How to Record a Zoom Meeting as a Participant

Staying on top of everything in a Zoom meeting can be challenging, especially when you’re not in the driver’s seat. Fortunately, there are several ways to ensure you don't miss out on key details.

In this guide, we'll show you how to record a Zoom meeting as a participant—whether you have the host’s permission or not. Plus, we’ll introduce a free, time-saving tool that can help you manage meeting notes more effectively. To enhance your Zoom skills, check out our guides on How to Save Zoom Chat and How to Make Someone a Co-Host on Zoom.

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Record Zoom Meeting As a Participant (With Host Permission)

The ability to record Zoom meetings as a participant depends on the host’s settings. Reach out to the host before the meeting to ensure they’ve enabled participant recording. This preemptive step can save time and ensure everything is set up correctly before the meeting begins.

If reaching out beforehand isn’t possible, don’t worry—you can still ask for permission during the meeting. Here’s how to do it:

1. Ask the host for recording permission: Politely request the host to grant you permission to record. The host can go to the participant's menu and enable recording privileges for you.
2. Click the Record button: Once you have permission, click the “Record” button in your Zoom interface.
3. Choose your recording location: Decide whether to save the Zoom recording to your local computer or the Zoom cloud. Remember that cloud recording is only available if you’re on a paid plan.
4. Recording indicator: Once you start recording, the host will see a recording icon next to your name in the participants' list.

Image from Zoom

5. ‍Access your recordings: After the meeting ends, you’ll have access to the full video recording. You’ll also receive the audio-only file and, if enabled, a transcript of the meeting chat.

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Record Zoom Meeting As a Participant (Without Host Permission)

There may be situations where you need to record a Zoom meeting without asking for the host’s permission. While some might argue that this is unethical, there are legitimate circumstances where recording without permission may be necessary. For example, you might attend a conference or networking event where recording is not officially allowed, but you must capture specific parts for your notes.

Whatever your reason (and we trust it’s a good one), you can use screen-recording software to record Zoom sessions without the host’s permission. Here’s how you can do it on different platforms:

1. Windows Users:

• Xbox Game Bar: Windows comes with the Xbox Game Bar, which allows you to screen-record your Zoom meeting. However, if you’re unfamiliar with its interface, navigating it can be a bit complicated.

2. ‍Using a Logitech Webcam:

• Logitech Capture App: If you have a Logitech webcam, you can use the Logitech Capture app for recording Zoom sessions, capturing both video and audio.

3. ‍MacOS Users:

• QuickTime Player: macOS users have it easier with QuickTime, which has a screen recorder that lets you quickly record any screen on your computer, including audio.

4. ‍Third-Party Screen Recorder:

• There are also various free screen-recording software available, such as Screen Recorder, ShareX, and ScreenPal.

5. ‍Using Loom:

• Why Loom?: For this guide, we’ll focus on using Loom because it’s one of the most popular screen recording tools, especially for Chrome users. However, be aware that Loom has some limitations. With a free Loom account, you can only record up to 5 minutes of footage. If you have a paid account, this method works perfectly for longer recordings.
• Steps to Record with Loom:

1. Install the Loom Chrome browser extension and sign up/sign in to your account.
2. Open the Zoom web portal and join the Zoom session.
3. Open the Loom extension and select "Current Tab" (ensure you’re still in the Zoom meeting tab).

4. Click on Start Recording. Loom will record your Zoom meeting screen and capture the audio.
5. Click the Stop button to stop recording.
6. Go to your Loom library to review your recording.

While it’s technically possible to have a Zoom recording without asking for permission, if your goal is to take notes and capture highlights from the conversation, there is a more efficient and ethical way to achieve this.

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Easy Alternative: Get a Full Transcript with Tactiq (No Need for Host Permission)

Instead of recording an entire Zoom call, Tactiq offers a more efficient way to capture everything by saving the transcript. Here's how you can do it:

1. Install Tactiq: Add the Tactiq extension to your Chrome browser. If you're new to Tactiq, sign up for a free account.
2. Connect to Zoom: For existing users, ensure Tactiq is connected to Zoom by visiting the Integrations page and clicking "Connect" under the Zoom icon.
3. Join the Meeting: Join your Zoom meeting as usual, and Tactiq will automatically start transcribing the conversation in real-time.
4. Take Notes and Highlight: During the meeting, take notes directly in the transcript window, highlight key points, and capture screenshots if needed.
5. Review and Share: After the meeting, review the full transcript, save it to your Google Drive, or share it with others.

When you enable Tactiq with Zoom, the meeting will open in your Chrome browser instead of the Zoom app, as Tactiq currently supports only web browsers.

Explore Tactiq's AI-Powered Features

Tactiq also has AI-powered features designed to make your meetings even more productive:

• Automated Summaries: After each meeting, Tactiq can generate concise summaries, highlighting key points and action items, saving you time on post-meeting follow-ups.
• AI-Powered Meeting Kits: Tailor GPT AI prompts to automate actions from your discussions and create personalized AI meeting notes for each meeting. These meeting kits help you stay on track.
• Smart AI Prompts: Get tailored meeting insights with custom AI prompts. You can ask Tactiq AI any question about your meeting to gain deeper insights, then save your prompts and build a personalized AI library tailored to your job and role.

These new features enhance your note-taking process, making it easier to stay organized and focused during meetings.

Download the free Tactiq Chrome Extension today!

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Wrapping It Up

Recording a Zoom meeting as a participant can be helpful, especially when you need to revisit important discussions. Whether you’re getting the host’s permission or using alternative methods, there are several ways to ensure you capture what you need. By choosing the method that best suits your needs, you can stay on top of your meetings.