Virtual meetings with web conferencing software such as Zoom have become the new normal since the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is virtually impossible to grasp everything during a virtual meeting; however, we also don’t want to miss important details. This is where the Zoom recording feature comes in. With this feature, you can record meetings for review on missed points, and the absentees also have something to fall back on.
However, recording a Zoom meeting is not all that straightforward, with some requirements to be met and steps to be followed. This is why we have prepared this guide to walk you through the steps of successfully recording a Zoom meeting, whether on your laptop or mobile devices.
How to record a Zoom meeting on laptop?
If you are the host, recording a Zoom meeting on your laptop using the built-in recorder is extremely simple. And this feature is available for both free and paid users.
Follow the steps below:
Open the Zoom app and host a new meeting.
Click the Record option in the bottom menu to start the recording.
If you are a free user, your recording automatically saves to your local folder but If you have a paid Zoom subscription, a recording option will pop up asking you where you want to save your file: Record on this Computer or Record to the Cloud.
It immediately starts recording, and a Recording indicator with the Pause and Stop icons will appear in the upper left corner of your screen.
To pause the recording, you can simply use the “Pause icon”. Also, you can stop the recording using the “Stop icon”, or press Alt + R on Windows and Command + Shift + R on Mac.
Once the recording is stopped, Zoom automatically converts your recordings to make their files accessible.
Local recordings can be accessed on your local hard drive while cloud recordings are saved in an online folder in the cloud where you can easily access them.
Keep in mind that audiovisual recordings are saved as MP4 formats in video folders, while audio-only recordings are saved as M4A formats in audio folders.
Can you record a Zoom meeting if you are not the host?
The answer is a definite "yes!"
You can record Zoom meeting as a participant in two different ways. One is by requesting permission from the host, and the other is by introducing a third-party meeting recorder.
Method 1: Getting permission from the host
Basically, only the host has the authorization to record a Zoom meeting. As a participant, you will need the consent of the host before you can record your Zoom session within the application.
As a host, you can grant participants authorization to record by following this guide:
During a Zoom call, select Participants.
Hover over the name of the participant you want to grant recording access and click the More icon (three horizontal dots) beside it.
Next, select the Allow to Record Local Files option.
In response, the participant receives a prompt that they are allowed to record. Also, once the participant starts to record, a recording prompt appears next to their name.As the host, you can disable participants' access to Zoom recordings by clicking the More option next to their names > Remove Permission to Record Local Files.
Again, the participant will receive an SMS alert stating that they no longer have recording access.
Method 2: Using a third-party meeting recorder
While Zoom has a recording option built in for all meetings, this feature is limited in that you, as a participant, can only utilize it with the permission of the host. The host also reserves the right to disable this option when setting up a virtual meeting.
Hence, the only alternative to bypassing the host's authorization is to employ other Zoom recording software to record a meeting anytime you want, and we will introduce one of the best below.
How to record a Zoom meeting without permission
In search of a one-stop solution for recording Zoom meetings without host authorization? Your search ends at Airgram. It is a free and sophisticated meeting assistant with a host of recording features available for web users.
Automatically record your online meetings with live transcripts and time stamps so you don't miss out on crucial details.
Capture audio, video, and screen-sharing activity in high quality.
The meeting recordings are immediately available for review and playback at an adjustable rate.
Asides Zoom application, Airgram assistant also supports Google Meet and Microsoft Teams.
To record a zoom meeting without the host's permission, you require an Airgram account.
Set up your account with an Email or Google/Microsoft account
Afterward, sign in and explore the app
Set to move on? Follow this easy procedure to manually or automatically record your meetings as desired.
Record on Zoom manually
Open the Airgram app and click the Quick Record button on the top right corner; select Zoom.
Paste in the Zoom meeting link or invitation.
Lastly, click Start Recording and allow the Airgram assistant to join and record your meeting.
