Where Is My Zoom Recording On My Laptop? | Quick Find Guide

Zoom recordings save to a Zoom folder in your Documents by default; open it or find them via the Zoom app’s Meetings › Recorded tab.

Lost a meeting video and need it now? You’ve got two places to check: the local “Zoom” folder on your computer, and the cloud library tied to your account (if you used cloud recording). This guide shows fast ways to open the right folder on Windows, macOS, and Linux, how to surface sessions from inside the Zoom app, and what to do when a file hasn’t converted yet. You’ll also see how to change the save location so you never hunt again.

Find Zoom Recordings On A Computer: Default Paths

When you save to the computer, Zoom creates a folder named after the meeting inside a “Zoom” directory. By default, that directory lives inside your Documents folder. Here are quick commands and clicks to open it instantly on each platform.

Windows: Open The Folder In Seconds

Use the Run box or File Explorer to jump straight to the spot:

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Zoom

Paste the line above into the File Explorer address bar or press Windows + R, paste it, and hit Enter. Each session sits in its own subfolder; look for one that matches your meeting date and title. Typical files include .mp4 (video), .m4a (audio), and .txt (chat).

macOS: Jump There With One Command

Open Terminal (Spotlight → type “Terminal”) and run:

open ~/Documents/Zoom

This opens Finder at the Zoom directory. You can also use Finder → Go → Home → Documents → Zoom. Inside, each folder holds the media and chat for a single session.

Linux: Use Your File Manager Or Terminal

On most distributions, recordings land under the Documents folder:

xdg-open ~/Documents/Zoom

If xdg-open isn’t present, browse there with your file manager or run nautilus ~/Documents/Zoom (GNOME) or dolphin ~/Documents/Zoom (KDE).

Locate Sessions Inside The Zoom App

You can surface past meetings without touching the file system:

Open the Zoom desktop app and sign in.
Select Meetings.
Choose Recorded on the left.
Pick a meeting, then click Open to jump to the folder or Play to watch.

This method works whether you used the default path or changed it earlier in Settings.

Cloud Library: When You Recorded Online

If you used the cloud option, your files don’t sit on the computer by default. Open the web portal and go to your recordings library, where you can stream or download the media. If you’re not sure which mode you used, check the app’s Recorded tab: entries labeled “Cloud” will offer a link that takes you online. (If needed, learn the basics in Zoom’s own article on finding computer and cloud recordings.)

What Each File Means

Inside a meeting’s folder you’ll see a handful of items. Here’s what they are:

MP4 — the combined video and audio file; plays in any modern media player.
M4A — audio-only track; useful for transcription or podcast use.
Chat.txt — in-meeting chat log, if enabled.
.zoom — a temporary file waiting for conversion; the app turns this into MP4/M4A.

Did It Record Here Or There? Fast Checks

Not sure whether a session went to the computer or the cloud? Try these quick checks:

Right after a meeting ends: if you see a “converting recording” window, that’s a local session turning a temporary file into MP4/M4A.
Open the app: Meetings → Recorded lists both types. Local items show “Open” and “Play”; cloud items show a link.
Open Documents → Zoom: if there’s a new folder stamped with today’s date and meeting name, you’ve got a local copy.

Change Where New Files Save

Prefer a dedicated drive or a team folder? You can pick a new destination in seconds:

Open the Zoom app and click the gear icon (Settings).
Open Recording.
Under Store my recordings at, click Change, choose your folder, and confirm.
Optionally, check Choose a location for recorded files when the meeting ends to be prompted each time.

Full instructions live in Zoom’s help page for managing local recordings, which also explains how the default “Documents/Zoom” path works on each platform (managing computer recordings).

Quick Open Shortcuts You Can Copy

Paste one of these into your system to pop the folder instantly:

Windows (Run Or Explorer Address Bar)

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Zoom

macOS (Terminal)

open ~/Documents/Zoom

Linux (Terminal)

xdg-open ~/Documents/Zoom

When You Don’t See An MP4 Yet

If the app quit or your laptop slept during conversion, you might be staring at a .zoom file. You can nudge the app to finish the job:

Open the Zoom app → Meetings → Recorded.
Find the session and click Convert (or Open → double-click the file that says it will convert).
If the folder shows only .zoom files and nothing converts, start a quick new meeting, record a few seconds locally, end it, then in the new folder double-click the “double click to convert” file and point it at the old .zoom files to trigger a conversion run.

This trick forces the converter to wake up and process the unfinished session.

Naming, Dates, And Where To Look

Each local session sits in a subfolder named with the meeting topic and timestamp. If you can’t spot it right away, sort the Zoom directory by Date Modified. You can also search for *.mp4 inside Documents and sort results by date to bring the latest to the top.

Fix Common “Can’t Find It” Problems

Problem: The Folder Moved Or The Drive Changed

If you changed the default path earlier and then unplugged an external drive, the app might point to a location that isn’t present. Reopen Settings → Recording and click Open to see where Zoom thinks files belong. If the drive is offline, connect it or change the destination back to Documents.

Problem: Documents Folder Is Redirected

Some setups redirect Documents to OneDrive, iCloud Drive, or a company share. Open your cloud sync app and check its Documents path; your Zoom folder may be synced there. On Windows, right-click Documents → Properties → Location to see the actual path. On macOS, look at iCloud Drive → Documents to check for the Zoom folder.

Problem: App Cache Glitches

Recordings might convert but the app doesn’t refresh the list. Quit Zoom and relaunch. As a last resort, clear the app cache and sign back in (be gentle here; cache removal logs you out and resets preferences).

Problem: Low Storage During Conversion

Conversion needs free space. If the MP4 never appears, clear room on the target drive, then try converting again from the Meetings → Recorded tab.

Share Or Move The Files Safely

Once you find the MP4, you can archive it to external storage or a shared drive. If you need a smaller file, export just the audio (the M4A) or compress the MP4 with a reputable editor. For cloud sessions, open the recording in the web portal and use the download button when you want a local copy without keeping everything synced.

Privacy And Access Basics

Local sessions live only on the computer that created them unless you copy or sync them elsewhere.
Cloud sessions inherit your account’s sharing rules; links can be public or restricted to signed-in users, based on your settings.
Remove sensitive clips you no longer need, especially if the folder is synced to a shared drive.

One-Minute Checklist

Open the Zoom app → Meetings → Recorded → Open or Play.
Or open Documents → Zoom on your system.
See only .zoom files? Trigger conversion inside the app.
Still stuck? Verify storage space and the actual save path in Settings → Recording.

At-A-Glance Reference

The quick reference below compresses the paths and methods you’ll use most. It mirrors the steps above and gives you a single snapshot you can revisit any time.

Platform	Default Local Path	Fastest Way To Open
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Zoom	Paste into Explorer or Run
macOS	~/Documents/Zoom	Terminal: `open ~/Documents/Zoom`
Linux	~/Documents/Zoom	Terminal: `xdg-open ~/Documents/Zoom`

Pro Tips To Stay Organized

Rename after each session: change the folder name to a clear label like “Client-Review-2025-10-09”.
Pick a permanent home: set a dedicated drive in Settings → Recording so every file lands where your backups run.
Keep raw chat logs: those .txt chats are handy for follow-ups and quick quotes.

What To Do Next

If you just needed the media, you’re done. If you record often, spend one minute in Settings → Recording to set a smarter default location and enable the prompt that asks where to save at the end of each meeting. That tiny habit ends the scavenger hunt.