New SDKs Expand Possibilities for Direct Integration with Zoom Workplace

The Zoom Developer Ecosystem’s strength lies in supporting a wide variety of integration opportunities and app architectures. Today, I'm excited to share how Zoom is taking the next step in further expanding possibilities for developers by introducing two powerful SDKs that deliver new ways of integrating with Zoom: Plugin SDK and Device SDK.

Plugin SDK: Build native app integrations for Zoom Workplace

Introducing the Plugin SDK

The Plugin SDK enables developers to connect their native applications to Zoom Workplace on macOS or Windows via Inter-Process Communication (IPC). It exposes over 170 callable methods, giving developers access to rich in-meeting features, settings functionality, and deep control of Zoom Workplace app experiences.

Why Choose the Plugin SDK?

The Plugin SDK presents several unique advantages over other options for native developers integrating with Zoom. Unlike the Meeting SDK, which also offers in-meeting controls, the Plugin SDK does not bundle a client. Instead, it connects to the official Zoom Workplace app via IPC. As a result, the Plugin SDK is a much smaller package compared to the Meeting SDK, which makes it a more lightweight method of integrating native apps with Zoom Meetings.

End-users get access to rich developer integrations while continuing to use the official Zoom Workplace app, providing several benefits including:

Seamless updates to the latest Zoom features without requiring developers to ship and maintain a separate meeting client.
Expanded access to the Zoom platform, including Zoom Chat, Canvas, and the Zoom AI experience, which are not available in the client version that is bundled inside the Meeting SDK.

Key Developer Advantages

The Plugin SDK presents developers with many exciting potential use cases by allowing direct access to Zoom Workplace functionality from within third-party native applications:

Creation of standalone Zoom plugins, extending functionality for meeting management, powerful controls, and fleet setting automation.
Integration with existing apps, allowing developers to forward commands from their application to the Zoom Workplace instance on the user’s device.
Orchestrating Zoom with AI agents, empowering them to take actions within the Zoom Workplace application by leveraging skills based on Plugin SDK functions, without exposing the entire operating system to full device automation through GUI interaction privileges.

Real-World Example: ZoomCuts

At Zoom, we have used the Plugin SDK to build our ZoomCuts plugin, which pairs to Zoom Workplace and exposes in-meeting functionality to Apple's App Intents framework.

With ZoomCuts, users can create Apple Shortcuts to control Zoom Workplace directly. Previously, ZoomCuts relied on the Meeting SDK, which required users to join meetings through a separate client — limiting access to newer Zoom products and features. By switching to an early prototype of the Plugin SDK, ZoomCuts was redesigned to be distributed as a lightweight macOS menu bar app that surfaces a simple login and pairing interface. Once connected, ZoomCuts will forward commands coming in via App Intents to Zoom Workplace and return information from the meeting that can be used to build rich automations in Apple Shortcuts.

Getting Started

Developers can enable and download the Plugin SDK today from the Developer Platform Studio in the Access feature category of the General App Build Flow.

To connect the Plugin SDK to your application:

Use a Marketplace Access Token with a new developer Scope called plugin_sdk:read:connection_meta to establish an IPC connection to Zoom Workplace when initializing the Plugin SDK.
Ensure both the app using Plugin SDK and Zoom Workplace are signed in using the same Zoom account, which is required for the plugin to connect successfully.

Today, the Plugin SDK includes APIs for a subset of in-meeting functionality, with plans to expand access to additional Zoom Workplace services and scopes in the future.

Learn more about the Plugin SDK here.

Device SDK:Connect your peripherals, drivers, and widgets to Zoom Meetings

Introducing the Device SDK

The Device SDK enables developers to connect peripherals, drivers, and widgets directly to Zoom Meetings within Zoom Workplace. It provides a simple pairing method that allows devices to take basic actions and receive real-time updates on Zoom's button and feature states.

While keyboard shortcuts are a popular method of controlling an application, their usefulness can be limited due to their inability to communicate the current state of a feature at a glance. The Device SDK solves this problem by offering a stateful method of connection to Zoom Meetings that can synchronize events happening in the meeting with commands from their native applications on macOS and Windows. For example: if the end user is muted, has turned on their camera, started a screen share, etc.

How it Works

Similar to the Plugin SDK, the Device SDK uses Inter-Process Communication (IPC) technology to pair directly to the Zoom Workplace app. However, the Device SDK has a simpler set of APIs and does not provide access to in-meeting customer content like chat.

The Device SDK is provided through an official engagement with the Zoom Certification program, where developers can apply for access and submit their peripheral devices, drivers, or software widgets to Zoom for review and testing. If the submission receives the official Personal Productivity Device certification from Zoom, it will be entered into an allow-list to connect to Zoom Workplace.

Developer Opportunities

The Device SDK creates many opportunities for developers to seamlessly integrate with Zoom:

Interactive hardware devices can import the Device SDK into their drivers to gain direct, programmatic access to features of Zoom Meetings with synchronized button state feedback.
Software utilities can provide quick access to useful features and app status by leveraging the Device SDK to pair with the Zoom Workplace app and exchange commands and information.
Centralized reports and dashboards can relay information from Zoom Workplace to centralized reporting surfaces to gain contextual insights on the operation of the system.

All of these use cases benefit from the Device SDK's simple pairing flow, direct control features, and stateful feedback.

Real-World Example: Elgato Stream Deck

Several developers have recently received the Zoom Personal Productivity Device Certification for their Device SDK integrations, offering powerful functionality to their customers. One standout example is Elgato, which released an official Zoom Plugin for their popular Stream Deck device, which implements reliable state synchronization and contextual feedback from mic, camera, and screen sharing, all of which is directly visible on the device's buttons.

Vivian Wang, Director of Global Business Development at Elgato, shared the following testimonial on their Zoom integration:

"Elgato leveraged Zoom's Device SDK to make Stream Deck an even more powerful tool for Zoom users, enabling direct meeting controls with the press of a key alongside real time status synchronization and visual feedback directly on the device. These capabilities allowed us to move beyond traditional shortcuts and create a more deeply integrated Zoom experience, helping deliver a more intuitive and seamless collaboration experience for professionals around the world.”

Getting Access and Certification

To apply for access to the Device SDK, please reach out to the Zoom Hardware Partnership Team at hcp@zoom.us. We are so excited about the incredible integrations created by these developers and the many exciting products still to come in this category!

Advancing the future of native integrations with Zoom

The Plugin SDK and Device SDK together represent a significant milestone in our commitment to empowering developers with flexible, powerful tools for building Zoom integrations. Whether you're creating native app plugins or developing certified peripheral devices, we've expanded the possibilities for how you can integrate with Zoom and deliver value to your users.

The Plugin SDK and Device SDK each address distinct developer needs while maintaining our focus on reducing friction, improving user experience, and enabling innovation. We're excited to see what you'll build with these new capabilities and how they'll shape the future of collaboration technology.

Ready to get started? Visit the Zoom Developer Platform website to explore documentation, access SDKs, and join our developer community. For questions or support, reach out to our developer relations team or connect with fellow developers in our forums. We also encourage you to check out the 2026 Zoom Developer Summit presentation on the Plugin SDK and Device SDK: Integrating your software directly with Zoom Workplace.