Customize how your Kolab space looks and behaves. From default views to display preferences, these settings help create the optimal experience for your sessions.
Accessing Settings
Space Settings (Facilitator)
For space-wide configuration:
- Open your space
- Click the Settings gear icon
- Navigate through settings categories
Personal Settings (All Users)
For your individual preferences:
- Click your Profile icon
- Select Settings or Preferences
- Adjust personal options
Default View Settings
What is Default View?
The default view determines what participants see when they first join your space:
- Canvas position - Where on the canvas they land
- Zoom level - How zoomed in/out they start
- Mode - Conference, Sidebar, or Interactive
Setting the Default View
- Navigate your canvas to the desired view
- Adjust zoom to appropriate level
- Open Space Settings → Default View
- Click Set Current View as Default
- Save changes
Default View Best Practices
Good defaults:
- Welcome area clearly visible
- Agenda or instructions in view
- Appropriate zoom for content density
- Orientation cues (labels, arrows)
Avoid:
- Starting zoomed too far out (overwhelming)
- Starting zoomed too far in (disorienting)
- Landing on empty canvas
- Hidden instructions
Participant Override
Participants can navigate away from default view. Consider:
- Lock initial view - Force participants to start here
- Suggested view - Recommend but don't force
- Re-center button - Easy return to default
Display Options
Canvas Display
| Setting | Options | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Grid | On / Off | Show alignment grid |
| Grid snap | On / Off | Elements snap to grid |
| Rulers | On / Off | Show measurement rulers |
| Minimap | On / Off | Show navigation minimap |
Video Display
| Setting | Options | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Grid / Gallery / Speaker | How videos arrange |
| Self-view | Show / Hide | See your own video |
| Name labels | Show / Hide | Display names on video |
| Video quality | Auto / HD / Low | Balance quality vs bandwidth |
UI Display
| Setting | Options | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Toolbar | Expanded / Collapsed | Tool palette visibility |
| Sidebar | Show / Hide | Side panel default state |
| Notifications | All / Important / None | Alert frequency |
Participant Visibility Settings
Cursor Visibility
Control whether participants see each other's cursors:
Options:
- All cursors visible - See everyone's cursor
- Same zone only - Only see cursors in your audio zone
- Collaborating only - See cursors of people working nearby
- Hidden - No cursor visibility
When to use each:
| Setting | Best For |
|---|---|
| All visible | Small groups, high collaboration |
| Same zone | Team activities, breakouts |
| Collaborating | Focus work with optional awareness |
| Hidden | Presentations, reduced distraction |
Presence Indicators
Show who's in the space and where:
Options:
- Avatars on canvas - Show where people are located
- Participant list - Sidebar list of attendees
- Status indicators - Active, idle, away states
- Zone indicators - Which audio zone each person is in
Activity Visibility
What actions others can see:
| Activity | Visibility Options |
|---|---|
| Selection | Show / Hide what's selected |
| Editing | Show / Hide active editing |
| Typing | Show / Hide typing indicators |
| Drawing | Show / Hide real-time strokes |
Audio & Video Preferences
Audio Settings
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Input device | Microphone selection |
| Output device | Speaker/headphone selection |
| Echo cancellation | On / Off |
| Noise cancellation | On / Off (Krisp) |
| Auto-mute on join | On / Off |
Video Settings
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Camera | Device selection |
| Mirror video | On / Off |
| Virtual background | None / Blur / Image |
| HD video | On / Off |
| Camera off on join | On / Off |
Spatial Audio Settings
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Spatial audio | On / Off |
| Hearing range | Near / Medium / Far |
| Falloff curve | Linear / Logarithmic |
See Audio Zones Explained for zone configuration.
Notification Preferences
In-Session Notifications
| Notification | Default | Configurable |
|---|---|---|
| Participant joined | On | Yes |
| Participant left | On | Yes |
| Hand raised | On | Yes |
| Chat message | On | Yes |
| Timer alert | On | Yes |
| Mention | On | Yes |
Sound Notifications
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Join/leave sounds | On / Off |
| Chat sounds | On / Off |
| Timer sounds | On / Off |
| Notification volume | Adjustable |
Managing Notification Overload
For busy sessions:
- Disable join/leave notifications for large groups
- Keep only @mentions and hand raises
- Use visual instead of audio notifications
- Designate a co-facilitator to monitor chat
Accessibility Settings
Visual Accessibility
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| High contrast | Increased color contrast |
| Large text | Bigger UI text |
| Reduced motion | Disable animations |
| Color blind mode | Adjusted color palette |
Audio Accessibility
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Captions | Live transcription display |
| Visual alerts | Flash screen for audio events |
| Mono audio | Combine stereo to mono |
Motor Accessibility
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Keyboard navigation | Full keyboard control |
| Larger targets | Bigger click areas |
| Sticky tools | Tools stay selected |
Performance Settings
For Better Performance
If experiencing lag or slowness:
- Reduce video quality - Lower HD to Auto or Low
- Disable virtual background - Reduces processing
- Limit visible videos - Show fewer participants
- Disable animations - Reduce visual effects
- Close other tabs - Free up browser resources
Hardware Acceleration
| Setting | When to Change |
|---|---|
| Hardware acceleration | Disable if video glitches |
| WebGL | Disable if canvas issues |
Network Optimization
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Bandwidth limit | Cap upload/download |
| Auto-quality | Adjust to connection |
| Prioritize audio | Audio over video quality |
Session-Specific Settings
Locking Settings
Facilitators can lock certain settings:
| Setting | Lock Effect |
|---|---|
| Canvas editing | Prevent participant edits |
| Video required | Force cameras on |
| Audio zones | Prevent zone changes |
| Navigation | Lock to current view |
Per-Board Settings
Individual boards can have different settings:
- Different default views
- Different edit permissions
- Different visibility settings
Temporary vs. Permanent
| Type | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Session settings | This session only |
| Space settings | All sessions in this space |
| Default settings | All spaces you create |
Saving & Applying Settings
Saving Your Configuration
- Make desired changes
- Click Save or Apply
- Some changes apply immediately
- Others may require refresh
Exporting Settings
If available:
- Go to Settings → Export
- Download configuration file
- Import to other spaces
Resetting to Defaults
If things get confusing:
- Find Reset to Defaults option
- Confirm reset
- Reconfigure essential settings
Common Settings Scenarios
Large Webinar (50+ people)
Default View: Stage area, 100% zoom
Video: Gallery off, speaker view only
Cursors: Hidden
Notifications: Minimal
Canvas: View only for participants
Small Workshop (8-15 people)
Default View: Welcome area, 80% zoom
Video: Gallery on, self-view on
Cursors: All visible
Notifications: All on
Canvas: Full edit access
Async Collaboration
Default View: Work area, fit to content
Video: Off by default
Cursors: Same zone only
Notifications: Mentions only
Canvas: Full edit access
Troubleshooting Settings
"Setting won't save"
- Check you have permission to change
- Verify internet connection
- Try refreshing and re-applying
- Check for conflicting settings
"Setting not applying"
- Some settings require page refresh
- Check if setting is locked by facilitator
- Verify setting scope (session vs. space)
- Clear browser cache
"Can't find a setting"
- Check Space Settings vs. Personal Settings
- Some settings only available to certain roles
- Feature may require specific subscription
- Search within settings if available
Related Guides
- Space Modes - Display modes
- Visual Effects - Background and audio effects
- Sharing & Permissions - Access control
- System Check - Verify your setup