Copy a transcript directly from Zoom's website

The fastest way to get your transcript is through Zoom's website, where all your recordings and their transcripts live in one place. Sign in to your Zoom account, go to Recordings, find the meeting you want, and click the three dots next to it. Select "View Transcript" — this opens the full text in a new window. Highlight all the text with Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac), then copy it with Ctrl+C or Command+C. Paste it into a document, email, or text file with Ctrl+V or Command+V.

This method works whether you recorded the meeting yourself or someone else shared the recording with you. The transcript appears as plain text with speaker names and timestamps, so you can see who said what and when. If the transcript is very long, your browser may take a few seconds to load it all — wait until the entire page appears before selecting and copying.

Key Takeaways

  • Sign in to your Zoom account, go to Recordings, and click the three dots next to any meeting to view its transcript.
  • You can copy the transcript text directly from Zoom's website and paste it into a document, email, or any other program.
  • Zoom stores transcripts for 30 days after a recording is made, so read or copy them before that window closes.
  • If you do not see a transcript option, transcription may not be turned on for your account or the recording may not have audio.

read the transcript as a file instead of copying

If you want to save the transcript as a separate file rather than pasting it into something else, Zoom lets you read it. In the Recordings section, click the three dots next to the meeting and select "View Transcript." At the top of the transcript window, look for a read button (usually an arrow pointing down or a disk icon). Click it and choose where to save the file on your computer — Zoom saves it as a .vtt file, which is a plain-text format that opens in any text editor or word processor.

A .vtt file is useful if you want to keep the transcript separate from other documents or share it with someone who needs just the transcript without the video. You can rename the file to anything you want after downloading it. If you need the transcript in a different format, you can open the .vtt file in Word, Google Docs, or any text editor and save it as a .docx, .pdf, or .txt file instead.

Email the transcript to yourself or others

Zoom does not have a built-in "email this transcript" button, but you can copy the text and paste it into an email in seconds. Open the transcript as described above, select all the text, copy it, then open your email program (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or whatever you use). Start a new message, paste the transcript into the body, and send it. If the transcript is very long, you might want to put it in a document first, save that document, and then attach the document to an email instead — that keeps the email itself shorter and easier to read.

Another option is to read the transcript as a .vtt file and attach that file to an email. This is cleaner than pasting a huge block of text into the message itself. The person receiving it can open the file in any text editor or word processor on their computer.

What to do if you cannot find the transcript

Transcripts only appear if transcription was turned on when the meeting was recorded. If you do not see a "View Transcript" option, check whether your Zoom account has transcription enabled. Sign in to your Zoom account on the website, go to Settings, click Recording, and look for "Cloud Recording Transcript." If it is off, turn it on — from that point forward, all new recordings will include transcripts. Older recordings made before you turned it on will not have transcripts available.

If transcription is already on but you still do not see a transcript for a specific meeting, the recording may not have captured clear audio. Zoom's transcription needs to hear voices clearly to work — if there was heavy background noise, multiple people talking at once, or very quiet audio, transcription may have failed or produced incomplete results. You can try copying what is available, or you may need to listen to the recording yourself and take notes instead.

Transcripts disappear after 30 days

Zoom keeps transcripts for 30 days after a recording is made. After that, the transcript is deleted even if the video recording itself is still there. If you need a transcript from an older meeting, you will have to copy or read it before the 30-day window closes. Set a reminder on your calendar if you have meetings you know you will want transcripts from later.

The 30-day limit applies to all Zoom accounts, including paid plans. If you have already lost a transcript, the only way to recover it is to listen to the recording and transcribe it yourself, or use a third-party transcription service. Some people use tools like Rev or Otter.ai to transcribe audio files, but those services charge a fee and are separate from Zoom.

Copy transcripts from shared recordings

If someone else recorded a Zoom meeting and shared the recording with you, you can still copy the transcript the same way. Ask the person who recorded it to share the recording link with you, or ask them to send you the transcript directly. If they send you a link to the recording in Zoom's system, click it and look for the "View Transcript" option — you do not need to be the person who recorded it to see and copy the transcript.

Some organizations keep recordings and transcripts in a shared folder or library instead of individual accounts. If that is the case at your workplace or school, ask where the recordings are stored and whether you have permission to view them. The process for copying the transcript is the same once you can access it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit the transcript before copying it?

Zoom's transcript viewer does not have an edit button, so you cannot change the text while it is in Zoom. Copy the transcript to a document first, then edit it there. You can fix speaker names, remove filler words, or clean up any mistakes the transcription made.

What format is the transcript in when I copy it?

When you copy and paste from Zoom's website, you get plain text with speaker names and timestamps. When you read it as a file, it is a .vtt file (a standard video subtitle format). Both can be opened in any text editor, word processor, or email program.

Does copying a transcript require special permission?

If you can view the recording in Zoom, you can copy its transcript. Some organizations restrict who can see recordings, but if you have access to the recording, you have access to the transcript. Check with your administrator if you cannot find a recording you think you should be able to see.

Can I copy a transcript from a meeting I did not attend?

Yes, if the person who recorded it shared the recording with you or if it is in a shared folder you have access to. You do not need to have been in the meeting to copy its transcript — you only need permission to view the recording itself.