Recording a Zoom meeting feels straightforward until you press play and see the wrong view. Instead of a full gallery, the recording shows only the active speaker. Faces disappear, context gets lost, and the meeting no longer reflects what actually happened.

This confusion is common. Zoom recording behavior depends on how your account is set up, how the meeting is recorded, and what happens during screen sharing. Gallery view does not record by default, and it behaves very differently from speaker view or shared-screen layouts.

Once the meeting ends, there is no undo button. If the right recording settings were not enabled beforehand, the gallery view cannot be recovered later.

This guide explains how Zoom recording views work and how to avoid common mistakes before they cost you important footage.

You’ll learn:

• How gallery view differs from speaker view and shared screen
• When Zoom records gallery view and when it does not
• Why cloud recording matters for gallery view
• A simpler way to capture what was said without relying on video

Understanding Zoom Recording Views

Zoom offers several recording layouts. The view you choose affects the following:

• Who appears on screen
• How speakers are shown
• What happens when someone shares their screen

It’s also important to know that gallery view recording depends on cloud recording, which is only available on paid Zoom plans. Free accounts can record meetings locally, but they cannot reliably capture gallery view layouts.

This distinction explains why many recordings look correct during the meeting but change after the recording is processed.

Understanding the differences helps you avoid recording the wrong layout.

Gallery view vs speaker view vs shared screen

Zoom switches recording layouts based on what is happening in the meeting:

• Gallery view records a grid of participant videos at the same time. It works best for group discussions where visual context matters, but it only displays a limited number of participants at once (a maximum of 25 participants).

• Speaker view records only the active speaker. Zoom automatically switches the video as different people talk, which removes the rest of the group from view.

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• Shared screen takes priority during presentations. The recording focuses on the shared screen, and participant videos may appear only as a small thumbnail or disappear entirely, depending on settings.

Cloud recording vs local recording differences

How Zoom records also depends on where the recording is saved:

• Local recordings match the recorder’s screen. Switching views during the meeting changes the recording in real time.
• Cloud recordings follow host-level settings instead of personal views. Zoom can save multiple layouts at once, but only if those options are enabled before the meeting begins.

💡 Pro Tip: If your goal is capturing what was said rather than who appeared on screen, Tactiq transcribes Zoom meetings automatically. You get searchable transcripts and AI-generated summaries without managing gallery view, cloud storage, or video files.

How To Record Gallery View In Zoom (Cloud Recording)

If you want a reliable way to record gallery view, cloud recording is the only option that works consistently. This approach uses account-level settings instead of personal screen views, which prevents layout surprises after the meeting ends.

Prerequisites (paid Zoom account required)

Before setting anything up, make sure these requirements are met:

• You are using a paid Zoom account.
• Cloud recording is enabled on your account.
• You are the host or co-host of the meeting.
• Recording settings are configured before the meeting starts.

Free accounts can record locally, but they cannot reliably record gallery view.

Step-by-step: Enable gallery view recording in settings

Gallery view recording depends on a specific group of cloud recording options. These must be enabled in advance.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. Open Settings, then select the Recording tab.
3. Under Cloud recording, enable Record active speaker, gallery view, and shared screen separately. In the same section, make sure the Shared screen option is enabled as a sub-setting.
4. Turn on Record active speaker with shared screen and Record gallery view with shared screen.
5. Choose how participant videos appear during screen sharing by adjusting Record thumbnails when sharing.

Note: These settings apply only to future meetings. Changing them after a meeting has started will not affect the recording.

What happens during the meeting

Once cloud recording starts, Zoom follows the settings you selected:

• When no one is sharing a screen, the recording captures gallery view.
• During screen sharing, the recording switches to shared content with the active speaker, not the full gallery.
• After screen sharing ends, the recording automatically returns to gallery view. After the meeting ends, cloud recordings still need time to process. If your file does not appear right away, this often relates to Zoom recording processing time, not missing settings.

This behavior is expected and often misunderstood. Gallery view recording works only when screen sharing is not active, even with the correct settings enabled.

You can also learn how to record a Zoom meeting as a participant.

How To Record Gallery View Locally in Zoom

Local recording works very differently from cloud recording. Instead of following account-level settings, Zoom records exactly what appears on the recorder’s screen. This gives you more visual control, but it also introduces more room for error.

Limitations of local recording

Before using local recording, it helps to understand its constraints:

• The recording reflects the current view on your screen
• Switching between gallery view and speaker view changes the recording
• Screen sharing replaces gallery view with the shared screen and participant thumbnails, and this layout cannot be changed in local recordings.
• Layout mistakes cannot be fixed after the meeting ends

Local recording can capture gallery view, but only if the view stays consistent for the entire session. Local recording is available on free Zoom accounts, but it lacks the layout controls required for reliable gallery view recordings.

If local recording feels too restrictive, another option is to screen record a Zoom meeting, which captures exactly what appears on your screen regardless of Zoom’s recording rules.

Steps for local gallery view recording

To record gallery view locally, you need to manage the layout throughout the meeting.

1. Join the meeting using the Zoom desktop app.
2. Switch your view to gallery view before recording starts.
3. Click Record, then select Record on this computer.
4. Avoid switching views once recording begins.
5. If screen sharing starts, confirm how the participant's videos appear on your screen.
6. Stop the recording only after the meeting ends or when gallery view is no longer needed.

Because local recording depends on live screen changes, it works best for smaller meetings where layouts stay predictable.

