Enabling and disabling automatic recording

Automatic recording is an option that allows the host to start computer recordings or cloud recordings automatically when the meeting or webinar starts. If enabling automatic cloud recordings, you can also change cloud recording settings to enable features like audio transcription.

When automatic recording is enabled, the meeting or webinar will automatically start recording each time you start the session. If you want to disable this feature, there are a few steps you can take.

Whether you enable or disable automatic recording, changing the option in your web portal settings only applies to future meetings that are scheduled after that setting is changed. It will not apply to existing meetings and webinars (including recurring sessions) or your Personal Meeting ID, which you must edit at the meeting or webinar level.

Notes:

• Automatic cloud recording will start whether the host joins by computer, mobile device, or telephone dial-in. Automatic cloud recording will also start if Allow participants to join anytime is used and participants join before the host. 
• Automatic recording will not start for webinar practice sessions.
• Automatic computer recording will only start when the host starts the meeting from the Zoom desktop app.
• Basic (free) users can only use automatic recording on a local computer.

This article covers:

• How to enable automatic recording
  • Account
  • Group
  • User
  • Individual meeting
• How to disable automatic recording for new meetings and webinars
• How to disable automatic recording for an existing meeting or webinar
  • Edit an upcoming meeting to stop automatically recording
  • Edit your personal room to stop automatically recording
  • Edit an upcoming webinar to stop automatically recording

Prerequisites for enabling and disabling automatic recording meetings and webinars 

• Zoom account
• Account owner or admin privileges to edit account or group settings

How to enable automatic recording

Account

To enable or disable Automatic recording for all users in the account:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation menu, click Account Management then Account Settings.
3. Click the Recording & Transcript tab.
4. Click the Automatic recording toggle to enable or disable it. 
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
6. Select either Record to computer or Record in the cloud.
   • If you select Record in the cloud, select or clear the check box next to Host can pause/stop the auto recording in the cloud.
7. Click Save.
8. (Optional) To prevent all users in your account from changing this setting, click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

Note: Account admins and owners can disable the Cloud recording downloads feature from account settings. 

Group

To enable or disable Automatic recording for a group of users:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit groups.
2. In the navigation menu, click User Management then Groups.
3. Click the applicable group name from the list.
4. Click the Recording & Transcript tab.
5. Click the Automatic recording toggle to enable or disable it.
6. If a verification dialog appears, 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.
7. Select either Record to computer or Record in the cloud.
   • If you select Record in the cloud, select or clear the check box next to Host can pause/stop the auto recording in the cloud.
8. Click Save.
9. (Optional) To prevent all users in the group from changing this setting, click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

User

To enable or disable Automatic recording for your own use:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Settings.
3. Click the Recording tab.
4. Click the Automatic recording toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the group or account level. You need to contact your Zoom admin.
6. Select either Record to computer or Record in the cloud.
   • If you select Record in the cloud, select or clear the check box next to Host can pause/stop the auto recording in the cloud.
7. Click Save.

Note: If Automatic recording is enabled in your settings, it will be set for any meetings that you schedule going forward. It will not apply to existing meetings or your Personal Meeting ID. You will need to enable it for these meetings individually. 

Individual meeting

If you do not want to turn on automatic recording for all meetings, you can turn it on for individual meetings. You can also turn it on for an individual meeting, even if you do not have the setting on at the account, group, or user level. 

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Meetings. 
3. Click Schedule a Meeting or click the meeting topic from the list of Upcoming tab and click Edit. 
   Note: You can also select your PMI by clicking on the Personal Meeting Room tab.
4. Under Options, select the check box next to Automatically record meeting.
5. Select either On the local computer or In the cloud.
6. Click Save.

How to disable automatic recording for new meetings and webinars

Once you disable this setting in the Zoom web portal, it will apply to any new meetings and webinars you create. To disable this setting in existing meetings or webinars, you can disable it at the meeting or webinar level.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Settings.
3. Click the Recording tab.
4. Click the Automatic recording toggle to disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the group or account level. You need to contact your Zoom admin.

How to disable automatic recording for an existing meeting or webinar

Edit an upcoming meeting to stop automatically recording

Edit your personal room to stop automatically recording

Your personal room is a virtual meeting room permanently reserved for you that you can access with your Personal Meeting ID (PMI) or personal link. You can edit the settings for this personal room in the Zoom desktop app or web portal.

Edit an upcoming webinar to stop automatically recording

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Webinars.
3. On the Upcoming tab, hover over the name of a webinar, then click Edit.
   If it's a recurring webinar, you will be asked to choose to edit the single occurrence or all the occurrences.
4. Scroll down to Webinar Options.
5. Clear the check box next to Automatically record webinar.
6. Click Save.