Zoom recordings save to a folder on your hard drive by default, not to the cloud

When you record a Zoom meeting on your computer, the video file lands in a specific folder rather than uploading automatically to Zoom's servers. By default, Zoom saves recordings to your Documents folder in a subfolder called Zoom. On Windows, that path is C:\Users\[Your Username]\Documents\Zoom\recordings. On Mac, it's /Users/[Your Username]/Documents/Zoom/recordings. If you've never changed Zoom's settings, your recordings are almost certainly there.

The file format depends on how you recorded. A local recording (saved to your device during the meeting) creates an MP4 video file you can play in any media player. A cloud recording (uploaded to Zoom's servers) doesn't appear in this folder at all—those live in your Zoom account online. Most people use local recordings without realizing it, so checking your Documents folder first is the fastest way to find what you're looking for.

Key Takeaways

  • Local recordings save to Documents > Zoom > recordings on Windows and Mac by default, as MP4 files you can open when ready.
  • Cloud recordings upload to your Zoom account online and do not appear in any folder on your computer.
  • You can change where Zoom saves recordings in the app settings under Recording, then choose a different folder path.
  • If you cannot find a recording, check Zoom's settings to confirm whether you recorded locally or to the cloud, and whether the folder location was changed.

How to navigate to the default Zoom recordings folder

On Windows, open File Explorer and type the path directly into the address bar: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Zoom\recordings. Windows will expand that to your actual username automatically. Alternatively, click on Documents in the left sidebar, then look for a folder named Zoom. Inside, you'll see a recordings folder. Double-click it to open it and see all your local recordings as MP4 files.

On Mac, open Finder and click on your username in the sidebar under Favorites. Navigate to Documents, then find the Zoom folder. Inside is the recordings folder. You can also use Spotlight search: press Command+Space, type "Zoom recordings", and Finder will show you the folder directly.

Once you're in the recordings folder, you'll see MP4 files named with the meeting topic and the date it was recorded. Double-click any file to play it in your default video player. If the folder is empty but you know you recorded a meeting, the recording may have been saved elsewhere, or it may be a cloud recording stored in your Zoom account instead.

Check your Zoom settings if the default folder is empty

If you don't find recordings in the standard Documents folder, Zoom's settings may have been changed to save to a different location. Open the Zoom app on your computer and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Recording in the left menu. Look for the line that says Local Recording and check the folder path listed next to it.

That path tells you exactly where Zoom is currently saving recordings. Copy the path and paste it into your file browser's address bar to navigate there directly. If the path looks unfamiliar—for example, if it points to an external drive or a cloud storage folder like OneDrive or Google Drive—navigate to that location and look for a Zoom or recordings subfolder.

If you want to change where future recordings save, click the Browse button next to the folder path in Settings and select a new location. This does not move existing recordings; it only changes where new ones will go. Any recordings already saved to the old location will stay there.

Understand the difference between local and cloud recordings

A local recording is saved directly to your computer during the meeting. You own the file when ready, it's ready to play as soon as the meeting ends, and it never leaves your device unless you move it. Local recordings appear as MP4 files in your Zoom recordings folder.

A cloud recording is uploaded to Zoom's servers after the meeting ends. You access it through your Zoom account online, not through a folder on your computer. Cloud recordings take longer to process—usually 15 minutes to an hour—and they count against your Zoom storage limit. If you have a free Zoom account, cloud recordings are deleted after 30 days unless you read them.

To check whether a specific recording is local or cloud, open Zoom and click Meetings in the left menu, then click Cloud Recordings. Any recording listed there is a cloud recording. If it's not in that list, it's a local recording on your computer. You can also check the Recording settings in Zoom to see which type is enabled by default for your account.

Search for recordings if you don't remember the folder location

On Windows, use the built-in search tool. Click the search box in the taskbar and type *.mp4. Windows will show all MP4 files on your computer. Look through the results for files with names that match your meeting topics. You can also search by date: type the date you recorded the meeting in the search box, and Windows will show files created on that day.

On Mac, use Spotlight search. Press Command+Space and type filetype:mp4 to find all MP4 files. You can also search by the meeting name if you remember it. Spotlight will show results from your entire computer, including external drives if they're connected.

Another approach: open Zoom and look at your meeting history. Click Meetings in the left menu, then click Previous Meetings. Find the meeting you recorded and click on it. If it's a local recording, Zoom will show a View Recording button that opens the file directly. This is the fastest way to find a specific recording if you know when the meeting happened.

Move or back up your recordings safely

Zoom recordings are regular MP4 files, so you can move, copy, or back them up like any other video. To move a recording to a different folder, open your file browser, navigate to the Zoom recordings folder, right-click the file, and select Cut (Windows) or Move (Mac). Then navigate to the new location and paste it there.

To back up recordings, copy them to an external drive, a cloud storage service like OneDrive or Google Drive, or a backup service. Copying does not remove the original file from your Zoom folder, so you'll have two versions—one on your computer and one in backup. This protects you if your computer fails or the original file is accidentally deleted.

If you move a recording out of the Zoom recordings folder, Zoom will no longer see it in the app. You can still play it in any video player, but it won't appear in your Zoom meeting history. Keep this in mind if you organize recordings into your own folder structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a recording if I deleted it from the Zoom folder?

If you deleted the file recently, you may be able to recover it from your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac). Open the Recycle Bin or Trash, look for the MP4 file, right-click it, and select Restore. If the file is no longer in Recycle Bin or Trash, recovery becomes much harder and may require data recovery software or professional help.

Why does Zoom show a recording in my meeting history but I can't find the file?

This usually means the recording is a cloud recording, not a local one. Open Zoom and click Cloud Recordings to see it. If it's listed there, you can read it to your computer, or you can play it directly from Zoom's website. Local recordings won't appear in Cloud Recordings.

Can I play a Zoom recording on a different computer?

Yes. Zoom recordings are standard MP4 files that play in any video player on any device. Copy the MP4 file to the other computer using a USB drive, email, or cloud storage, and open it with any media player. You don't need Zoom installed to play a local recording.

What if my recording is huge and taking up too much space?

Zoom recordings are large because they're full-quality video. You can delete old recordings you no longer need, move them to external storage, or compress them using video editing software. If you're recording frequently, consider backing up older recordings to an external drive and deleting them from your computer to free up space.

Do I need to read cloud recordings, or can I just watch them online?

You can watch cloud recordings directly in your Zoom account without downloading. However, free accounts have a 30-day limit—after 30 days, cloud recordings are deleted. If you want to keep a recording longer, read it to your computer as an MP4 file before the 30 days are up.