Capture Zoom Meeting Content Without Recording Gallery View with Tactiq

Recording gallery view works, but video is not always the best solution. Video files are large, hard to search, and easy to forget once saved. In many meetings, what matters most is what people said, not how they appeared on screen.

Tactiq focuses on the conversation itself rather than the video layout.

Why Tactiq is better than video recording for meeting notes

Instead of worrying about views, layouts, or recording settings, Tactiq focuses on the conversation itself.

• It captures everything said in the meeting in real time
• You can search, highlight, and revisit exact moments later
• There is no need to manage gallery view, speaker view, or shared screen layouts
• Notes stay lightweight, accessible, and easy to reuse

Video recordings are useful for playback. Transcripts are better for follow-ups, decisions, and documentation.

How to use Tactiq for Zoom meetings

Using Tactiq does not require changing your Zoom recording setup.

• Join your Zoom meeting as usual
• Tactiq captures the conversation live
• After the meeting, review the transcript, summaries, and key points
• Use AI prompts to turn discussions into notes, action items, or follow-up emails

When the goal is clarity and recall, capturing the words often matters more than capturing the screen.

Install the Tactiq Chrome extension to capture everything said in your Zoom meetings without relying on video recordings.

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Troubleshooting: Why Your Zoom Recording Isn’t Showing Gallery View

If your Zoom recording does not show gallery view, the issue usually traces back to account limits or recording settings. Most problems happen before the meeting even starts, not during the recording itself.

Check your account type (free vs paid)

Gallery view recording requires cloud recording, which is only available on paid Zoom plans.

• Free accounts can record locally, but they cannot reliably record gallery view
• If cloud recording is unavailable, Zoom defaults to speaker-based layouts

If your account does not include cloud recording, gallery view will not appear in the final file.

Verify recording settings in web portal

Cloud recording settings must be enabled in advance through the Zoom web portal.

• Confirm that gallery view recording is turned on
• Make sure shared screen recording options are configured correctly
• Check that multiple layouts are allowed to record separately

If these options were disabled, Zoom ignores gallery view even if it appeared during the meeting.

Check group and user-level settings

In some accounts, group or admin settings override personal preferences.

• Admin-level settings may block gallery view recording
• Group-level rules can prevent layout changes from applying
• Personal settings may appear enabled, but never take effect

If you are part of a managed Zoom account, ask an admin to review recording permissions.

Recording already happened? Cannot change after the fact

Once a Zoom meeting ends, the recording layout is locked.

• Gallery view cannot be restored later
• Speaker view cannot be converted into gallery view
• Screen sharing layouts cannot be edited into new formats

If the settings were incorrect before the meeting started, the recording cannot be fixed afterward.

Best Practices For Recording Zoom Meetings

Recording works best when you plan ahead. A few checks before the meeting can prevent missing faces, broken layouts, or recordings that do not match what actually happened.

• Test your settings before important meetings: Run a short test meeting using the same account and recording settings. This helps you confirm that gallery view, shared screen behavior, and cloud recording layouts work as expected before the real session starts.
• Inform participants they’re being recorded: Let participants know recording is active at the beginning of the meeting. This avoids confusion, builds trust, and gives people a chance to adjust their camera or audio if needed.
• Consider storage limitations: Cloud recordings create multiple files when gallery view, speaker view, and shared screen are saved separately. These files can take up storage quickly, especially for longer meetings.
• Choose the right view for your needs: Gallery view works well for discussions and team check-ins, while speaker view suits presentations. If your goal is documentation or follow-ups, transcripts often provide more long-term value than video.

Wrapping Up

Recording gallery view in Zoom requires more than pressing the record button. It depends on using cloud recording, enabling the right settings in advance, and understanding how Zoom changes layouts during screen sharing.

いずれかの手順を見逃した場合、最終録音はデフォルトでギャラリー全体ではなくスピーカービューになることがあります。

ビジュアルが本当に重要な会議には、適切な設定をしたクラウドレコーディングが適切なアプローチです。それ以外の場合は、話された内容をキャプチャする方が、別のビデオファイルを保存するよりも価値があることがよくあります。

検索可能なメモ、わかりやすいフォローアップ、信頼できる文書を優先する場合は、記録レイアウトを管理するよりもシンプルで柔軟なオプションがトランスクリプトのほうが適しています。

Zoomでギャラリービューを記録する方法に関するFAQ

Zoomでギャラリービューを記録できますか？

はい。ただし、有料のZoomプランのクラウドレコーディングでのみ可能です。ミーティングを開始する前に、レコーディング設定でギャラリービューを有効にする必要があります。

Zoomの録画がギャラリービューに表示されないのはなぜですか？

これは通常、クラウドレコーディング設定が事前に有効になっていなかった場合や、画面共有によってレイアウトがアクティブスピーカービューに切り替わった場合に発生します。

ズームレコーディングをスピーカービューからギャラリービューに変更するにはどうすればよいですか？

会議後に変更することはできません。セッションを開始する前に、クラウドレコーディング設定でギャラリービューを選択する必要があります。

Zoomでギャラリービューをローカルに記録できますか？

はい。ただし、ローカルレコーディングは画面に表示されているものだけをキャプチャします。会議中にビューが変わると、レコーディングも変わります。

Zoomミーティングで話したことをすべて記録する最良の方法は何ですか？

トランスクリプトを使用すると、レイアウト上の問題が完全に回避され、意思決定、アクションアイテム、重要な議論を後で確認しやすくなります。

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