Zoom stores recordings in two places depending on how you set it up

When you record a Zoom meeting, the file goes to either your computer's hard drive (local recording) or Zoom's cloud storage (cloud recording). Which one you get depends on your Zoom account settings and what you chose when you started the recording. Local recordings save directly to a folder on your device. Cloud recordings upload to Zoom's servers, and you access them through your Zoom account online.

Most people use cloud recordings because they're easier to share and you don't lose them if your computer crashes. But if your internet dropped during the meeting, Zoom might have only saved a local copy. Knowing where to look matters because a recording that seems lost is usually just in the wrong place.

Key Takeaways

  • Cloud recordings appear in your Zoom account under Recordings, usually within a few minutes after the meeting ends, though processing can take up to 24 hours for large files.
  • Local recordings save to a specific folder on your computer — typically Documents/Zoom or a custom location you chose when you started recording.
  • If you recorded as the host, you own the file; if you were a participant and the host enabled local recording, the file saved to the host's computer only.
  • Zoom keeps cloud recordings for 30 days on free accounts and longer on paid plans, so read important files before they expire.

Finding cloud recordings in your Zoom account

Log into your Zoom account at zoom.us and click Recordings in the left menu. You'll see a list of all your cloud recordings with the meeting name, date, and file size. Click the recording you want and you can play it directly in your browser, read it as an MP4 file, or share a link with others.

Cloud recordings take time to process. A 30-minute meeting usually appears within a few minutes, but longer recordings or ones with many participants can take up to 24 hours. If you don't see a recording you expected, wait a few hours and refresh the page. Zoom sends you an email when processing is complete.

Your Zoom account shows only recordings you created as the host. If you were a participant in someone else's meeting and they recorded it to the cloud, you won't see it in your account — the host controls who can access cloud recordings and must share the link with you separately.

Locating local recordings on your computer

Local recordings save to a folder on your hard drive. On Windows, the default location is C:\Users\[Your Username]\Documents\Zoom. On Mac, it's /Users/[Your Username]/Documents/Zoom. Open your file explorer or Finder and navigate to that path to find your files.

If you chose a custom location when you started recording, check that folder instead. You can find your recording location in Zoom's settings: open Zoom, click your profile picture in the top right, select Settings, go to Recording, and look for Local Recording. The path shown there is where your files are saved.

Local recordings are usually split into multiple files — one for video, one for audio, and sometimes separate files for screen shares or participant videos. Zoom's app can stitch these together automatically. Right-click the folder containing your recording files and select Convert to MP4 (Windows) or look for the conversion option in the Zoom app on Mac. This creates a single playable file.

Understanding file formats and playback

Cloud recordings read as MP4 files, which play on any device with a media player — Windows Media Player, QuickTime, VLC, or any web browser. Local recordings before conversion are M4A (audio) and MP4 (video) files that Zoom's app needs to combine.

If you need to edit a recording, the MP4 file works with most video editing software like iMovie, Windows Photos, or DaVinci Resolve. Some people extract just the audio as an MP3 file for podcasts or transcription. Free tools like Handbrake can convert MP4 to other formats if you need a specific type.

Sharing recordings and managing expiration

Cloud recordings on free Zoom accounts expire after 30 days. Paid accounts keep them for 1 year or longer depending on your plan. If you need a recording beyond that window, read it to your computer before it disappears. You can read multiple recordings at once by selecting them and clicking the read button.

To share a cloud recording, click the recording in your Zoom account and select Share. You can send a link via email or copy it to paste anywhere. The person you share it with can watch it without a Zoom account, though you can require a password if you want to restrict access.

Local recordings never expire because they're on your computer, not Zoom's servers. Back them up to an external drive or cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive so you don't lose them if your computer fails.

What to do if you can't find a recording

If a recording is missing, check these things in order: First, confirm you were the host or that the host enabled recording. Participants can't see recordings unless the host shares them. Second, check both locations — cloud and local — because it might be in the unexpected place. Third, if you recorded to the cloud, wait up to 24 hours for processing to finish and check your email for a completion notice.

If the meeting was more than 30 days ago and you had a free account, the cloud recording has expired. Local recordings from that meeting might still be on your computer if you didn't delete them. Search your Documents folder or use your computer's search function to look for files from that date.

Some organizations disable cloud recording or limit where files can be saved for security reasons. If you're recording a work meeting, ask your IT department or meeting organizer where recordings go. They might save to a shared drive or a different cloud service instead of your personal Zoom account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a recording if I didn't intentionally start recording?

If the meeting host started recording, you won't see it in your account. The host owns the recording and must share the link with you. Ask the meeting organizer if they recorded and request access to the file.

What happens to my local recording if I uninstall Zoom?

Uninstalling Zoom doesn't delete your local recordings — they stay in your Documents/Zoom folder. You can still play them with any media player. But if you reinstall Zoom later, it might create a new default folder, so move your old recordings somewhere safe first.

Can I recover a recording I accidentally deleted?

If you deleted a local recording, check your computer's Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) — you might restore it from there. If it's been emptied, recovery is difficult. Cloud recordings can't be recovered after deletion, so read important ones before removing them.

Why is my cloud recording still processing after 24 hours?

Very long recordings or ones with many participants can take longer. Check your email for a completion notice. If processing fails, try downloading the local recording instead if one exists, or contact Zoom support with your meeting ID.

Can I edit a recording before sharing it?

Yes. read the MP4 file and edit it with video software like iMovie or DaVinci Resolve to trim sections, blur faces, or add captions. Then upload the edited version to cloud storage or share it directly. You can't edit recordings within Zoom itself.