Zoom is a web and video conferencing platform offering high-definition video and audio, screen sharing, and chat functionalities. It is utilized by businesses and individuals for conducting online meetings, presentations, and training sessions.

Zoom recordings contain all the data from the conference calls or meetings conducted on the platform. It's essential to create backups of your Zoom recordings in case the original files are lost or compromised.

In this article, we will guide you on where to locate Zoom recordings, how to download Zoom meeting recordings from the Cloud to your local devices, and how to back up Zoom recordings.

Why You Should Backup Your Zoom Recordings

There are countless reasons why you should create backups of your Zoom recordings. Whether you utilize Zoom for professional purposes or personal ones, having a copy of the recordings is always a wise choice, just in case something happens to the original files.

Some of the primary reasons to back up your Zoom recordings include: 1. **Data Security**: Backing up your Zoom recordings ensures that your important meetings and conversations are safe from accidental deletion, hardware failures, or cyber threats. 2. **Multiple Copies**: Having backups allows you to have multiple copies of your recordings, reducing the risk of losing any data due to a single point of failure. 3. **Remote Access**: With backups, you can easily access your recordings from different devices or locations, providing flexibility and convenience. 4. **Archiving**: Backing up your recordings is crucial for long-term storage and archiving purposes, especially if you need to refer to past meetings or maintain compliance with regulations. 5. **Collaboration and Sharing**: Backup copies can be shared with team members or stakeholders who might have missed the original meeting, facilitating collaboration and communication. 6. **Disaster Recovery**: In case of a major system crash or breach, having backups enables you to quickly restore your Zoom recordings, minimizing downtime and potential losses. 7. **Version Control**: If you've edited or updated a recording, having backups can help you maintain previous versions, allowing you to revert to an earlier copy if needed. 8. **Peace of Mind**: Knowing that your valuable Zoom recordings are securely stored gives you peace of mind and allows you to focus on other aspects of your work without worrying about data loss. By regularly backing up your Zoom recordings, you can safeguard your important information and ensure its availability when you need it most.

    1. To ensure you have a backup copy of the recording in case the original file in the Cloud or on the local drive is lost or damaged. 2. To still be able to access the recording if Zoom's servers experience downtime or if there is an issue with your account. 3. To share the recording with individuals who were unable to attend the meeting. 4. To edit the recording for future reference or presentation purposes. 5. To avoid losing the recording due to limited storage space in the Zoom Cloud.

Where to Find Zoom Recordings If you're looking for recordings of your Zoom meetings or webinars, the location of the recordings depends on the settings configured by the host. Here are the common places where Zoom recordings can be found: 1. **Zoom Cloud Recordings**: If the host has chosen to save recordings to the Zoom cloud, participants can access them through their Zoom account. Follow these steps: - Log in to the [Zoom web portal](https://zoom.us/signin). - Click on "Recordings" in the left-hand navigation menu. - Under "Cloud Recordings," you'll see a list of your recorded meetings and webinars. Click on the desired recording to view or download it. 2. **Local Computer Recordings**: If the host saved the recording to their local computer, you'll need to contact the host directly to obtain a copy. The host can share the recording file via email, file-sharing services, or a cloud storage platform. 3. **Integrated Storage Services**: If the host has configured Zoom to save recordings to an integrated service like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, follow these steps: - Go to the respective cloud storage service (Google Drive or OneDrive). - Navigate to the appropriate folder. For Zoom recordings, this is often a dedicated "Zoom" or "Recordings" folder. - Locate and access the desired recording. 4. **Shared Folders**: If recordings are saved in a shared folder, you'll need access to that folder to find the recording. Check with the host or the team administrator for the folder location. 5. **Enterprise-level Accounts**: In larger organizations, recordings may be managed centrally. Reach out to your IT department or Zoom administrator for assistance in locating the recording. Remember that access to Zoom recordings may be restricted based on the host's settings and your role within the meeting or webinar. Always respect privacy and data security guidelines when sharing or accessing recorded content.

Zoom provides two types of recordings: Cloud Recordings and Local Recordings.

Cloud recordings are stored on Zoom's servers and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Local recordings, on the other hand, are stored on your computer's hard drive and can only be accessed from that specific computer.

Cloud Recordings:

Zoom provides two choices for storing recordings in the cloud: Basic and Pro. Basic accounts include 40 minutes of complimentary recording each month, whereas Pro accounts permit unlimited recording duration. For Basic accounts, recordings are retained in the cloud for 30 days, whereas for Pro accounts, storage is unlimited.

To locate your Cloud recordings, log into the Zoom web portal and navigate to "My Recordings". There, you will find an inventory of all your Cloud recordings, along with the respective dates and times they were recorded.

