Managing computer recordings

If you recorded your meeting or webinar to your computer storage, you can access the recording files on the same computer where the recording was made. Computer recording files are saved in the designated Zoom folder, usually located in the Documents directory or another specified location.

Note: If you recorded a meeting or webinar to the cloud, you can manage your cloud recordings in the Zoom web portal.

This article covers:

Prerequisites for managing computer recordings

To access computer recordings in the Zoom web portal, you must start a computer recording with the Zoom desktop app:

How to find the default location for computer recordings

By default, computer recordings are placed in these directories:

How to view or change the default directory for computer recordings

You can change the default location of computer recordings in the Zoom desktop app settings.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then select Settings.
  3. In the navigation menu, click Recording .
  4. Under Computer recording, click one of these options for the Store my recording at setting:

Note: The path listed next to the Store my recordings at field is where your computer recordings are saved. If the path shown isn’t physically located within your device, such as a network drive, you might encounter issues.

How to access and manage computer recordings in the desktop app

Note: Zoom desktop app version 6.0 or higher have merged the Meetings and Calendar tab by default. To follow the steps below, make sure the Merge Meetings and Calendar tabs setting is enabled.

Open computer recordings in the Calendar tab

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the navigation menu, click the Calendar tab.
  3. In the top-right corner, click the filter icon , then Recorded.
  4. Select the meeting with a computer recording.
    A small window will appear showing the meeting details.
  5. In the small window, at the bottom, click Open full details.
    You'll be directed to a new page with a recording thumbnail in the top-left corner.
  6. On the recording thumbnail, click the play icon to view all your recordings.
    If multiple recordings are saved, thumbnails for each will appear on the right. The file directory of the selected recording appears under its thumbnail.

 

Share computer recordings

Learn how to share computer recordings.

 

Delete computer recordings

Learn how to delete computer recordings in the Zoom desktop app.

 

Play computer recordings

  1. Access the meeting with computer recordings.
  2. (Optional) If multiple recordings are saved, thumbnails for each will appear on the right. Click a thumbnail to view the corresponding recording.
  3. Click Open local recording to start playback.
    Your computer’s default media player will play the recording.
    Note: If the selected recording doesn’t have the Open local recording option, it’s a cloud recording.

 

Convert computer recordings

Note: Zoom desktop app version 4.6.10 or higher can no longer convert computer recordings by double-clicking the files themselves. You must follow the steps below to convert these files. If you encounter any issues throughout the process, follow our troubleshooting guide.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the navigation menu, click the Calendar tab.
  3. In the top-right corner, click the filter icon , then Recorded.
  4. Select the meeting with a computer recording.
    A small window will appear showing the meeting details.
  5. In the small window, to the right of Recordings, click next or previous to find the recording you want to convert.
    Note: Recordings not yet converted will display Convert now on their thumbnails.
  6. Once you find the recording, click Convert now.

Access computer recordings in the calendar side panel 

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click the calendar side panel icon .
    The icon will change to and the panel will appear on the right side of the desktop app.
  3. In the bottom-right corner, select Open Recordings.
    The Recordings window will appear.
  4. In the Recordings window, click the Local Recordings tab.
    A list of recordings saved on your computer will appear. Recordings not yet converted will display Convert on their thumbnails.

Note: If there are issues opening or playing the file, check the default recording location and ensure the files are in the correct place.

How to access a computer recordings using the web portal

You can use the Zoom web portal to see a list of your local recordings.

Note: Removing items from this list doesn’t remove the actual recording files on your computer. As a result, this list may not show all your computer recordings.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation menu, click Recordings & Transcripts.
  3. Click the Computer recordings tab.
    This will display the meeting topic, meeting ID, date and time, computer name, and file path for your computer recordings.
  4. To the right of each recording, view the available options: