How to Record Audio on Zoom

The meeting just ended, and you realize you missed a crucial detail. Maybe it was a key decision, an insightful comment, or an action item.

You message your peer immediately, ‘Did you catch that?’ But they have no idea what you’re talking about.

Recording audio on Zoom can prevent these frustrating moments in a critical client discussion, a fast-paced lecture, or a brainstorming session full of ideas.

Let’s learn how to record audio on Zoom effectively. 🎯

How to Record Audio on Zoom

⏰ 60-Second Summary

Zoom recordings allow users to capture meetings for future reference, enabling easy review, documentation, and collaboration.

Here are the two types of Zoom recordings:
- Local recordings are saved directly to your device, offering complete control over storage and sharing
- Cloud recordings are stored on Zoom’s servers, providing easy access, sharing, and backup options
Follow these steps to record a separate audio file in Zoom:

Click New Meeting to start a session right away
If you’re the host, click Participants, hover over their name, click More, and select Allow to Record Local Files to give recording access to your participants (optional)
Click the Record button in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen
Press End Meeting to save your recording
Use third-party tools to edit the recording

ClickUp provides a smarter alternative with:
- Clips for recording, storing, and sharing high-quality video and audio directly within Tasks and projects
- AI Notetaker for automatic transcribing, summarizing, and turning recordings into actionable tasks
- Integrations to connect your work with third-party applications like Zoom, Google Meet, and Loom

Try ClickUp for Free

Understanding Zoom’s Recording Options

Depending on your needs, you can choose between local and cloud Zoom meeting recordings. Let’s break down what each recording type offers and how to pick the best one. 📄

Local recording

This is the go-to option to save recordings directly to your computer. It’s available on all Zoom accounts and keeps your files within reach—no internet is required after the meeting.

Here are the file formats it saves your recordings in:

MP4 (video)
M4A (audio-only file)

Here’s why you might like it:

Complete control over your recordings
No need to rely on Zoom’s servers
Works for free and paid accounts

❌ Some drawbacks of this method are:

It saves files directly to your device, which can quickly eat up storage space—especially if you record long meetings or multiple sessions
Managing your available storage is essential to avoid running out of space when you need it most
Additionally, some Zoom plans impose recording time limits, meaning you might need to monitor the clock during longer meetings
If your plan has restrictions, checking your available recording time in advance is a good idea to prevent any unexpected cutoffs

🔍 Did You Know? The term ‘Zoom fatigue’ entered popular vocabulary and has even been recognized in dictionaries. It describes the tiredness people feel after prolonged video calls.

📖 Also Read: Free Meeting Notes Templates to Take Better Meeting Minutes

Cloud recording

If you have a paid Zoom plan, cloud recording saves your files to Zoom’s servers instead of your computer. You can access them from anywhere, share them easily, and avoid cluttering your hard drive.

Here are the file formats it saves your recordings in:

MP4 (video)
M4A (audio)
Chat transcripts

Here’s why to try it:

No 40-minute recording limit
Access multiple audio files from any device
No local storage concerns

❌ Cloud recording is a convenient option, but it has a few drawbacks

It’s only available on paid plans, so free users don’t have access
Additionally, recordings aren’t instantly available—they take time to process before you can view or download them
Unlike local recordings, cloud-stored files also have limited built-in editing options. You may need external software for adjustments

🧠 Fun Fact: Zoom has a set of reactions, like clapping and thumbs up, but many users don’t know there’s also a hidden set of emojis in the chat feature. These can be activated using simple shortcuts like typing ‘:)’ or ‘:D.’

📖 Also Read: Best AI Screen Recorders: A Professional’s Guide

Step-by-Step Guide to Recording Audio on Zoom

Now that you know your recording options, let’s get into the how. Whether you’re using local or cloud recording, setting it up is straightforward—as long as you know where to look.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to using the screen recording software. 📽️

Step #1: Start a meeting

Launch the Zoom application on your computer or mobile device and log into it if you haven’t already.

Click New Meeting to start a session right away. If you’re planning, hit Schedule, fill in the details, and lock in your meeting time.

Start a new meeting or schedule one if you’re planning ahead

Before your meeting starts, click on your profile picture in Zoom and head to Settings. Select where to save your local recordings in the Recording tab.

Choose an audio record folder and enable record — Go to Settings > Recording to add a specific location (recording folder) for your saved recordings

Step #2: Give permissions (optional)

If you’re the host, you’re all set to record. But if someone else needs to record, you must give them access. Just click Participants, hover over their name, click More, and select Allow to Record Local Files.

