Zoho Backstage's OnAir feature set gives event organisers full control over the look, feel, and interactivity of virtual sessions. Whether you want to brand your sessions with a custom logo, set an appropriate background, assign hosts, or build networking lounges for attendees, all of these configurations are accessible from a single area of the Backstage management interface.

General Setup

The General tab within OnAir is where you configure visual branding and ambience for your virtual sessions. Navigate there via Manage > OnAir > General from the Dock.

Uploading a Logo

1. Go to Manage > OnAir > General from the Dock.
2. Click Upload Logo.
3. Select the event logo from your media library, or upload a new image file.

Changing the Background

1. In the Background section, click the Change button. The OnAir Background panel will appear.
2. Select one of the available default backgrounds and click Save.
3. To use a custom image instead, click the Upload button within the panel, choose an image from your library or upload a new one, then click Save.

Changing the Ambience

1. Scroll down to the Ambience section.
2. Choose either Dark or Light mode. The available default background options will update to reflect your selection.

OnAir Preferences

OnAir Preferences allow you to fine-tune participant visibility, reactions, recording behaviour, and engagement tools for each session. To access these settings, go to Manage > OnAir > General, then click the Adjustments icon in the top-right corner of the page.

Participant List

Control who can see the participant list during a session. Choose from:

• All — the full list of session attendees is visible to everyone.
• Hosts, event team members, and speakers — only key personnel are shown.
• Hosts and event team members — only internal organisers and moderators are visible.

The Show Participant Count setting follows the same three options, controlling whose attendance total is displayed.

Reactions

Choose how audience reactions appear during the session:

• With Participant Name — reactions are displayed alongside the person's name.
• Without Participant Name — reactions appear anonymously.
• Off — reactions are disabled entirely for the session.

Recordings

Enable Auto Record Session to begin recording automatically as soon as the session starts, without requiring a manual trigger from the host.

Engagement Settings

Toggle individual engagement features on or off to match the format and interactivity level of your session. Available options include:

• Polls
• Q&A
• Anonymous Questions
• Allow Attendees to Reply
• Chat
• Allow Attendees to Raise Mic Request
• Direct Messages
• Meetings

Once you have configured your preferred settings, click Save to apply them.

Managing Hosts

Hosts are assigned to individual tracks within your event. Navigate to Manage > OnAir > Hosts from the Dock to view a breakdown of event days and their associated tracks.

Assigning a New Host to a Track

1. Select the relevant event day from the list.
2. Click Manage Hosts for the track you wish to configure. The Add Host panel will appear.
3. To assign an existing event member, select them from the Select Host dropdown. To invite someone new, click Invite Members, enter their email address, select an appropriate role, then click Add.
4. Once a host is assigned, the Co-Host field becomes available. Select an event team member to fill this role.
5. Click Save.
6. If your event is in draft status, click Publish. If it is already live, click Republish to apply the changes.

Changing a Host

1. Click Manage Hosts for the relevant track.
2. Click the X icon next to the current host or co-host to remove them.
3. Assign a replacement following the steps above, then click Save.
4. Publish or Republish the event as appropriate.

Managing Lounges

Lounges provide dedicated virtual networking spaces for attendees. Navigate to Manage > OnAir > Lounges from the Dock to create and manage them.

Creating a Lounge

1. Click Add Lounge. The Add Lounge panel will appear.
2. Enter a Lounge Name and set the Lounge Capacity. The maximum capacity per lounge is 20 participants.
3. Set Lounge Access: choose Open to All for unrestricted access, or Open to a specific group to limit access to particular attendee types such as speakers, sponsors, or staff.
4. Configure Lounge Settings by toggling Video Settings, Screenshare, Polls, and Chat on or off as required.
5. Optionally click Change Background to select a default lounge background or upload a custom image, then click Save.
6. Click Add to create the lounge, then Publish or Republish the event as appropriate.

Editing a Lounge

1. Click the Edit button next to the lounge you wish to update. The Edit Lounge panel will appear.
2. Make the required changes, then click Done.
3. Publish or Republish the event as appropriate.

Deleting a Lounge

1. Open the dropdown menu associated with the lounge you wish to remove.
2. Click Delete and confirm the action in the dialogue box that appears.
3. Publish or Republish the event as appropriate.