Local Recordings:

Zoom also provides the option to save recordings locally on a computer or another device. This can be beneficial if users wish to keep an offline copy of the recording or if they intend to share the recording with someone who doesn't have a Zoom account. Local recordings are saved in MP4 file format.

You can locate the record files by default at:

For Windows: C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\Zoom;

For Mac: /Users/[Username]/Documents/Zoom;

For Linux: home/[Username]/Documents/Zoom.

How to Download Zoom Recordings from the Cloud to Your Local Drive

To back up Zoom recordings stored in the cloud, you'll need to download them to a local drive and subsequently utilize a backup utility to create a backup of the recordings.

Here, we'll use a Windows PC as an example to demonstrate how to download Zoom recordings stored in the cloud.

Step 1. Log in to the Zoom web portal and click on "My Recordings".

Step 2. Click the "Cloud Recordings" tab, locate the recording you wish to download, and hover your mouse over the "More" option on the right side.

Step 3. Click on the "Download" button that appears.

download Zoom Cloud Recordings

Step 4. The recording will download to your computer as an MP4 file.

Step-by-Step Guide to Back Up Zoom Recordings 1. Log in to your Zoom Account: Visit the Zoom web portal (https://zoom.us) and sign in using your Zoom credentials. 2. Access the Recording Tab: Once logged in, navigate to the "Recordings" tab in the left-hand menu. It's usually located under the "Settings" icon. 3. Locate Your Recorded Meetings: Here, you will find a list of all your recorded meetings, both local and cloud recordings. Identify the meeting(s) you want to back up. 4. Download Local Recordings: For local recordings, click on the download icon next to the desired meeting. The recording will be saved to your computer in a .zip file format. Make sure to save it to a secure location. 5. Download Cloud Recordings: For cloud recordings, click on the three dots (more options) next to the meeting and select "Download." This will download the individual files (audio, video, chat, etc.) separately. Save them to a secure folder on your computer. 6. Organize Backup Files: Create a dedicated folder on your computer or an external storage device for your backed-up Zoom recordings. Move the downloaded files to this folder, ensuring they're properly labeled for easy identification. 7. Optional: Upload to Cloud Storage: For added security, you can upload your backed-up Zoom recordings to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. This ensures that your recordings are safe even if your computer fails. 8. Regularly Update Your Backup: Set a reminder to periodically check and update your backup, especially after important meetings or when new recordings are added to your Zoom account. 9. Secure Your Backup: Make sure to password protect and encrypt your backup folder to prevent unauthorized access. You can use tools like 7-Zip or WinRAR for encryption. 10. Confirm Backup Integrity: After the backup process is complete, verify the integrity of the files by attempting to play a video or audio clip from the backed-up recording. This confirms that the backup was successful. By following these steps, you'll ensure that your Zoom recordings are safely stored and easily accessible for future reference.

There are several methods to back up Zoom recordings. One approach is to save the recordings onto a local device or computer. Alternatively, you can utilize a cloud-based storage service such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive, or opt for a third-party cloud service provider like pCloud.

Saving Zoom recordings to a local drive will consume storage space on your device, so it's not recommended if you have limited storage. Cloud storage services are a more preferable choice since they provide greater storage capacity, and you can access the recordings from any device with an internet connection.

Here's the free cloud storage space offered by each of the four commonly used cloud backup services:

    • DropBox - 2GB of free Cloud storage space
    • OneDrive - 5GB of free Cloud storage space
    • Google Drive - 15GB of free Cloud storage space
    • Tools Cloud - 250GB of free Cloud storage space

Considering the free cloud storage each tool offers, we highly recommend utilizing the Todo Backup tool to back up your Zoom recordings. In this section, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Todo Backup Home is a dependable backup and restore software that enables you to back up Zoom recordings effortlessly. It provides Disk/Partition backup, File backup, and System backup options to ensure the safety of your crucial data and system on a regular basis.

Additionally, it offers features such as Scheduling, Incremental & Differential Backup, and Email Notification to ensure the recording backup process is automated and seamless.

Its 250GB of free cloud storage enables you to store your backup Zoom recordings without concerning about the local storage space.

Now, follow the detailed steps below to begin backing up your Zoom recordings using the Todo Backup software.

