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Where a Zoom recording goes depends on how it was recorded. A computer recording is saved on the Windows, Mac, or Linux computer that started it. A cloud recording is stored in Zoom and accessed through the web portal. Recordings made from an iPhone or Android device are cloud recordings only; the Zoom mobile app does not save recordings directly to the phone.
Use the table below to identify the right place before searching through folders.
Where Zoom recordings are saved
| Recording type | Where to find it | Account or device requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Record to this Computer | The computer’s local recording folder | Available on free and paid Zoom accounts |
| Record to the Cloud | Zoom web portal > Recordings & Transcripts > Cloud recordings | Requires a licensed user on a qualifying paid account with cloud recording enabled |
| Recording made on iPhone or Android | The host’s Zoom web portal, after processing | Mobile recording is cloud-only |
A recording only exists if recording was actually started. Look for the recording indicator during the meeting, or check whether automatic recording was enabled. Joining a meeting does not create a recording by itself.
Find a Zoom recording on Windows, Mac, or Linux
Check Zoom’s actual local save location
The configured folder is more reliable than guessing the default path, because the location may have been changed.
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- Open the Zoom desktop app.
- Click your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Choose Settings.
- Open the Recording tab.
- Under Local recording storage, check Storage location.
- Click Open to open that folder. Use Change if you want to select a different folder for future recordings.
If the location has not been changed, Zoom normally uses these folders:
| Operating system | Default folder |
|---|---|
| Windows | C:Users[Username]DocumentsZoom |
| macOS | /Users/[Username]/Documents/Zoom |
| Linux | /home/[Username]/Documents/Zoom |
Zoom generally creates a separate folder for each meeting. A folder may contain several files rather than one video file:
| Extension | What it usually contains |
|---|---|
.mp4 |
Recorded video |
.m4a |
Audio-only recording |
.m3u |
Windows playback playlist |
.txt |
Saved meeting chat |
.vtt |
Cloud-recording transcript |
.cc.vtt |
Cloud-recording closed captions |
Open computer recordings from the Zoom app
You can also locate local recordings without browsing to the folder manually:
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- Open the Zoom desktop app and select the Home tab.
- Below the daily meeting list, click Open recordings.
- Zoom opens the Hub tab. Go to My files > Meeting recordings.
- Select the Computer recordings tab.
- Find the meeting and click its folder or open option.
If Convert appears beside the meeting, the recording has not finished converting. Complete that conversion before expecting a normal MP4 file.
Check the computer-recordings index in the web portal
Zoom also lists local recordings in the web portal:
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- Open Recordings & Transcripts from the navigation menu.
- Choose Computer recordings.
- Use the meeting topic, meeting ID, date, computer name, or file path to identify the recording.
- Click Open beside the recording to open its local folder through the Zoom desktop app.
This page is only an index. It does not upload local files to Zoom. Deleting an entry from Computer recordings does not delete the actual video on the computer, and playback requires access to the same computer that made the recording.
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Find a cloud Zoom recording on a PC or phone
A cloud recording will not be in DocumentsZoom or the equivalent Mac or Linux folder. Find it online:
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal using the account that hosted the meeting.
- Click Recordings & Transcripts in the left navigation panel.
- Open the Cloud recordings tab.
- Search by Meeting ID or Topic.
- Open the meeting topic to stream, share, or download the recording files.
A cloud recording may include separate video, audio, chat, transcript, and caption files. Depending on the organization’s setup, it may also be available through Zoom Hub, a Zoom Video Management channel, or an enterprise archiving system.
What if someone else started the recording?
Cloud recordings generally appear in the host’s recording list, even when a co-host started the recording. By default, the host has access; a co-host or participant may need the host to share the recording or an administrator to grant access.
Check the account that hosted the meeting rather than the account belonging to a participant. If you use multiple Zoom accounts, signing in to the wrong one is a common reason for an apparently missing recording.
Find a Zoom recording made on an iPhone or Android phone
The iOS and Android Zoom apps do not support local recording. A mobile recording is sent to Zoom’s cloud and appears in the host’s web portal after processing.
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- Tap Record in the meeting controls.
- Tap Start Recording.
- To pause or finish, tap Record, then choose Pause Recording or Stop Recording.
