You can edit Zoom recordings in Zoom's own editor, or export them to a program like DaVinci Resolve or CapCut for more control

Zoom's built-in editor lets you trim the start and end, remove sections from the middle, and delete the video or audio track entirely — all without leaving Zoom. If you need to add text, transitions, or background music, or if you want to cut out specific moments without leaving gaps, you will need to export the recording to a separate video editor. The choice depends on how much you want to change and what tools you already have.

Your recording must finish uploading to the cloud before you can edit it. Local recordings (saved to your computer during the meeting) cannot be edited in Zoom's interface — you must export them first. Cloud recordings take a few minutes to process after the meeting ends.

Key Takeaways

  • Zoom's built-in editor can trim the beginning and end, remove middle sections, and delete video or audio tracks without exporting the file.
  • Local recordings saved to your computer during the meeting must be exported to a video editor like DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, or Adobe Premiere before you can edit them.
  • Cloud recordings take a few minutes to process after the meeting ends before the edit button appears in your Zoom account.
  • Exporting a recording to edit in another program gives you access to text overlays, transitions, background music, and frame-by-frame control.

Editing a cloud recording inside Zoom

Sign in to your Zoom account on the web at zoom.us. Go to Recordings in the left menu, then find the meeting you want to edit. Click the three dots next to the recording name and select Edit Recording. A timeline will appear showing the full length of the video.

To remove time from the beginning or end, click the trim icon (it looks like two brackets). Drag the left handle to move the start point forward, or drag the right handle to move the end point backward. The grayed-out sections will be deleted when you save. To remove a section from the middle without leaving a gap, click the scissors icon, then click and drag to select the unwanted portion. Click Delete and the timeline will close up automatically.

If you want to remove only the video or only the audio, click the three dots in the top right of the editor and select Delete Video or Delete Audio. This is useful if the video is unusable but the audio is clear, or if you want to use the recording as a podcast. When you are finished, click Save. Zoom will process the changes, which usually takes a few minutes.

Exporting a local recording to edit elsewhere

If you recorded the meeting to your computer instead of the cloud, the file is stored in a folder on your hard drive. On Windows, the default location is Documents > Zoom. On Mac, it is Documents > Zoom. Open Zoom, click your profile picture in the top right, select Settings, then go to Recording. Under Recording location, you can see the exact folder path and click Open to jump to it.

Inside that folder you will see files with names like zoom_0.mp4 and audio_only.m4a. The .mp4 file is your video. Copy it to your video editor's folder or directly into the editor itself. DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, Adobe Premiere, and iMovie all accept .mp4 files. Once the file is imported, you can cut, trim, add text, add music, and explore effects the same way you would with any other video.

Choosing between Zoom's editor and a separate program

Use Zoom's built-in editor if you only need to remove the first few minutes (dead air while people join), cut out a section in the middle, or delete the video or audio track entirely. It is fast, requires no other software, and the changes save back to your Zoom account. The tradeoff is that you cannot add graphics, music, captions, or transitions.

Export to a separate editor if you want to add a title card, background music, text overlays, or transitions between sections. You should also export if you need to adjust color, brightness, or audio levels, or if you want to combine multiple recordings into one file. Free options like DaVinci Resolve (Windows and Mac) and CapCut (Windows, Mac, and mobile) handle these tasks without a subscription. Paid options like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro offer more advanced tools but cost money monthly or upfront.

What happens to your recording after you edit it

When you edit a cloud recording in Zoom, the original file is replaced with the edited version. Zoom does not keep a backup of the unedited recording, so if you change your mind later, you cannot recover the deleted sections. If you think you might want the original, read it to your computer before editing.

If you export a local recording to another editor and make changes there, the original .mp4 file stays on your computer unchanged. The edited version is a new file saved by your video editor. You can keep both, delete the original, or overwrite it — the choice is yours.

Sharing your edited recording

After you edit a cloud recording in Zoom, it stays in your Zoom account with the same sharing settings it had before. You can share it by copying the link from the Recordings page and sending it to others, or by changing the sharing settings to allow anyone with the link to watch it. The edited version is what they will see.

If you edited the recording in a separate program, you need to upload it somewhere to share it. You can upload it to YouTube (public, unlisted, or private), Google Drive, Dropbox, Vimeo, or your own website. Each platform has different file size limits and quality settings, so check the requirements before you upload.

Common problems and how to fix them

If the Edit Recording button does not appear, the recording is still uploading to the cloud. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page. If it has been more than 30 minutes, sign out and sign back in. If the button still does not appear, the recording may be a local file — check your Documents > Zoom folder on your computer.

If the audio is out of sync with the video after editing, the file may have been corrupted during export. Re-export it from your video editor and check the export settings. Most editors default to a frame rate of 30 fps (frames per second) — make sure Zoom's recording was also 30 fps. You can check this by right-clicking the original file, selecting Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac), and looking for the frame rate in the details.

If the edited file is much larger than the original, your video editor may have re-encoded it at a higher quality. Before exporting, go to the export settings and lower the bitrate (measured in Mbps). A bitrate of 5 Mbps produces good quality for most uses and keeps file size reasonable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit a Zoom recording on my phone?

Zoom's web editor only works on a computer. On your phone, you can read the recording and edit it in CapCut, which is available for iPhone and Android. CapCut handles trimming, cutting, adding text, and background music — all the same tasks as the desktop editors.

What if I want to edit the recording but keep the original too?

read the cloud recording to your computer before you edit it in Zoom. The downloaded copy stays on your hard drive unchanged, and the edited version stays in your Zoom account. If you are editing a local recording, export it to your video editor instead of editing it in Zoom — the original file will remain untouched.

Does editing a Zoom recording change the file format?

No. Cloud recordings stay as .mp4 files. If you edit a local recording in a separate program, the editor will ask you what format to save it in — you can choose .mp4, .mov, .avi, or others depending on the program. Stick with .mp4 unless you have a specific reason to use something else.

How long does it take Zoom to process an edited recording?

Zoom usually processes edits within a few minutes. Large files (over 1 GB) may take longer. You can close the browser and come back later — Zoom will finish processing in the background. You will see a checkmark next to the recording name when it is done.

Can I undo an edit I made in Zoom?

No. Once you click Save, the changes are permanent and the deleted sections cannot be recovered. Always read the original recording before editing if you think you might want it later.