X

Zoom is dropping 40-minute limit for holiday season

As it did for Thanksgiving, the video chat app will make sure your virtual family gatherings aren't cut off.

Sean Keane Former Senior Writer
Sean knows far too much about Marvel, DC and Star Wars, and poured this knowledge into recaps and explainers on CNET. He also worked on breaking news, with a passion for tech, video game and culture.
Expertise Culture, Video Games, Breaking News
Sean Keane
2 min read
zoom-logo-laptop-9780

You might be using Zoom regularly over the next two weeks.

Angela Lang/CNET

Zoom is repeating its Thanksgiving gift for the festive season, lifting its 40-minute limit for three periods until Jan. 2, it said earlier this week. The video chat app has been an invaluable tool for much of the world throughout the coronavirus pandemic, by letting people connect while maintaining physical distance.

You'll be to video chat for as long as you like during these periods:

  • 10 a.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 17, to 6 a.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 19
  • 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, Dec. 23, to 6 a.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 26
  • 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, Dec. 30, to 6 a.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 2

"Whether coming together on the final day of Hanukkah, celebrating Christmas, ringing in the New Year, or marking the last days of Kwanzaa, those connecting with friends and family won't get cut short," the company wrote in a release.

Read more: Zoom review: The video meeting service became a verb in 2020

Zoom surged in popularity in 2020, as working from home and communicating virtually became the norm under coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions. Its user base jumped from 10 million last December to 300 million in April, the FTC noted

As the holiday season approached, the company added tools to let you block and report anyone who disrupts your meetings. As usage went up, the platform was scrutinized for potential privacy and security issues, and has since rolled out end-to-end encryption and expanded two-factor authentication.

In November, Microsoft Teams one-upped Zoom's temporary time limit removal by offering free all-day video calling until further notice.