How to record a Zoom meeting
TL;DR
You have three options: (1) Zoom's built-in Cloud Recording if you're the host and on a paid plan, (2) SeaMeet's browser recorder — works for any participant with no signup, (3) a desktop screen-recorder like OBS. Method 2 is the fastest for most people. Method 1 gives you Zoom's own transcript. Method 3 is best if you want to record your own screen too.
无需注册 · 免费 15 分钟 · 支持 Chrome、Edge、Safari
60 秒看懂
重点速览
该用哪个方法？
| Question | Method 1 Zoom Cloud Recording | Method 2 SeaMeet browser recorder | Method 3 Desktop screen recorder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Are you the meeting host? | Required — only the host or co-host can record | Not required — attendees record too | Not required |
| Do you have Zoom Pro or higher? | Required (or Business/Enterprise) | Not required | Not required |
| Need it right now, no download? | Runs in Zoom's app (already installed) | ✓ Runs in the browser | Requires downloading the recorder first |
| Recording your own screen too? | Yes — Zoom captures your screen if you're sharing | Tab capture only | ✓ Full screen or window |
| Want a transcript afterwards? | Yes — Zoom generates one (paid plan) | ✓ Yes — live transcript in 20+ languages | No — audio only; transcribe separately |
Host, paid plan
Method 1 · Zoom Cloud Recording
Zoom's native recording. Fastest if you're already on a paid Zoom plan and running the meeting yourself — the recording and transcript arrive in your Zoom Recordings dashboard within minutes of the call ending. Not available on Zoom's free plan, and only the host and co-hosts can trigger it. Attendees see a red REC indicator and a notification banner while it's running.
- 01
Start the meeting as the host
Sign in to Zoom (Zoom app, not the web browser) with your paid-tier account. Start or join the meeting where you're the host.
- 02
Click "Record" in the meeting controls
The record button is at the bottom of the Zoom window. Click it → choose "Record to the Cloud" (recommended — the transcript feature only works with cloud recording).
- 03
Confirm the participant notification
Zoom shows all participants a red REC chip and a banner: "This meeting is being recorded." This is legally required in many jurisdictions and can't be disabled.
- 04
Stop the recording when done
Click the stop icon or end the meeting. Zoom processes the recording and emails you a link to the video and transcript (usually within 5–30 minutes depending on length).
- 05
Find the recording in Zoom's Recordings tab
Sign in to zoom.us → Recordings → Cloud Recordings. Download the video, transcript (VTT + TXT), and share directly from there.
方法 2 · SeaMeet 浏览器录音
方法 2 · 在浏览器用 SeaMeet 录制
完全在你的浏览器标签页运行——桌面版 Chrome、Edge 或 Safari。无需注册、无需下载、无需主持人权限。前 15 分钟免费；Sync Pro 解除上限并增加云端同步。对多数人来说是最快的路径。
- 01
Open app.seameet.ai in a new browser tab
Chrome, Edge, or Safari on desktop. Firefox works too but tab-audio capture is browser-specific — see the FAQ below. No account required for the first 15 minutes.
- 02
Under "MY SCREEN", pick "A browser tab"
The browser will show a picker with every open tab. Choose your Zoom meeting tab. This is the option that captures both the video feed and the meeting audio.
- 03
Turn on "Share tab audio" in the picker
This is the toggle that decides whether the other participants' voices are captured. If you miss it, you'll get silent video. Chrome and Edge both surface it in the same picker as a checkbox.
- 04
Pick a transcription language (or leave on Auto-detect)
Auto-detect handles English + Mandarin, English + Japanese, and 20+ languages solo. Set an explicit language if the meeting is monolingual — accuracy is slightly higher.
- 05
Click Start recording
A live transcript appears in the SeaMeet tab as the meeting continues. When the call ends, click Stop — SeaMeet keeps the recording plus transcript in your library. First 15 minutes are free; Sync Pro unlocks unlimited length.
免费 15 分钟 · 支持 Chrome、Edge、Safari 桌面版
Any operating system
Method 3 · Desktop screen recorder
General-purpose screen recorders like OBS Studio, QuickTime (macOS), or Loom capture your entire screen or a window, including any Zoom meeting running inside it. Best if you want the highest video quality, or if you also want to capture your own screen (e.g., a design review where you're sharing Figma), or if you want to record for streaming rather than for note-taking. Downside: no transcript — you'd need to transcribe the audio separately afterwards.
- 01
Install OBS Studio (free) or use QuickTime (macOS built-in)
OBS is open source, cross-platform, and has a mild learning curve. QuickTime on macOS records the screen out of the box; File → New Screen Recording.
- 02
Configure audio sources
This is the tricky part. You want to capture both your microphone (your voice) and system audio (the other Zoom participants' voices). On macOS this needs a virtual audio device like BlackHole or Loopback. On Windows OBS handles it natively via WASAPI.
- 03
Start the recording, then start the Zoom call
Or vice versa — the recorder is a separate process from Zoom. Zoom doesn't know you're recording.
- 04
Save the video file when done
You get an mp4 (or mov). No transcript, no summary, no timestamps — just the video.
- 05
(Optional) Transcribe the video afterwards
Upload the file to SeaMeet's "Import file" flow to get a transcript + summary from the recording. Or use a standalone service like Otter, Whisper, or Rev.
经常需要录音吗？
考虑为 Zoom 使用 SeaMeet 桌面应用
自动检测通话。搭配桌面应用而非网页客户端运作。本地优先录制——通话期间不会上传任何内容。
常见问题