How to record Zoom meeting with or without permission

Recording Zoom meetings is just a breeze whether you are a host or a participant. Check out this guide to see how to record a Zoom session with or without permission.

Summary: A host can record Zoom meeting within the app at will. But instead, a participant is unable to start a Zoom meeting recording without permission.

In order to create recordings of Zoom sessions without consent on desktop, you can turn to some Zoom meeting recorders like Xbox Game Bar, QuickTime Player, or an all-in-one tool called the AppGeeker Screen Recorder. When it comes to recording Zoom meetings without approval on iPhone or Android devices, participants can only use the built-in screen recording features.

Only hosts and participants with permission can record Zoom meetings directly in the app.

You may want to record online Zoom meetings for multiple reasons, like reviewing vital discussions and decisions, or saving evidence in the case of legal disputes. If you're an unauthorized participant who want for recording, you'll want to figure out how to record a Zoom meeting without obtaining the host's permission.

Generally, hosts can initiate recording a Zoom session simply by clicking the Record button in the app. But things can be a bit more complex if you're a participant, as you're not allowed to directly record a Zoom meeting without asking permission from the host.

Below, we'll show you how to record Zoom meeting via some session recording software apps, despite you being a host or a participant with or without permission. Now let's get the ball rolling!

Table of contents

• Is it legal to record Zoom meeting without getting permission?
• How to record a Zoom session as a host
• How to record meetings on Zoom as a participant after receiving permission
• How to record Zoom without permission on Windows & Mac
• How to screen record Zoom meetings on iPhone or Android device
• Zoom recording FAQs

Is it legal to record a Zoom meeting without getting permission?

The legality of recording a Zoom meeting without permission can vary across different factors, including the recording laws in your state, the purpose of the recording, the sensitivity of the discussed information, etc.

In general, it is recommended to ask for the permission of all participants before making a Zoom call recording to avoid any legal issues or breaches of privacy. Moreover, it's crucial to comply with Zoom's terms of service, which outline the conditions for Zoom session recording.

How to record a Zoom session as a host

It's a piece of cake for hosts to record Zoom webinar — only several simple clicks on the app could help complete the task. If you're a meeting host, check out how to record on Zoom with the following steps.

1. Start a Zoom meeting.

2. Click on the Record button at the bottom of the app to begin to record the Zoom meeting.

3. Hit the Stop Recording button to end the recording.

Note:

• If you host a Zoom meeting with a paid account, a notification will pop up after you hit the Record button, offering options of Record on this Computer and Record to the Cloud. Choosing the former enables you to save the recording to your local device, while selecting the latter will store the recording file to your Zoom account.

You may also want to know: How to record YouTube videos on Mac

How to record Zoom meeting as a participant after receiving permission

If you are attending a Zoom session as a participant, you can also perform a meeting recording from Zoom desktop version, as long as you are granted access by the host.

If the host has enabled local recording, you will see the Record option in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen; if you can't use the recording feature on Zoom meeting, you can request the host's approval via the chat box or audio.

When the host accepts your request, they can grant the record ability according to the following steps:

A participant will gain recording permission after the host selects "Allow to Record Local Files."

• During a Zoom meeting, hit Participants on the bottom controls bar on the app.
• Select the participant who needs recording authorization from the pop-up list on the right, and click the Ellipsis icon beside his or her name.
• Click Allow to Record Local Files and the participant will get the privilege to record the meeting on Zoom.

After being permitted, the participant will receive a notification and the Record option will be displayed. Here's how to record Zoom meeting using native recording function after obtaining the host's permission:

Without permission, participants cannot get the Zoom's built-in Record option on laptop & desktop.

1. Join the Zoom meeting and click the Record button. The Record button is in the control bar at the bottom of the window.

Note:

• When you start recording, everyone will be notified and can indicate if you are recording by the red icon next to your name. Therefore, you'd better get permission from all attendees before you record Zoom to avoid infringement and invasion of privacy issues.
  

2. The recording indicator will appear at the top left of the screen. You can control your recording process through this little box, including Pause, Stop, and Resume.

3. When the meeting is over, hit the Stop button. Zoom automatically converts and saves the recorded meeting video to your computer in MP4 format.

4. Head to Meetings > Recorded to see the files you have recorded.

If you want to change the location of your recorded files, click on Settings (a gear icon) in the top right corner of the Zoom home page, locate the Recording tab and change the destination.

