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How do I make a local recording in Zoom?

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This guide outlines the basic workflow for recording, saving, and sharing your recordings made using Zoom's local recording option. Zoom's local recording option lets you save your meeting video and audio directly to your computer or local drive.

Before you begin

  1. Download the Zoom desktop app (select the Zoom Client for Meetings option) for access to settings for local recordings and other settings.
  2. Upgrade Zoom to the latest version.
  3. Sync your U of T OneDrive account to your computer to be able to set up a download location where you will save your recordings.

Your local Zoom recordings are stored to your computer hard disk. Because these files can take up a lot of space on your hard drive, we recommend changing this default file location to a cloud location (i.e., OneDrive)

Jump to

  1. Before your meeting: Configure your local recording settings
    1. Enable local recordings in the Zoom web app.
    2. Select your local recording settings on the Zoom web and desktop apps.
    3. Set up the download location where recordings will automatically save (e.g., a OneDrive folder).
  2. During your meeting: Start, stop, or pause the recording
    1. Start the recording.
    2. Pause or stop the recording.  
  3. After your meeting: Manage your Zoom recording
    1. Find your recording in the designated folder on your computer.
    2. Edit your recording (optional).
    3. Upload the recording to a hosting service.
    4. Share the link for the recording.
1. Before your meeting: Configure your local recording settings

1.1. Enable local recordings in the Zoom web application

Sign in to the UoftT Zoom web portal: https://utoronto.zoom.us/, then:

  1. In the navigation menu, select Settings.
  2. Select the Recording tab.
  3. Select the Local Recording toggle to enable it.

1.2. Select your local recording settings on the Zoom web and desktop apps

After enabling local recordings, you can select your preferred recording settings. Some settings will be on the web app and some will be on the desktop app.  Below are some of suggested settings to enable on the web app and the local app.

1.2.1. Local recordings settings on the web application

From the UoftT Zoom web portal: https://utoronto.zoom.us/, under Settings>Recordings, select from the options below and then Save to apply your changes:

  1. Save chat messages from the meeting/webinar (requires Zoom version 5.9.3 or later): Saves a .txt file with a transcript of chat messages from the meeting.
  2. Hosts can give meeting participants permission to record locally: Allow hosts to give participants permission to record locally during a meeting.

1.2.2. Local recording settings on the desktop application

Sign into the Zoom desktop application (be sure to use your UofT account log in credentials, as described on the UTM guide: Logging into Zoom Using the Desktop Client Application). Then, complete the steps below:

  1. On the Home screen, select Settings to open the settings window.
  2. Select the Recording option.
  3. Under Local Recording, select additional options, as desired, including:  
    • Add a timestamp to the recording: Embeds the date and time on the recording.
    • Record video during screen sharing: Continues to record participant's video during screen sharing.
    • Place video next to the shared screen in the recording: When selected, will place participants' video and shared screen side-by-side in the recording.

1.3. Set up the download location where recordings will automatically save (e.g., a OneDrive folder)

The default location for local recordings is inside your computer Documents folder, in a folder named Zoom.

  • For Windows users, the file path is: C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\Zoom.
  • For Mac users, the file path is: /Users/[Username]/Documents/Zoom.

However, these files can take up a lot of space on your hard drive. For this reason, we recommend changing the default file download  saving to a folder in the cloud (e.g., OneDrive). By syncing your OneDrive account to your computer, you can then access your files from both the cloud and your computer:

  1. See: Sync files with OneDrive in Windows
  2. See: Sync files with OneDrive on Mac OS X

You can change the default location from the desktop application from the Recording tab in the Settings menu.

Under Local Recording:

  1. Select Open to open the current location of your Zoom recordings.
  2. Select Change to browse and select a different download location on your computer (e.g., a OneDrive folder synced to your computer).
2. During your meeting: Start, stop, or pause the recording

2.1. Start the recording

After starting your meeting as the host,

  1. Select the Record button from the options at the bottom of your screen. 
  2. If a menu pops, up select Record on this Computer (the menu will appear if you've also enabled cloud recordings).

2.2. Pause or stop the recording

  1. You can pause or stop your recording at any point during the meeting. Selecting End Meeting will also stop the recording.

What is the difference between using "Pause" and using "Stop"?

  • If you pause and then resume recording during the meeting, the recording will continue to the same video file.
  • If you stop the recording and then start recording again in the same meeting, a new video file will be created.
3. After your meeting: Manage your Zoom recording

3.1. Find your recording in the designated folder on your computer

You can open your local recording folder directly, or via the Zoom web or desktop applications:

3.1.1. Open local recordings folder in Zoom web app

  1. On the Zoom web app, select Recordings.
  2. Select the Local Recordings tab.
  3. Select Open next to the desired recording.

3.1.2. Open local recordings folder in Zoom desktop app

  1. On the Zoom desktop app, select the Recording tab in the Settings menu.
  2. Under Local Recording, select Open to open the current location of your Zoom recordings.

3.2. Edit your recording (optional)

If you want to edit some sections of your recording before sharing (e.g., to remove any sections showing information or content you don't wish to share), have a look at our guides for self-editing using:

  1.  no-cost software editing tools or
  2.  paid editing tools.

Looking for some help to edit your video content? If you have any questions about how to edit your Zoom recordings, please book a consultation and we'd be happy to assist you.

3.3. Upload the recording to a hosting service

Uploading your recordings to a hosting/streaming service will allow you to archive your recordings for re-use, and create links that can be easily shared with your students. If you're unsure which service to use, see Select a video/hosting streaming service for a comparison of options.

ETO's Recommended Video Hosting Solutions:

  1. See How do I upload a video or audio file to MyMedia? (If you are using MyMedia in a course, we recommend requesting a course-based MyMedia account instead of tying your content to your personal UTORid.)
  2. See How do I upload a video to OneDrive?

Why don't we recommend uploading videos directly to Quercus? Not only will this chew through your course's storage quota, Quercus is not optimized for video playback and does not archive your videos for re-use.

After uploading your recordings to a hosting service, you can share recordings with your students in your Quercus course, using one of the following options (the guides below  include steps for both MyMedia and MS Stream):  

  1. Using the share link (URL): How can I copy the share link for my video?
  2. Using the video embed code: How can I copy the embed code for my video?
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