# \&roomkey

General Option! ([`&director`](https://docs.vdo.ninja/advanced-settings/director-parameters/director), [`&room`](https://docs.vdo.ninja/advanced-settings/setup-parameters/room))

## Aliases

* `&rk`

## Options

Example: `&roomkey=TRUSTED_BYPASS_KEY`

<table><thead><tr><th width="250">Value</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>String</td><td>Trusted bypass key shared between director and selected invite links.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Details

`&roomkey` is used with room-admission controls on claimed rooms.

If the room director sets a bypass key, guests joining with the same key can bypass:

* manual approval queues from [`&requireapproval`](https://docs.vdo.ninja/advanced-settings/director-parameters/and-requireapproval)
* custom admission limits from [`&roomcap`](https://docs.vdo.ninja/advanced-settings/director-parameters/and-roomcap), up to the server hard max

`&roomkey` cannot bypass the server hard cap (`80` on the official service).

This behavior works on the official hosted VDO.Ninja service (`vdo.ninja`) and on self-hosted signaling services that support claim-time admission controls.

## Security Notes

* Treat room keys like passwords; only share with trusted users.
* Changing the key rotates who can bypass admission checks.

## Related

{% content-ref url="and-requireapproval" %}
[and-requireapproval](https://docs.vdo.ninja/advanced-settings/director-parameters/and-requireapproval)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="and-roomcap" %}
[and-roomcap](https://docs.vdo.ninja/advanced-settings/director-parameters/and-roomcap)
{% endcontent-ref %}