Frequently asked questions about Zoom recording

Computer and cloud recording allows you to record your meeting's video, audio, and chat text. 

This article covers:

Cloud recording layouts

Why is my cloud recording not showing my video when screen sharing?

Enable the cloud recording option, Record thumbnails when sharing. You can also select a recording layout type if you want to record video and shared as separate videos.

The video thumbnail size in the shared screen recording is too small. Can I increase the size?

The resolution of the video thumbnail is fixed to 224 by 126 pixels. If the shared screen resolution is very large (for example, 4K resolution), the thumbnail will be small in comparison.

Can I move the location of the video thumbnail from the top-right corner?

The position of the video thumbnail is fixed in the top-right corner. Learn more about recording layouts.

The host had pinned a video during the meeting, but why does the cloud recording show active speaker view?

Pinning a video does not affect the cloud recording. Spotlight a video to only show a specific participant's video in the cloud recording.

Why is the cloud recording showing active speaker view when the meeting was in gallery view?

There needs at least two or more attendees with their video cameras on for gallery view to display in the cloud recording. If only one camera is on, the cloud recording will show the active speaker view.

Why is there a green box around the shared screen in the cloud recording?

The green box is used to indicate the shared area during the meeting. The green border only appears in cloud recordings when you have a 2-core computer and enable the option to optimize for full-screen video.

Playing cloud recordings

Why is there a video icon before the cloud recording starts playing?

When viewing a cloud recording online, the camera icon is used as a loading indicator for the video. This icon is not present if you download the cloud recording and view it computerly on your computer.

When playing the cloud recording using the share link, this error message shows: "The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported."

The original recording was deleted or in the trash bin. Contact the owner of the recording so they can try to recover the recording from the trash bin.

Why is the cloud recording showing the wrong timestamp for displays for in-meeting chat messages?

The timestamp of chat messages is based on the duration of the meeting. They are not based on the duration of the recording.

I can't access or download the cloud recording using the share link. How can I get access?

The recording host may have restricted access to download the recording, meaning you can't download the recording even if you use a tool to search the URL for a download. Contact the host to gain access.

The recording URL link is invalid. How can I get access?

The recording owner may have moved the recording to the trash. Recordings in the trash will be deleted in 30 days. Contact the owner of the recording so they can try to recover the recording from the trash bin.

Managing your cloud recordings

Why are my cloud recordings not displaying in the Zoom web portal?

If this account enabled on-prem cloud recording, cloud recordings are not accessible in the Zoom web portal. Contact your Zoom admin for help.

Why is the download icon disappearing on recording share page?

Make sure your browser window is set to a minimum width of 1024 pixels. Maximize your browser window and set your monitor resolution to at least 720p (1280 by 720 pixels).

Are private messages included in cloud recordings?

No. Zoom only records public chat messages during the recording session. You can save private messages computerly by enabling the Auto save chats setting in the web portal.

There's bad audio quality in my recordings. How can I improve audio quality?

Most audio quality issues are related to high CPU usage. Make sure you use a 2-core CPU and meet the system requirements for Zoom.

Why is there no share option when viewing my cloud recording?

Contact your Zoom admin. They need to use role management to enable the privilege to edit recordings.

Cloud recording admin

In the active host usage report, what does a blank entry mean for the recording consent column?

Zoom only marks Y (yes) for users who accept the recording consent dialogue. A blank entry means the user did nothing, meaning the recording didn't include that user.

Why is the auto-delete date for cloud recordings not being applied to some users?

If a user set their own setting to auto-delete cloud recordings, it will take effect, not the group-level setting.

How do I control the ability for admins to disable auto-delete for users' cloud recordings?

Account owners can change the privilege to edit recordings using role management. If an account owner enables the privilege to edit recordings, the associated users can edit users' cloud recordings including the ability to disable the auto-delete setting. There isn't a privilege for specifically disabling the auto-delete setting.

How do I change the storage location for recordings?

Account owners and admins can change the storage location of Communications Contents, which includes cloud recordings. You can also move individual recordings from one location to another.

Computer recording

Why is auto computer recording not working on the mobile app?

Computer recording is only supported in the desktop app. The mobile-only supports cloud recording.

How do I prevent my computer recording file from getting damaged?

Do not use external or network storage for computer recordings; for example, an external hard drive or network-attached storage. These storage methods can result in data loss.

Why are there large variations in the sizes of my recording files? For example, some are under 1GB while others are several GBs.

There are several factors that affect the file size of recordings including resolution, duration, and shared content in the recording. As a result, you might notice variations in recording files.