# Joining a meeting early
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If you need to set up for a meeting before it starts, or just prefer to stay ahead of schedule, you can join a meeting early. The following steps explain how to use the desktop client and web app to join early.

**Note**  
You need a meeting ID to join early. For information about obtaining meeting IDs, see [Finding meeting IDs](find-meeting-id.md).

**To join a meeting early from an invitation**

1. Open the invitation from Amazon Chime.

1. Choose the Amazon Chime link in the invitation.

1. Select any audio and video settings you need before you start the meeting, then choose **Join**.

**To join a meeting early with a meeting ID**

1. Get the meeting ID for the meeting you want to join. For information about obtaining meeting IDs, see [Finding meeting IDs](find-meeting-id.md).

1. On the Amazon Chime Home screen in either the desktop or web app, under **Quick actions**, choose **Join a meeting**.

1. In the **Join a meeting** dialog box, enter the **Meeting ID**, and choose **Join**.

1. Select any audio and video settings you need before you start the meeting, then choose **Join**.

If other attendees join early, you can see their information and communicate with them before the meeting starts.

When you join a moderated meeting early, Amazon Chime blocks the **Message all** option and all other attendee interactions until a moderator joins and starts the meeting.

If you host a moderated meeting, the meeting starts automatically as soon as you join. If you have the moderator passcode, choose **Enter moderator passcode** to join as a moderator and start the meeting. For more information, see [Scheduling moderated meetings](moderate-meeting.md).