Zoom has become an essential tool for remote work, learning, and collaboration during the pandemic. With its seamless video conferencing capabilities, Zoom makes it easy to record and save meeting sessions to view later. Here is a guide on how to replay and watch back recorded Zoom meetings.
Table of Contents
Recording Zoom Meetings
There are two main options for recording Zoom meetings:
Local Recordings
- Local recordings save the meeting video file directly to your local hard drive.
- To enable local recording, go to the Zoom desktop app settings > Recording > Local Recording.
- Local recordings will be saved in MP4 format in the folder path you specify under “Store my recordings at”. The default location is the Zoom folder in your Documents folder.
Cloud Recordings
- Cloud recordings save the meeting video to Zoom’s cloud storage. You need to have a paid Zoom account to use cloud recording.
- Cloud recordings provide easier access and sharing options for your meeting videos.
- To view cloud recordings, simply log in to the Zoom web portal and go to Recordings > Cloud Recordings.
Best Practices for Recording
Follow these tips to get high quality Zoom meeting recordings:
- Use a wired internet connection for maximum stability
- Position your camera at eye level and frame yourself properly
- Use natural lighting or add lighting to brightly illuminate yourself
- Enable HD video in Zoom settings for 1080p recordings
- Adjust audio settings for optimal sound quality
- Ask participants to mute when not speaking to reduce background noise
- Pause sharing when not presenting to record Active Speaker view
- Optimize for 3rd party video editor for better post-processing
Viewing Local Recordings
To view local Zoom meeting recordings:
- Open the Zoom desktop app
- Go to the Meetings tab
- Select the Recorded tab
- Click on the meeting you want to play
- Use the playback controls to view the recording
You can also directly access the video files in your recordings folder. The files are named according to the meeting date, time, topic, and recording type.
Accessing Cloud Recordings
To view recordings saved to Zoom’s cloud:
- Go to the Zoom web portal
- Sign in to your Zoom account
- Select Recordings from the sidebar
- Go to the Cloud Recordings tab
- Locate the meeting recording you want to watch
- Click Open to play back the video
Cloud recordings are conveniently accessible on any device through the Zoom web portal.
Replay Controls
When viewing a recorded Zoom meeting, you can utilize the playback controls to:
- Play/Pause
- Adjust playback speed
- Skip forwards/backwards
- Enter full screen mode
- Enable/disable sound
- View the recording timeline
Use these controls to easily replay important moments or fast forward past unnecessary sections.
Sharing Recordings
If you want to share a meeting recording with others:
- For local recordings, upload the MP4 file to a file sharing platform.
- For cloud recordings, copy the sharing URL or download the file to reupload.
- Ensure you have permission from meeting participants before sharing recordings containing other people.
Solutions for Recording Issues
Some common Zoom recording issues and fixes:
- Recording fails to start → Verify host has enabled permission to record
- Poor video quality → Enable HD, adjust lighting, increase internet bandwidth
- Audio issues → Use wired headset, reduce background noise
- Recording file not found → Refresh files list, check account permissions
- Variable frame rate → Disable “Optimize for 3rd party editor” setting
Best Practices for Watching Recordings
To properly view recorded Zoom meetings:
- Use Zoom web portal for convenient cloud recording playback
- Download the recording to watch offline or maintain better video quality
- Watch on a large screen with headphones for optimum experience
- Pause and rewind to catch every detail
- Speed up less relevant sections to save time
- Take notes on important discussion points
Summary
With Zoom’s stellar recording capabilities, you can easily record your meetings, access past video sessions, and replay important moments. Follow the best practices outlined here for recording, viewing, sharing and resolving issues with Zoom meeting recordings. Pay close attention to the replay controls when watching a recording to have the most productive experience.
I have over 5 years of experience using Zoom for remote work meetings, webinars, and training sessions. The above comprehensive guide covers my key tips and strategies for effectively leveraging Zoom’s recording and playback functionalities. Let me know if you have any other questions!