Let users record multiple audio files — Allow other participants to record from their computers if needed

🔍 Did You Know? Zoom was founded in 2011 by Eric Yuan, who previously worked as an engineer at Cisco Webex. Yuan wanted to create a video conferencing tool that was simpler and more user-friendly than what existed.

Step #3: Start recording

Once your meeting begins, click the Record button in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. Zoom may ask if you prefer recording locally or in the cloud.

Pick Record on this Computer if you want to save it locally.

Record participant's audio track — Click the Record button in the toolbar

💡 Pro Tip: Use shortcut keys, like Alt + R, to start/stop recording and streamline meeting management.

Step #4: Save and locate your recorded audio

Once your meeting is over, simply click End Meeting, and Zoom will automatically start processing your recording.

Stop recording participants audio streams — Click End Meeting once it’s over

If you choose local recording, your file will be saved directly to your computer.

On Windows, you’ll typically find it in the Documents > Zoom folder, while Mac users can check /Users/[YourName]/Documents/Zoom.

If you opt for cloud recording, your file won’t be on your device. Instead, log into the Zoom web portal and navigate to the Recordings section to access and manage your saved meetings. Either way, your recording will be ready whenever you need it.

Access separate files — Access your audio and video recordings

🧠 Fun Fact: The Guinness World Record for the largest Zoom meeting ever was set in July 2024, with over 20,000 participants joining a single call for an online event.

💡Pro Tip: Organize your files with a structured folder system and naming conventions. It’s also a good idea to back up important files to external storage or another cloud service for security.

Step #5: Extract and edit Zoom audio files

Once your recording is processed, you can find the local file in the location mentioned earlier.

If you need to make adjustments, use file-sharing software to export the audio and edit it with software like Audacity or an online tool to clean up the recording.

Simply import the audio file, trim out any unnecessary parts, enhance the sound quality, or make any other necessary modifications. When you’re happy with the edits, save the file in your preferred format and location. Now, your recording is polished and ready to use.

🤝 Friendly Reminder: Communicate recording policies to participants for transparency and compliance. Clearly outline how the recordings will be used, who will have access and any security measures to protect the content. Organizations should consider implementing a standardized recording policy to ensure adherence to privacy regulations.

📖 Also Read: How To Get Sound On Screen Recording

A recording isn’t much use if you can’t find it when you need it. Whether you’re organizing files for future reference, sharing them with your team, or uploading them for easy access, keeping your recordings well-managed saves time and frustration.

Let’s go over how to store, share, and make the most of your Zoom audio files. 💁

Manage your recordings

Keeping your recordings organized makes them easier to work with. Zoom allows you to:

Trim the beginning and end of a recording to remove unnecessary parts
Rename files for easier identification
Delete recordings so you no longer need to free up storage space

Edit cloud recordings

If your recording is saved to the cloud, Zoom offers a built-in trimming tool:

Find your recording: Log in to your Zoom account and go to the Recordings section
Select and edit: Click on the recording you want to edit and tap the Scissors icon
Adjust the playback: Use the blue sliders to trim the start and end points, then hit Save. This updates the playback range for the video, audio, and transcript files

Need to send a recording to colleagues or clients? Sharing a screen recording is simple:

Go to the Cloud Recordings tab in your Zoom account
Click Share next to the recording you want to send
Adjust the settings based on your needs:
- Set an expiration date to limit access
- Enable password protection for extra security
- Choose access settings to allow downloads or transcript visibility

Share your recordings — via AlamoColleges

📖 Also Read: How to Screen Record on Mac with Audio Effortlessly

Troubleshooting Common Recording Issues

Nothing’s worse than realizing your important meeting didn’t record properly (or at all). Recording issues can pop up when you least expect them, from missing files to audio glitches.

The good news? Most problems have simple fixes. Here’s how to troubleshoot the most common Zoom recording hiccups. 📹

Internet connection issues: A weak connection can affect audio and video quality. A wired Ethernet connection is often more reliable than Wi-Fi. If using Wi-Fi, move closer to the router or switch to a stronger network
Recording setting issues: Go to Settings > Recording in Zoom to confirm whether you’re saving recordings locally or to the cloud. If it’s local, a full hard drive can prevent recordings from saving or converting. Free up space if needed. You also must ensure that Zoom is set to save recordings to a valid, accessible location
Audio and video issues: Click the arrow next to the microphone icon in Zoom and select Test Speaker & Microphone to ensure proper functionality. And if your video isn’t working, close other applications that might be using the camera
Post-recording problems: If Zoom fails to convert a recording automatically, go to Meetings > Recording in the Zoom client and start the conversion manually. Check the save location set in Zoom’s settings. The default folder is usually Documents > Zoom

💡 Pro Tip: If issues arise mid-meeting, pause the recording while you fix the problem to avoid disruptions. You must also keep your Zoom app current to ensure you have the latest bug fixes and improvements.