Step 1. When you first use Todo Backup to back up files, click Create backup on the home screen, then click the big question mark to select backup contents.

backup files step 1

Step 2. Since you're planning to back up files and folders on your computer, proceed with the "File" backup mode. Here, you can choose to back up photos, videos, documents, and all other file types.

backup files step 2

Step 3. Follow the paths to find the files, folders, or directories you want to back up, select them all, and click "OK".

backup files step 3

Step 4. Next, you need to choose a backup location to save and store the backup.

backup files step 3

Step 5. Todo Backup enables users to save backup files to any device that suits your needs, such as a local hard drive, external USB drive, SD card, network drive, or NAS drive, along with the brand's cloud drive. Personally, we recommend selecting the cloud drive over physical drives to store crucial backups due to its better accessibility, flexibility, and security.

backup files step 5

To access the Tools Cloud, all you need is an email registration and login.

backup files to cloud

Step 6. If you're interested in an automatic and intelligent backup schedule for the next file backup task, proceed to the "Options" setting. Here, you can encrypt a confidential file backup, compress the backup image size, or customize a backup scheme to instruct the software on when to initiate the subsequent backup.

Customize an advanced and automated backup task here:

backup scheme

Step 7. Click "Backup Now" to initiate the file backup process. Your completed backup files will be displayed in the left pane in a card view format.

backup files step 6

The Conclusion

We hope this guide has provided you with a clear understanding of how to back up Zoom recordings. There are various methods to backup your recordings, but we highly recommend utilizing Todo Backup for its ease of use and the added benefit of 250GB of free cloud storage space.

And if you're seeking a reliable backup solution to protect your valuable data, give Todo Backup software a try now. It is fully compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7.

Furthermore, if you have any queries or recommendations, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via email or directly contact our support team. We are always available and delighted to assist you.

How to Backup Zoom Recordings FAQ 1. **What are Zoom recordings?** - Zoom recordings are video and audio files captured during a Zoom meeting or webinar, allowing you to revisit the content later. 2. **Why should I backup my Zoom recordings?** - Backing up your Zoom recordings ensures that you have a copy in case of accidental deletion, loss of data, or issues with Zoom's storage. 3. **Can I download Zoom recordings?** - Yes, both hosts and participants (depending on permissions) can download Zoom recordings to their local devices. 4. **How do I download Zoom recordings from the Cloud?** - Log into your Zoom account, navigate to the "Recordings" tab, find the desired recording, and click "Download." 5. **Are there different types of Zoom recordings?** - Yes, there are two main types: Local recordings are saved on your device, while Cloud recordings are stored on Zoom's servers. 6. **How do I backup Local Zoom recordings?** - Simply copy the recording files from your designated Zoom folder to another location, like an external hard drive or cloud storage. 7. **Can I automate the backup process?** - Yes, you can create a script or use third-party tools to automatically sync or copy your Zoom recordings to a backup location. 8. **Are there any file format limitations for backups?** - Zoom recordings are typically in MP4 for video and M4A for audio, which are widely supported formats. 9. **How often should I backup my Zoom recordings?** - It depends on your needs, but it's recommended to backup important recordings immediately after the meeting or on a regular schedule. 10. **How long does Zoom store my recordings?** - Zoom stores Cloud recordings based on your account plan; free users get 30 days, while paid users may have extended storage options. 11. **Can I share my backed-up Zoom recordings?** - Yes, once downloaded, you can share the files via email, file-sharing services, or upload them to a platform for easy access. 12. **What if I lose my backup?** - Ensure you maintain multiple copies (ideally in different locations) to minimize the risk of losing your backups. 13. **Is there a size limit for Zoom recordings?** - The recording size depends on meeting duration and content. Zoom allows large files, but your storage space might be limited. 14. **Do I need additional software to view backed-up recordings?** - Most modern devices can play MP4 and M4A files natively, but you may need media players like VLC for older systems. 15. **How do I ensure my backups are secure?** - Encrypt your backups, use strong passwords, and consider using two-factor authentication to protect your Zoom recording data.

1. Does Zoom keep a backup of recordings?

Zoom does not have a specific built-in backup feature for recordings. However, you can download and save your recordings on secure cloud storage platforms such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or through third-party software like Cloud. Alternatively, you can opt to export your recordings as an MP4 file and store it on your computer for backup purposes.

2. How can I save a Zoom recording permanently?

When you finish recording a Zoom meeting, the video file is automatically saved to your computer. You can locate it in the Zoom folder on your system. The file will be saved in the MP4 format. If desired, you can rename the file and move it to a different location for better organization or storage.

3. Where are my Zoom recordings stored?

Zoom recordings are automatically saved to your computer within the dedicated Zoom folder, with the file format being an MP4. By default, local Zoom recordings are stored in the following directories: For Windows: C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\Zoom For Mac: /Users/[Username]/Documents/Zoom For Linux: /home/[Username]/Documents/Zoom Replace [Username] with your actual user account name.

4. How can I retrieve old Zoom recordings?

If you accidentally deleted your Zoom recording or are unable to locate it on your computer, first attempt to retrieve it from the recycle bin. If that method fails, you can utilize data recovery software such as Data Recovery Wizard to scan your hard drive and search for the missing file.