Online AA Meetings: What to Expect

Online AA meetings started long before 2020, but they grew enormously when in-person meetings closed during the pandemic. Many of those online groups are still going strong. For a lot of people, they're the easiest first step: no driving, no walking into a room of strangers, and a meeting available at 3 a.m. when the craving hits.

This guide explains how online meetings work, where to find them, and how to make them part of a solid recovery.

Kinds of Online Meetings

Where to Find Online Meetings

• The Online Intergroup of AA (OIAA) at aa-intergroup.org keeps a large directory of online meetings around the world. You can filter by time, language, and format.
• The Meeting Guide app, made by AA, lists online meetings alongside in-person ones near you.
• Your local AA office website often lists local groups that meet online or in hybrid format.
• People you meet. Members often know of good online groups and will share links.

Most meetings list a link and a meeting ID, and some require a passcode. Groups protect their links to keep meetings safe and private, so don't be put off if you have to ask for one.

Your First Online Meeting

1. Download the app ahead of time, usually Zoom, and test your sound.
2. Join a few minutes early. You may land in a waiting room until the host lets you in.
3. Set your display name. A first name, or first name and last initial, is the norm. You don't have to use your real name at all.
4. Mute yourself unless you're sharing.
5. Camera on or off is your choice. Some groups ask for cameras on during the meeting to keep it safe, but many don't.
6. Listen. The format is the same as in person: an opening, readings, then a speaker or sharing. You can pass if called on. See what to expect at your first AA meeting.

Protecting Your Anonymity (and Everyone Else's)

• Find a private spot where others can't hear the meeting, or use headphones. Other people's shares are confidential.
• Never record, screenshot, or post any part of a meeting. Faces and names in a meeting are as private online as they are in a church basement.
• Watch your background. Mail, photos, or a work badge on camera can reveal more than you intend. Virtual backgrounds help.
• Be thoughtful with the chat. Private messages from strangers that feel pushy or inappropriate can be reported to the host.

AA's tradition of anonymity applies fully online. Our guide to the 12 Traditions explains why it matters.

Meetings for Specific Groups

One big advantage of meeting online is choice. Groups that might be hard to find locally are often a click away:

• Women's and men's meetings
• Young people's meetings
• LGBTQ meetings
• Secular and agnostic meetings, for members who prefer less religious language
• Meetings in Spanish and many other languages
• Meetings for people in specific professions, such as healthcare workers or first responders
• Meetings that use captions or American Sign Language

Most of these are still open to anyone with a desire to stop drinking. The listing usually says if a meeting is for a particular group. Our guide to types of AA meetings explains the different formats you'll see.

Pros and Cons

What online meetings do well

• Available at almost any hour, from anywhere
• A gentle first step for people who are anxious about walking into a room
• Helpful for rural areas, travel, illness, disabilities, night shifts, and parents without childcare
• Meetings for specific groups, languages, and formats that may not exist locally

What they don't do as well

• It's easier to stay anonymous in a way that keeps you isolated
• Fewer chances for the coffee and conversation after a meeting, where friendships start
• Distractions at home, from phones to family to the TV
• Finding a sponsor can take more effort

Many members use both: an in-person home group for connection, and online meetings to fill the gaps.

Getting the Most Out of Meeting Online

1. Choose an online home group and attend it every week so people get to know you.
2. Turn your camera on when you can. Being seen helps you feel part of the group.
3. Share sometimes. Even a short share helps people remember you.
4. Collect phone numbers and actually call. Connection shouldn't end when the meeting does.
5. Ask about sponsorship. Many online groups keep lists of members willing to sponsor. See how to find a sponsor.
6. Take on a service role, like greeter or reader. Online groups need volunteers too.

Common Questions