Deleting local or cloud recordings


You can delete the MP4, M4A, VTT, CC.VTT, and TXT files for your local or cloud recordings after they are processed. Local recordings can be deleted from your computer, while cloud recordings must be deleted in the Zoom web portal.

Learn more about what happens to cloud recording files when a user deletes their cloud recordings or an admin deletes a user.

This article covers:

How to delete local recordings

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
  2. Click the Meetings tab .
  3. Click the Recorded tab and select the meeting with a local recording.
    Notes:
    • Local recordings display the file path and options to play, or delete the recording.
    • If you only see the Open option, it means the recording is a cloud recording.
  4. Click Delete to permanently delete the recording from your computer.

How to delete cloud recordings

You can delete all cloud recordings in your account, all recordings in search results, or recordings for a specific meeting. Learn more about what happens to cloud recording files when a user deletes their cloud recordings or an admin deletes a user.

Note: You can't delete a cloud recording if it's being used in a simulive webinar.

Accessing recording management

  1. Sign in to your Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation menu, follow one of these options:
    • Admin: Click Account Management then Recording Management.
      You will see a list of cloud recordings in the account.
    • User: Click Recordings.
      You will see a list of your cloud recordings.
  3. Follow one of these methods to delete recordings:

Delete cloud recordings by meeting ID (select recordings)

  1. Access recording management.
  2. Next to the search box, select Search by ID.
  3. Enter the meeting ID in the search box, then click Search.
  4. Click More then Delete in the last column.
  5. Click Yes to confirm and move the recordings to the trash.

Delete all cloud recordings in a search results

  1. Access recording management.
  2. Enter the desired date range and search criteria, then click Search.
  3. Click the check box located in the header row of the table.
  4. Click Delete Selected.
  5. Click Yes to confirm and move the recordings to the trash.

Delete all cloud recordings

  1. Access recording management.
  2. Adjust the date range and status, then click Search.
    • From: Leave blank.
    • To: Select today's date.
    • Status drop-down menu: Select All Status.
  3. Click the check box located in the header row of the table.
  4. Click Delete Selected.
  5. Click Yes to confirm and move the recordings to the trash.

Delete specific cloud recording files

  1. Access recording management.
  2. Click the meeting topic that you want to delete recording files from.
  3. Under the section, The recording includes the files listed below, hover over the recording file, then click the trash bin icon .
  4. Click Yes to confirm and move the recordings to the trash.

How to schedule cloud recordings for auto-deletion

You can schedule cloud recordings for automatic deletion after a specified number of days from the recording creation date. Auto-deletion only happens once per day, thus it is possible that a recording may not be eligible for deletion when the auto-deletion process occurs on our servers. Because of this, auto-deletion commonly occurs one day after the specified amount of days.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation menu, do one of the following actions:
    • If you are an account owner or admin changing settings for the entire account, click Account Management then Account Settings.
    • If you are an account owner or admin changing settings for a group of users, click User Management then Groups, and then click the applicable group name from the list.
    • If you are a licensed host, click Settings.
  3. Click the Recording tab.
  4. Click the Delete cloud recordings after a specified number of days toggle to enable or disable it.
  5. If a verification dialog displays, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
    Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at the account level and needs to be changed at that level.
  6. Select the number of days you want to be enforced, then click Save. 
  7. (Optional) If you’re changing account or group settings and you want to prevent users from changing this setting, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.
    When enabled, the recording management page will display an additional Auto Delete In column, with the current remaining days listed for each recording. Recordings will auto-delete after the specified number of days from their creation date.

Notes:

Exempt a recording from auto-deletion

While auto-deletion of recordings can help manage your account's cloud recordings, it may be necessary for some recordings to be exempt from auto-deletion. This can be managed with Group settings for entire teams or departments within your account, but you may just need to preserve just a few recordings from a specific user, without having to exempt the user's entire catalogue of recordings. 

  1. Access recording management.
  2. Find the recording you want to exempt and click the ellipsis icon . 
  3. Click Disable auto-delete.
    This, and any other exempt recordings, will display Disabled under the Auto Delete In column. 

How to delete cloud recordings from your trash folder

To view files in the trash, click Trash in the top-right area of the recording management page. Files in the trash don't count towards your cloud-recording storage limit. If you do not have the Trash option, there are currently no files in your trash. 

Delete cloud recordings from your trash folder by meeting ID

  1. Enter the meeting ID in the search box, then click Search.
  2. Click Delete to the right of individual meeting. You can also use the checkboxes to select several meetings, then click Delete.

Delete all cloud recordings from your trash folder

  1. Click Empty Trash located in the top-right corner.
  2. Click Empty to confirm that you want to permanently delete all files.

How to recover deleted local or cloud recordings

Learn more about what happens to cloud recording files when a user deletes their cloud recordings or an admin deletes a user.