Zoom recordings save to your computer or cloud storage automatically, but where they land depends on whether you recorded locally or to the cloud

When you stop a Zoom meeting, the recording doesn't disappear — it goes to a specific folder on your device or to Zoom's cloud storage. Local recordings (saved to your computer) appear in a folder Zoom creates automatically. Cloud recordings (saved to Zoom's servers) show up in your Zoom account online. The location matters because you need to know where to look, and what you can do with the file once you find it.

Your recording method was likely set before the meeting started. If you clicked "Record on this Computer" during the meeting, it went local. If you clicked "Record to the Cloud," it went to your Zoom account. You can check which one happened by looking at your Zoom settings or by searching your computer for the file.

Key Takeaways

  • Local recordings save to a folder on your computer (usually Documents/Zoom or a custom folder you chose), and you own the file completely once it finishes processing.
  • Cloud recordings save to your Zoom account online and require you to sign in to Zoom to view, download, or share them.
  • Recordings take time to process after the meeting ends — local files may take a few minutes, cloud files can take up to an hour depending on meeting length.
  • You can change where future recordings go by opening Zoom settings, clicking Recording, and choosing "Record on this Computer" or "Record to the Cloud."
  • Zoom keeps cloud recordings for 30 days on free accounts and longer on paid plans, so download important files before that window closes.

Finding a local recording on your computer

Local recordings create a folder on your computer with the meeting date and participant names. On Windows, this folder usually appears in Documents/Zoom. On Mac, it's typically in Documents/Zoom as well, though some older versions saved to your Downloads folder instead.

The fastest way to find it: open your file manager (File Explorer on Windows, Finder on Mac) and search for "zoom" in the search box. You should see a folder labeled with the date of your meeting. Inside that folder are the video file (usually an .mp4 file), an audio file, and sometimes a chat transcript if people used the chat during the meeting.

If you chose a custom folder when you set up Zoom, the recording went there instead. Check Zoom's settings to confirm: open Zoom, click your profile picture in the top right, select Settings, click Recording on the left, and look at the line that says "Record the meeting in." That path shows you exactly where the file landed.

Accessing cloud recordings through your Zoom account

Cloud recordings live in your Zoom account online. Sign in at zoom.us with the email and password you use for Zoom. Click Recordings in the left menu — you'll see a list of all your recorded meetings with dates and lengths.

Click on any recording to open it. You can play it directly in your browser, download it to your computer, or share a link with others. The download button is usually in the top right of the recording player. Downloaded files are .mp4 video files that work on any device.

Cloud recordings stay in your account for 30 days on free Zoom plans. Paid plans (Pro, Business, Education) keep them for 365 days. After that window closes, the recording is deleted automatically. If you need to keep a recording longer, download it before the deadline.

What to do if your recording isn't where you expect it

Recordings sometimes take longer to appear than you'd expect. Local recordings usually show up within a few minutes of the meeting ending, but if the meeting was long (over an hour), processing can take 10 to 15 minutes. Cloud recordings can take up to an hour to process, especially for meetings with many participants.

If you waited and still don't see it, check whether the recording actually started. During a meeting, look at the top of your screen — if you see a red dot and the word "Recording," the file is being captured. If you don't see that indicator, the recording never started. You can restart it by clicking the Record button in the meeting controls.

Another common issue: you recorded locally but can't find the folder. Check your Zoom settings again to confirm the save location. If the path shown in settings doesn't match where you're looking, navigate to that exact folder. On Windows, you can paste the path directly into File Explorer's address bar. On Mac, you can use Spotlight (Command + Space) to search for the folder name.

Sharing recordings with others

Cloud recordings are easiest to share. In your Zoom account, click on the recording, then look for a Share button or link icon. Zoom generates a shareable link you can send to anyone. You can set whether people need a password to view it and whether they can download the file.

Local recordings require you to send the file itself. The .mp4 file is usually between 100 MB and 1 GB depending on meeting length, so email may not work if your email provider has file size limits. Instead, use a file-sharing service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. Upload the file there and share the link with others.

Protecting your recordings and managing storage

Local recordings are stored on your computer like any other file. If your computer is lost or the hard drive fails, the recording is gone unless you backed it up. Move important recordings to cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud) or an external hard drive as soon as you finish watching them.

Cloud recordings are stored on Zoom's servers, so they're safer from computer failure — but they're tied to your Zoom account. If your account is deleted or hacked, the recordings can be lost or accessed by someone else. Download and save copies of important meetings to your own storage.

Local recordings also take up disk space. A one-hour meeting typically uses 300 to 500 MB. If you record frequently, your computer's storage can fill up quickly. Delete recordings you no longer need, or move them to external storage to free up space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a recording if I accidentally deleted it?

Local recordings can sometimes be recovered using file recovery software if you deleted them recently and haven't written much new data to your drive. Cloud recordings deleted from your Zoom account are usually gone permanently after a few days. Contact Zoom support immediately if you delete a cloud recording you need — they may be able to restore it within a short window.

What format is the recording file, and can I edit it?

Zoom recordings are .mp4 video files, which most video editing software can open. You can edit them in free tools like DaVinci Resolve or CapCut, or in paid software like Adobe Premiere. Local recordings are your files to edit freely. Cloud recordings you download are also yours to edit once they're on your computer.

Why is my cloud recording taking so long to process?

Zoom processes cloud recordings on its servers, and longer meetings take longer to process. A 30-minute meeting usually processes in 5 to 10 minutes. A 2-hour meeting can take 30 to 60 minutes. If it's been over an hour and the recording still shows "Processing," check your internet connection and try refreshing the page. Contact Zoom support if it stays stuck.

Can I change a recording from local to cloud after the meeting ends?

No. The recording method is set before or during the meeting, and you can't move a local recording to cloud storage through Zoom. You can upload a local recording file to your own cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) manually, but Zoom won't manage it as a cloud recording.

What happens to recordings if I downgrade my Zoom plan?

Cloud recordings stay in your account, but the retention period changes. If you downgrade from a paid plan to free, your 365-day storage window becomes 30 days. Recordings older than 30 days will be deleted. Download any recordings you want to keep before downgrading.