Recording a Zoom meeting is useful for sharing with people who could not attend, creating training materials, or keeping a record of decisions made. Zoom supports both local recording (saved to your computer) and cloud recording (saved to Zoom’s servers). Here is how to use both.
Who Can Record a Zoom Meeting?
The meeting host can always record. Participants can only record if the host grants them permission. In a free Zoom account, only local recording is available. Cloud recording requires a paid Zoom plan (Pro, Business, or Enterprise).
How to Record Locally (Free and Paid Accounts)
- Join or start a Zoom meeting
- Click the Record button in the meeting toolbar at the bottom of the screen
- Select Record on this Computer
- A recording indicator appears in the top-left corner of the screen
- To pause, click the recording indicator. To stop, click the square stop button
- When you end the meeting, Zoom automatically converts and saves the recording
The recording is saved as an MP4 video file. By default it saves to your Documents folder in a subfolder called Zoom.
Where Are Local Zoom Recordings Saved?
Default save location: C:/Users/[YourName]\Documents\Zoom
To check or change this: open Zoom settings, click Recording, and look at the Local Recording path. Click Change to choose a different folder.
How to Record to the Cloud (Paid Accounts)
- Start your meeting as host
- Click Record and select Record to the Cloud
- The recording processes automatically when the meeting ends
- You will receive an email when the recording is ready
- Access recordings at zoom.us > Recordings in your account dashboard
Cloud recordings are stored on Zoom’s servers and can be shared via a link. They are available for download as MP4, M4A (audio only), and transcript text files.
How to Allow a Participant to Record
As host, you can grant recording permission to a participant during a meeting:
- Click Participants in the toolbar
- Hover over the participant’s name and click More
- Select Allow to Record Locally
Does the Other Person Know They Are Being Recorded?
Yes. Zoom displays a recording notification to all participants when recording starts. They will see “This meeting is being recorded” on their screen. You cannot record a Zoom meeting without other participants being informed.
Recording on Mobile
On the Zoom mobile app (iOS and Android), local recording is not available — only cloud recording. You will need a paid account to record on mobile. Tap More in the meeting controls and select Record to the Cloud.
Sharing a Zoom Recording
For local recordings, share the MP4 file via email, OneDrive, Google Drive, or any file sharing service. For cloud recordings, log into your Zoom account, go to Recordings, and copy the shareable link. You can set an expiry date and password for the link.