Record Zoom meetings automatically
Airgram is loved by many users for its auto-join feature, which sends an Assistant to automatically join a Zoom meeting at the scheduled start time in your stead and start recording, so you never miss a meeting again.
Here is how to set it up:
Open the Airgram app and navigate to your profile at the bottom left > Auto-join Meetings.
Find Auto-join Zoom meetings and choose one suitable option from the dropdown.
With this, the Airgram AI will join your meetings and record them automatically. If you want to know the differences between the available auto-join options, check out our detailed guide on the topic.
You can do more with Airgram
When the recording is over, Airgram offers you a quicker and more secure way to view, download, and share your Zoom recordings with your team.
It instantly generates a link for you once a Zoom recording is completed, which you can use to access your files as you please.
Run through video recordings quickly by altering the video speed or jump to the desired point with timestamps.
You can grasp vital information pertaining to time, location, numbers, and more thanks to its advanced AI assistant.
Create a snippet from the recording and share the most important information with the stakeholders.
Furthermore, you can secure your files by enabling viewing permissions. This allows you to limit who has access to your Zoom recordings and share them with other workplace software like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Notion.
With Airgram AI, you are just one click away from the best virtual meeting recording experience.
How to record a Zoom meeting on iPhone/Android?
Unlike on a laptop, Zoom recording on mobile devices is exclusive to individuals with paid subscriptions. Moreover, the files won’t be saved to your local folders; rather, they are automatically stored in the cloud as cloud recordings.
Follow this step-by-step process to easily record on Zoom after joining a Zoom session on your iPhone or Android device.
Tap the "More" option (three horizontal dots) at the bottom right corner of your screen.
Select the Record to the Cloud option on iPhone or Record if you are using Android.
This will now show a Recording prompt at the top.
To stop or pause the recording, tap the More option again and select the Pause or Stop respectively.
Finally, once you put a stop to the recording, it’ll automatically save to the cloud, where you can easily view, download, and share the file.
FAQs about Zoom recording
1. Why can’t I record my Zoom meeting?
There are some reasons you can't record your Zoom meeting:
You are not the host and have not been granted permission by the meeting host. By default, the host holds the exclusive right to record and gives authorization to any other participant to record a Zoom session.
You are a free user and want to record Zoom on a mobile device.
2. Where are the Zoom call recordings stored?
By default, Zoom recordings are stored directly on your local hard drive and can be found in the Documents folder (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
They can also be stored in an online folder with the Zoom Cloud provider, but this is limited to users with a paid subscription or membership.
3. Can I record a Zoom meeting without permission?
Yes, you can record a Zoom meeting without permission from the host by introducing Airgram meeting recording software to your Zoom meetings for an automated and secure video recording experience.
4. Can I record a Zoom meeting with audio only?
Yes, but this is exclusive to cloud recordings. All you need to do is follow this simple guideline;
Open your Zoom app and sign in to your account
Click the “Settings” option on the left side of your screen
Tap on the “Recording” tab and Activate “Cloud Recording”
Disable all the video layout options while keeping the “Record an audio-only file” activated.
Press the “Save” option after making any other changes you deem fit.
By default, local recordings will always create audio-visual files, and as it stands, there's currently no way to separate the two for local recordings.
The bottom line
Zoom sessions are usually recorded due to a number of reasons depending on circumstances.
What happens if you are unavoidably absent? How would you regain the vital information from the meeting? What happens if the host fails to grant you access to record the meeting?
All these are reasons why a sophisticated third-party meeting recorder is usually introduced to Zoom meetings to get a grip on necessary details.
Now that you have gotten the hang of Zoom recordings, you need not worry about missing out on trivial or vital information at your Zoom meetings. However, keep in mind that recording a Zoom meeting secretly is illegal, so it’s necessary to let other participants know when you are recording.
Michael started his career as a product manager and then developed a passion for writing. He has been writing on technology, remote working, productivity, etc., hoping to share his thoughts with more people.