How to record Zoom meetings without permission on Windows & Mac

Let's be honest, there are still times when you want to secretly record Zoom videos on Windows or Mac without anyone knowing about it. Fortunately, recording Zoom meeting video without permission is possible on your desktop. Depending on your computer system, the Zoom meeting recorder used can be also different.

How to record Zoom without permission via AppGeeker Screen Recorder

If you're seeking a way to record Zoom meetings without permission on both Windows and Mac, AppGeeker Screen Recorder is a professional session recording tool worth considering. It is a versatile tool that allows you to record meetings from popular video conferencing platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Cisco Webex, Skype, etc.

With this tool, you can effortlessly capture meetings with audio and webcam, and utilize advanced features like selecting specific recording areas, adding annotations, and exporting recorded meetings in a variety of formats.

Follow the steps below to learn how to record Zoom meeting via Screen Recorder:

1. Launch the software and select Video Recorder from the main interface.

2. Join the Zoom meeting, and choose Full or Custom to select the recording area of your Zoom meeting window.

3. For enabling the webcam, system sound, and microphone, you need to move the corresponding slider to the ON position.

4. Start the recording by clicking REC.

5. When the meeting is over, hit Stop in the toolbar to end the recording.

6. Review the video and click Done to save the video file to your computer.

How to record Zoom sessions without approval on Windows

The Xbox Game Bar is a multifunctional overlay tool for recording screen and audio on Windows 10 and Windows 11, which caters to participants who want to record Zoom sessions without being granted privileges from the host.

To make a recording of Zoom meeting without permission on Windows 10 & 11 PC, the Xbox Game Bar can be one of your best options to do this task quickly and effortlessly.

Here are the steps on how to record a Zoom session on Windows:

1. Open Zoom meeting and press the Windows key + G to run the Xbox Game Bar.

2. Click on the Record button on Captures widget. You will be given a widget panel, navigate to the Captures widget and click on the Start recording icon in the pop-up box. You can also press Windows key + Alt + R directly on the keyboard to commence the Zoom call recording.

3. Once you've finished recording, click the Stop button.

4. The video file will automatically be saved in the Captures folder in your Videos directory.

With the Game Bar, participants can easily record sessions without permission on Windows, rather than using the recording feature on Zoom.

How to record a Zoom meeting without permission on Mac

For users using macOS system, they can bypass Zoom's recording restrictions with QuickTime Player, which allows attendees to record Zoom meetings without the need to get approval from the host.

Here's how to record Zoom meeting without getting the authorization via Mac's built-in recorder:

1. Join the Zoom session and launch QuickTime Player on your Mac.

2. Click on File > New Screen Recording in the top menu bar.

3. Select the recording area in the toolbar that appears. Pick Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen as needed. If you want to capture only a part of the screen, you will get a selection area box to click and drag to the part you want.

4. Add your own voice to the recording. If you want to record yourself speaking in a Zoom session, you can go to Options and select a microphone device.

5. Click Record to start your Zoom session recording.

6. Once your recording is over, click on the Stop button in the menu bar at the top of your screen.

7. Preview and save your file. The recorded Zoom meeting file will automatically open in QuickTime Player for you to preview and edit. Save the recording by clicking on File in the menu bar and selecting Save.

Read more: How to use QuickTime to record screen and audio

How to record Zoom meetings on iPhone or Android device

While the Zoom app offers a built-in meeting recording feature, recording a Zoom meeting on a phone is slightly different from recording on a desktop or laptop. To record a Zoom session on the mobile app for iOS or Android, you need to be the host or co-host of the meeting with a paid Zoom account, such as a Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account.

Before starting Zoom meeting recording on your phone, check if Cloud Recording is available:

• Head to Zoom web portal > Settings > Recording
• Scroll down to the Recording section and click on the toggle switch to enable the feature.

Here's how to record Zoom meeting on phone:

Step 1. Open the Zoom mobile app and join or start a meeting as the host or co-host.

Step 2. Once the meeting has started, tap on the More button (three dots) at the bottom of the screen, and select Record to the Cloud (for iOS) or Record (for Android) from the list of options.

Tip: If you record a Zoom meeting on your phone successfully, the app will display the Recording... icon in the upper right corner.

Step 3. To stop or pause, you can tap on the Recording... icon or go to the Zoom meeting recording bar in the More menu.

Step 4. After the meeting has ended and the cloud recording has finished processing, you can access the recording on the Zoom meeting web portal.

Note:

• If you don't have the option to record the Zoom meeting in Cloud, you would need to use other Zoom meeting recording applications, like the native Screen Recording feature in iPhone or Android phones.
  

Also read: How to record FaceTime call on iPhone