How Participants Join a Live Mentimeter Session

Updated

Participants join a live Mentimeter session by opening mentimeter.com in a browser on their own device, entering the join code the presenter displays, and submitting responses to the interactive slides as they appear. No software installation is required, and the same flow works for polls, quizzes, word clouds, and open-ended questions. The presenter must have the presentation open and the join code visible for anyone to get in.

What you need before joining

  • The join code — shown by the presenter, typically on the presentation screen or shared in the meeting chat for remote sessions.
  • A device with a browser — phone, tablet, or laptop. Mentimeter's site describes joining a live Menti as entering a code, with no mention of an app requirement.
  • A stable connection — responses are submitted and results update live, so the session depends on staying connected.

Step-by-step: joining and responding

  1. Open mentimeter.com in your browser. The site's homepage includes an "Enter code to join a live Menti" field.
  2. Type the join code exactly as displayed and submit it. A valid code takes you into the live session; an incorrect or expired code will not.
  3. Wait for the presenter's current slide. The presenter controls which question is active, so your screen changes as they advance.
  4. Respond according to the slide type:
    • Poll — vote on the set options.
    • Quiz — answer questions that have set correct answers.
    • Word Cloud — submit short text that is visualized in real time.
    • Open Ended — type a free-text response that can be collected and displayed.
  5. Watch the results update live. Mentimeter visualizes participant input in real time, so you see the aggregate results as they come in.

What each slide type asks of you

Slide type What you do What appears on screen
Poll Choose from set options Vote counts and distribution
Quiz Answer questions with correct answers Scored results
Word Cloud Enter short words or phrases Responses visualized in real time
Open Ended Type a free-text response Collected and displayed responses

Common sticking points

  • Code not working — codes are tied to a live session. If the presenter hasn't opened the presentation or has moved on, the code may not connect. Ask for the current code rather than reusing an old one.
  • Joining late — you enter at whatever slide is active. Earlier questions are generally not re-opened for late joiners, so you may miss the first poll or quiz.
  • One response per question — polls and quizzes are designed for a single submission per participant per question; plan your answer before submitting.
  • Presenter-paced flow — you cannot move ahead on your own. If your screen seems stuck, the presenter likely hasn't advanced the slide yet.

When this approach fits

Joining by code in a browser is the right method for in-person meetings, classrooms, and events where the presenter displays a code, and for online sessions where the code is shared in chat. It suits audiences of any size — Mentimeter reports being trusted by 500+ million users worldwide — and requires nothing more from participants than a browser and the code. If you are the presenter rather than a participant, the setup work happens on your side: creating the interactive slides and displaying the join code.