to allow join before host
1. Host: when scheduling, open Advanced options
2. Enable letting attendees join before the host
5. Check for an outage
1. Visit status.webex.com
2. If joining is failing broadly, wait for Cisco to resolve it

This guide also covers

can't join webex meeting
webex meeting has not started
webex meeting not starting
webex waiting for host

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