- After the meeting ends, sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- Go to Recordings & Transcripts > Cloud recordings.
The recording may not appear immediately because Zoom must process it first.
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Why the Record button is missing on mobile
Mobile recording requires all of the relevant permissions and account conditions: the user must be licensed, the account must be Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise, cloud recording must be enabled, and the user must be the host or a co-host. A Basic account cannot use mobile cloud recording.
Why a recording is missing
Cloud processing has not finished
Cloud recordings cannot be viewed or downloaded until processing completes. Zoom advises allowing up to 24 hours, with longer meetings sometimes taking longer. If processing has taken more than 48 hours, contact Zoom Support.
A local recording needs conversion
Look in the configured local recording folder for files such as:
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The recording was saved locally by another participant
If a participant selected Record to this Computer, the file exists only on that participant’s device. Zoom does not upload or retain that local copy as a cloud recording. Ask that participant for the video or have them share the relevant files.
Cloud recording was disabled or never started
Check whether the meeting showed a recording indicator. A meeting has no recording if recording was never started manually and automatic recording was not enabled. Automatic recording also applies to meetings scheduled after the setting is enabled; existing meetings and Personal Meeting IDs may need separate configuration.
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The account uses on-premises recording
Organizations using on-premises cloud recording may not show recordings in the standard Zoom web portal. Contact the organization’s Zoom administrator for the storage location and access method.
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The local save folder is unreliable
Zoom does not recommend saving local recordings directly to a network drive, cloud-synchronized folder, external drive, or network-attached storage. A dropped connection or synchronization conflict can corrupt or lose the recording. Save to a local internal drive first, then copy the finished files elsewhere.
Recover a deleted Zoom recording
Recover a deleted cloud recording
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- Open Recordings & Transcripts.
- Select the Trash tab.
- Search by meeting number if necessary.
- Select the recording and click Recover.
- Click Recover again to confirm.
Cloud recordings are typically recoverable for 30 days after deletion. The Trash tab may be absent if an administrator disabled Enable Trash for Recording and Transcript.
If an account is downgraded to Basic, its cloud recordings are deleted after 30 days. Re-subscribing to a paid plan during that period can restore access; after the 30-day period, the recordings are permanently deleted.
Recover a deleted local recording
- Windows: Open Recycle Bin, right-click the recording, and choose Restore.
- macOS: Open Trash from the Dock, right-click the recording, and choose Put Back.
Zoom cannot recover a local recording from its servers because the file was never stored there. If it is not in Recycle Bin or Trash, recovery depends on your backups or the condition of the computer’s storage device.
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On a cloud-recording share page, the download control may disappear when the browser window is narrower than 1,024 pixels. Maximize the browser window or use a display resolution of at least 1280 × 720 to restore the full layout.
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FAQ
Do Zoom recordings always go to Documents/Zoom?
No. Documents/Zoom is the usual default for recordings made with Record to this Computer. Cloud recordings are stored in Zoom, and recordings made from iPhone or Android are cloud-only.
Can I find a Zoom recording on my phone’s storage?
Not when it was recorded with the Zoom mobile app. iOS and Android do not support local Zoom recording. Open the host’s Zoom web portal and go to Recordings & Transcripts > Cloud recordings.
Where is a Zoom cloud recording if I was only a participant?
Usually in the host’s Zoom account, not yours. Ask the host to share the recording or confirm that you have been granted access.
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A free account can record to the computer using local recording. Cloud recording requires a licensed user on a qualifying paid Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account, with cloud recording enabled.
How long does Zoom take to process a recording?
Allow up to 24 hours in normal cases. Long meetings can take longer. If cloud processing exceeds 48 hours, Zoom recommends contacting Support.
Does deleting a computer recording from Zoom delete the video?
No. The web portal’s Computer recordings page is an index of local files. Removing its entry does not remove the actual recording from the computer.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: check how the recording was made. For Record to this Computer, open Zoom desktop app > profile picture > Settings > Recording and use the listed storage location. For a cloud or mobile recording, sign in to the host’s Zoom web portal and open Recordings & Transcripts > Cloud recordings. If it is missing, check the host account, processing status, conversion files, permissions, and Trash before assuming it was lost.
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