Deleting computer or cloud recordings

You can delete different file formats for your computer or cloud recordings. Both computer and cloud recordings can be deleted from the Zoom desktop app and web portal. However, it's recommended to delete computer recordings locally on your device as some might not appear in the web portal.

Note: Learn about what happens to deleted cloud recording files.

This article covers:

• How to access recording management
• How to delete computer recordings
• How to delete cloud recordings
• How to schedule cloud recordings for auto-deletion
• How to delete cloud recordings from the trash folder
• How to recover or manage deleted computer or cloud recordings

How to access recording management

Account

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Account Management, then Recording and Transcript Management.
3. Click the Recordings tab.
   You will see a list of cloud recordings on your account.
4. Search recordings by meeting ID, topic, or keywords in audio transcripts.
5. (Optional) Click Advanced Search to filter the result with these parameters:
   • Date range
   • Host
   • Storage location
6. Click Search, or press Enter on your keyboard.
   A list of matching topics will appear.

User

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Recordings & Transcripts.
3. Click the Cloud recordings tab.
   You will see a list of your processed cloud recordings.
   Note: Users with scheduling privileges may also access these recordings
4. Search recordings by meeting ID, topic, or keywords in audio transcripts.
5. (Optional) Click Advanced Search to filter the result with these parameters:
   • Date range
   • Storage location
6. Click Search, or press Enter on your keyboard.
   A list of matching topics will appear.

How to delete computer recordings

Notes: Always delete computer recordings in the Zoom desktop app, as some may not appear in the web portal.

Calendar tab

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.

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 select your desired recording.
   Note: If you see View recording info under the recording thumbnail, it's a cloud recording.

6. Under the recording thumbnail, click the directory link to open the folder where your recording files in MP4 format are stored.
   
   Note: If you haven’t customized the settings, computer recordings are saved in a default directory based on your computer’s operating system.

7. Delete, edit, or remove files as needed. Learn how to delete files on MacOS or Windows.

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.
   You will see a list of recordings saved in your computer.
5. Next to the recording you want to delete, click the trash icon .
   A confirmation prompt will appear.
6. Click Delete to confirm.

How to delete cloud recordings

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

Delete specific cloud recordings by meeting ID

1. Access recording management.

2. In the Search by topic or meeting ID field, enter the meeting ID of the recording you want to delete.

3. Click Advanced search, then Search, or press Enter on your keyboard.
   A list of matching topics will appear.

4. (Optional) Select a date range and status to filter your search. 

5. To the right side of the recording topic you want to delete, click the more icon . 

6. Click Delete.
   Note: To delete multiple items simultaneously, select the checkbox next to each meeting’s topic, then click Delete Selected.

Delete cloud recordings using the text from an audio transcript

1. Access recording management.
2. In the Search text in audio transcript field, enter a text from the transcript of the recording you want to delete.
3. Click Advanced search, then Search, or press Enter on your keyboard.
   A list of matching topics will appear.
4. (Optional) Select a date range and status to filter your search. 
5. To the right side of the recording topic you want to delete, click the more icon .
6. Click Delete.
   Note: To delete multiple items simultaneously, select the checkbox next to each meeting’s topic, then click Delete Selected.

Delete all cloud recordings

1. Access recording management.

2. Next to the Search text in audio transcript field, click Advanced search.
   Options to select a date range and status will appear.

3. Select today’s date for the To date selector and leave the other fields unchanged.

4. Select the checkbox next to Topic, then click Delete Selected.

5. Click Move to Trash to confirm.

Delete specific cloud recording files

1. Access recording management.
2. Click the meeting topic from which you want to delete recording files.
3. Under The recording includes the files listed below, hover over a recording file, then click the trash icon .
4. Click Move to Trash to confirm.

How to schedule cloud recordings for auto-deletion

You can schedule cloud recordings for automatic deletion after a specified number of days. Auto-deletion happens once daily, so a recording might not be eligible on the day the process runs, often resulting in deletion one day later.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, follow one of these options:
   • Owner or administrator: If you’re an account owner or administrator who wants to change the settings for: 

     • Account: Click Account Management, then Account Settings, and then Recording & Transcript.

     • Group: Click User Management, then Groups, select a group name from the list, and then Recording & Transcript.

   • User: If you’re a Licensed user, click Settings, then select the Recording tab.
3. Select the Delete cloud recordings after a specified number of days toggle  to enable the feature.
4. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable to confirm the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it's locked at the account level and must be changed at that level.

5. Select the number of days you want to be enforced, then click Save.

6. (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
   When enabled, the recording management page will display an Auto delete in column, showing the remaining days for each recording. Recordings will be automatically deleted after the specified number of days from their creation.

Notes:

• Recordings exceeding the specified auto-deletion period receive a 1-day grace period before moving to the trash, where they stay for 30 days before permanent deletion.
• Recovered recordings have a 1-day grace period before returning to the trash. To keep a recording longer, exempt it from auto-deletion.

Exempt a recording from auto-deletion

Note: Auto-deletion helps manage cloud recordings, but some recordings may need to be excluded. You can preserve specific recordings for teams or departments with group settings, or a user without exempting their entire catalog.

1. Access recording management.
2. Find the recording you want to exempt and click the more icon . 
3. Click Disable auto-delete.
   Under the Auto delete in column, the selected recording will display Disabled instead of the remaining days.

How to delete cloud recordings from the trash folder

Note: Files in trash don't count towards your cloud recording storage limit. If you can’t find the Trash icon , there are no files in your trash.

1. Access recording management.
2. In the top-right corner of the page, click the Trash icon .
3. In the Search by meeting number field, enter the meeting ID of the recording you want to delete.
   Note: To delete all recordings, in the top-right corner, click Empty Trash, then select Empty to confirm.
4. Click Search.
   A list of matching topics will appear.
5. On the right side of the recording topic you want to delete, click Delete.
   Note: To delete multiple items simultaneously, next to each meeting’s topic, select the checkbox .

How to recover or manage deleted computer or cloud recordings

Computer recordings

You can find and recover deleted computer recordings from the trash bin of your computer. Learn how to recover deleted computer recordings.

Cloud recordings

For cloud recordings, you can recover deleted recordings from your trash folder in the web portal. This section explains what happens to cloud recording files after you delete them from your account or when an account administrator deletes a user with cloud recordings.

User

Account