# How to Record a Zoom Meeting (Free, Step by Step) > Click Record in the Zoom desktop app to save the meeting to your computer, free. Steps for cloud recording, recording when you are not the host, and sharing. - **Authors**: Kirti Gulati - **Published**: 2026-11-13 - **URL**: https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/blog/how-to-record-a-zoom-meeting - **Page title**: How to Record a Zoom Meeting for Free (Step by Step) - **Meta description**: Click Record in the Zoom desktop app to save the meeting to your computer, free. Steps for cloud recording, recording when you are not the host, and sharing. - **Keywords**: Zoom, recording, meeting, free, cloud, desktop app, screen recorder, NeetoRecord, permissions, and video sharing --- To record a Zoom meeting, click **Record** in the meeting controls on the Zoom desktop app. On the free plan, the recording is saved to your computer. On paid plans, you can also choose **Record to the cloud**. Only the host can record unless the host gives you permission. If you only need to show something, like a demo, a status update or a walkthrough, you may not need a meeting at all. With [NeetoRecord](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord), you record your screen and camera, then send a link that people watch when it suits them and comment on. It is free for 200 videos a month. Below are the steps for each way to record in Zoom, what to do if you are not the host, and how to share a recording without sending a huge file. ## Before you record: tell people Always let everyone know you are recording, and ask if it is okay. Zoom shows a recording notice to participants, but in many places the law also requires consent. A quick "Is it okay if I record this?" at the start is enough. ## Method 1: Record to your computer (free plan) Zoom calls this local recording. It works on the free plan, but only in the Zoom desktop app for Windows, Mac or Linux. It does not work on phones or tablets. 1. Start or join the meeting in the Zoom desktop app. 2. Click **Record** in the meeting controls at the bottom. If you don't see it, click **More** first. 3. If Zoom asks where to record, choose to record on this computer. 4. Use the controls at the top left to pause or stop. 5. When the meeting ends, Zoom converts the recording into a video file. Wait for it to finish before you close the app. By default, the files go to a Zoom folder inside your Documents folder. You get a video file and a separate audio file. If the Record button is missing, local recording may be turned off. Sign in to the Zoom web portal and check **Settings** , then **Recording**. ## Method 2: Record to the cloud (paid plans) Cloud recording is included with Zoom's paid plans (Pro, Business and Enterprise). It saves the meeting online instead of on your computer, and it works from phones too. 1. As the host or co-host, click **Record** (or **More** , then **Record** ). 2. Choose **Record to the cloud**. 3. After the meeting, Zoom processes the recording. You get an email when it is ready. 4. Find it in the Zoom web portal under **Recordings** , where you can share a link. Cloud storage on paid plans is limited, so old recordings can fill it up. ## If you are not the host Participants can't record unless the host allows it. You have two options: - **Ask the host for permission.** The host can allow you to record, or make you a co-host. - **Record your screen with a screen recorder,** after you have told everyone and they agree. Your screen recorder needs to capture the computer's sound, or you will only hear yourself. The NeetoRecord desktop app for Mac can record your computer's sound along with your microphone, so you get both sides of the call. You get a link to share instead of a file. ## How to share a Zoom recording A one-hour meeting can be a very large file, which is too big for most email attachments. You can: - Share the cloud recording link, if you are on a paid plan. - Upload the local file to a cloud drive and share that link. - Upload it to a video tool that gives you a link and a transcript. NeetoRecord lets you upload existing videos, and people can watch in the browser and comment on the timeline. ## Do you even need the meeting? Many meetings are one person showing something and everyone else watching. A status update, a demo, a walkthrough of a design. These work just as well as a short recorded video that people watch when it suits them. With [NeetoRecord](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord), you record your screen and camera, then send a link. Viewers comment on the exact moment they have a question, and nobody has to find a free slot in the calendar. The free plan includes 200 videos a month per person, up to 15 minutes each, with an AI summary and transcript. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I record a Zoom meeting for free? Yes. Recording to your computer is free in the Zoom desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux. Cloud recording needs a paid plan. ### Can I record a Zoom meeting on my phone? Not to your phone. Zoom's mobile apps only support cloud recording, which needs a paid plan. On the free plan, use the desktop app. ### Can I record a Zoom meeting without the host knowing? You shouldn't. Recording people without their consent can be against the law, and it breaks trust. Ask the host for permission or tell everyone before you start. ### Where do Zoom recordings go? Local recordings go to a Zoom folder in your Documents folder by default. Cloud recordings are in the Zoom web portal under Recordings. ### Why is my Zoom recording not showing up? Zoom converts local recordings after the meeting ends. If you closed the app or shut down the computer before it finished, the file may not have been created. Cloud recordings can take a while to process; Zoom emails you when they are ready.