Limitations of Recording Audios with Zoom

Zoom’s recording feature is great, but it’s not perfect. There are storage limits, permission restrictions, and a few quirks that might make you want to use a Zoom alternative.

Before relying on it for all your audio recording needs, it’s worth knowing where it falls short. 👀

Audio quality issues: Zoom prioritizes live call quality over recordings, resulting in compression artifacts and reduced sound clarity. Plus, bandwidth optimization during calls can negatively impact recorded audio ❌
Limited recording control: Separate audio tracks for participants are only available in local recordings, and participants cannot record without permission and must manually share local files with the host ❌
Storage and duration constraints: Local recordings have time limits of 12 hours (free plan) and 24 hours (paid plan). There’s always the risk of users running out of storage, complicating file management and sharing ❌
Misleading quality expectations: Zoom advertises 720p recordings, but users often experience lower quality. It also has inconsistent recording resolution, which leads to confusion and frustration ❌
Internet dependency: High-fidelity audio requires a strong internet connection, and Wi-Fi users may experience further degradation in recorded audio quality ❌

🧠 Fun Fact: Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, marking the first time audio could be recorded and played back. His first recorded words were, ‘Mary had a little lamb.’

Record and Manage Your Audios with ClickUp

ClickUp is the everything app for work that combines project management, documents, and team communication, all in one platform—accelerated by next-generation AI automation and search.

ClickUp tools like ClickUp Clips and ClickUp AI Notetaker make it easy to record, transcribe, and manage audio for collaboration and productivity.

Let’s look at some ClickUp features to record and manage audio. 🎤

ClickUp Clips

ClickUp Clips makes communication faster, clearer, and more engaging. Simply record your screen, voice, or both to explain ideas, give feedback, or share updates.

No more misunderstandings, just effective communication with ClickUp Clip Screen Recordings.

What makes Clips stand out? It’s built right into ClickUp, meaning you can record, attach videos to tasks, and keep everything organized in one place without needing external tools like Loom.

For instance, educators can create bite-sized lesson recaps, answer student questions with video responses, or give assignment feedback. They can then use AI for meeting notes.

It’s also convenient to keep your team discussions on track with meeting guidelines using the ClickUp Meeting Notes Template.

ClickUp AI Notetaker

Tired of scrambling to take notes while trying to stay engaged in meetings? The ClickUp AI Notetaker has your back.

This AI-powered tool automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes discussions so you can focus on the conversation instead of jotting things down. It even identifies action items and turns them into ClickUp Tasks, ensuring you don’t miss anything.

Try ClickUp AI Notetaker

ClickUp Brain

Need a quick recap? ClickUp Brain summarizes transcripts, pulls key insights, and even answers questions based on your project data so you don’t waste time digging through notes.

For instance, you can record classroom discussions or online lessons and then let the AI transcription tool transcribe and summarize them.

ClickUp Meetings

ClickUp Meetings makes team collaboration effortless, integrating meeting management directly into your workflow. It brings meeting agendas, notes, action items, and follow-ups into one centralized platform.

ClickUp Integrations

Plus, ClickUp Integrations seamlessly connects you with video conferencing tools like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, allowing users to schedule, join, and track meetings directly within the platform. Don’t want to switch platforms?

ClickUp Zoom Integration helps you take notes on the platform.

💡 Pro Tip: Try the ClickUp Meetings Template, which makes running productive meetings a breeze. It has pre-built structures for organizing tasks, tracking goals, and collaborating seamlessly.

For the Record, ClickUp Is the Solution

Recording audio on Zoom gets the job done, but let’s be honest—it’s not the most flexible or efficient solution. Limited controls, storage constraints, and quality issues can turn a simple task into a frustrating experience.

If you’re looking for a smarter way to capture, organize, and actually use your meeting recordings, ClickUp has your back.

With ClickUp Clips, you can instantly record, share, and store audio and video files without downloading them. ClickUp Brain takes it further by converting your recordings into searchable transcripts, actionable insights, and smarter workflows.

What’s more, the ClickUp AI Notetaker automatically captures your meetings, ensuring nothing gets missed.

Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.

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⏰ 60-Second Summary