# Set up the live Q&A https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-setup/set-up-the-live-q-a Category: [Live and events](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events) › [Live setup](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-setup) --- _Last updated: November 07, 2024_ Live Q&A drives engagement in Circle live stream and live room sessions by allowing participants to submit questions and receive answers live. This guide covers everything you need to know about setting up live Q&A. ## **About live Q&A** Live Q&A empowers hosts, co-hosts, and participants to engage within a dedicated space during live sessions—whether by submitting questions, participating in discussions around questions, or upvoting questions that resonate with them. ### **Key highlights** - **Anonymous questions** : If enabled, everyone can ask questions anonymously. This encourages open and honest interaction, as participants may feel more comfortable asking sensitive or challenging questions without revealing their identity. - **Spotlight** : The host and live moderators can spotlight a specific question to bring it into focus for everyone with a spotlight view. This feature is ideal for highlighting important questions and making it easier to keep everyone’s attention. - **Question moderation** : With moderation controls, the host and live moderators can review submitted questions before they appear to the group. This ensures that only relevant, respectful, and topic-focused questions are shared. - **Upvotes** : When enabled, everyone can upvote questions, allowing the questions that resonate with them to rise to the top when sorted by popularity. This helps the host identify and prioritize key topics.  ### **Availability** - **Plans** : Available on the Professional plan and above. - **Supported platforms** : Supported in a live session when attended via desktop or mobile browsers at the moment. - **Circle live** : Available in both instant live sessions and Circle live events within your community. - **Access to feature:** Available exclusively to community members and admins during live sessions. This includes hosts, co-hosts, participants ( **excluding visitors** ), and live moderator roles. ## **Key information on using live Q&A** Here’s a breakdown of essential details to help you make the most of the live Q&A. ### **Who can manage the live Q&A feature?** Only the host and live moderators have the ability to enable and manage live Q&A. This includes enabling/disabling Q&A, updating settings, moderating questions, spotlighting, and more. - **Host** : The host is typically an admin or community member who initiated the live session in the community. In the case of an event with a Circle live location, the assigned host of an event is the host of the live session. - **Live moderator** : During a live session, the host can assign a [live moderator](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-setup/assign-moderators-for-a-live-session) role to a co-host or participant. Note that this role is temporary and only remains active for the duration of the current live session. ### **Who can ask questions?** During live sessions, hosts, co-hosts (in case of a live stream), live moderators, and participants can send questions. If enabled in Q&A settings, they can also ask questions anonymously.  In public live streams, while visitors can view spotlighted questions on their screen, they cannot access the Live Q&A panel to ask questions or interact with them. 📚 For more information on how co-hosts and participants ask questions and interact with them, see our guide [here](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-engagement/ask-questions-using-the-live-q-a). ### **Who can answer questions?** Generally, the host can answer questions live using the spotlight view. If commenting is enabled in the Q&A settings, everyone can reply to questions in the Live Q&A panel with answers or more insights. The host and live moderators can also pin a reply as the answer. This reply is prominently displayed below the original question in the Live Q&A panel, ensuring that it stands out as the answer for all participants to see. ## **Enable live Q&A** As a host or live moderator, you can enable the live Q&A feature once you are in the live session. For live streams, you have the option to set up Q&A while backstage, allowing you to prepare before going live. To enable live Q&A, follow these steps: 1. Click the **Q&A** icon on the control bar to open the Live Q&A panel. 2. (Optional) Before enabling it, click the dropdown icon next to **Enable Q&A** to adjust the Q&A settings. To learn more about each option, see **Configure live Q&A settings** section below. 3. When ready, click **Enable Q&A**. Once live Q&A is active, participants will be able to start submitting questions. ### **Configure live Q&A settings ** As a host or live moderator, you can manage Q&A settings at any time during the live session.  To access these settings after you have enabled live Q&A, click the **Q&A** icon on the control bar and then click **Settings** (Gear icon) at the top-right of the panel. ![](https://assets-v2.circle.so/5llct5w3v7uiu20x7tnc6junzql7) On the settings menu, you can toggle the following: - **Allow new questions** : This toggle appears in the settings after you have enabled live Q&A. You can turn _off_ this toggle to prevent everyone, including the host, from sending new questions going forward. - **Allow anonymous questions** : Turn _on_ this toggle to allow participants to ask questions anonymously. If disabled, each question will display the name and avatar of the person who asked the question. - **Enable question moderation** : Turn _on_ this toggle to send each question for approval before it appears to everyone in the Live Q&A panel. When enabled, the host and live moderator need to [approve or dismiss](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-management/host-and-manage-the-live-q-a?locale=en#moderating-questions) each question. They can access and manage questions awaiting approval using the dedicated filter in the panel. - **Comment** : Enabling this toggle allows participants to reply to questions. If turned _off_, no one can post a reply, and any existing replies will remain hidden. - **Upvote** : Turn _on_ this toggle to allow everyone to upvote a question. If you disable upvotes, no additional upvotes can be added, and any existing upvote counts will be hidden. - **View all questions** : Turn _on_ this toggle to allow participants to view all questions in the Live Q&A panel. If turned _off_, they can only view questions they asked and questions that are being spotlighted. The host and live moderators see all questions regardless of this setting. ### **Disable Q&A** You can disable live Q&A anytime from the setting. In the Live Q&A panel, click **Settings** (Gear icon) and select **Disable Q&A**. Once disabled, everyone will see a message indicating that the ability to view and ask questions is turned off in the panel. If you decide to re-enable Live Q&A during the session, all previously submitted questions will reappear in the panel.