Last updated: 2026-01-12

If you just need a quick recording of a Zoom meeting, you can use Zoom’s built‑in local recording or capture the window with a basic screen recorder on your computer. If you care about reliable, reusable, high‑quality recordings (for trainings, webinars, or content), a browser studio like StreamYard that records your Zoom meeting via screen share and local multi‑tracks is usually a better long‑term setup.

Summary

• You can record Zoom directly on your computer using Zoom’s built‑in local recording feature.
• For more control and better reuse, many hosts run the meeting and recording through StreamYard’s browser studio instead.
• Tools like OBS give deep control but require more setup; tools like Loom help with async sharing but depend on plan limits and cloud imports.
• For most US users on laptops, a StreamYard‑based workflow balances simplicity, quality, and flexibility better than raw screen capture.

How do you record a Zoom meeting on your computer with Zoom itself?

Let’s start with the default option: Zoom’s own recorder.

Step 1: Host or join from the desktop app
Local recording only works from a computer, not from iOS or Android. Zoom confirms that local recording is “saved to your device” and that mobile apps don’t support it. (Zoom)

Step 2: Check that you’re allowed to record

• If you are the host, you can record immediately.
• If you’re a participant, the host must grant you permission inside the Participants panel.

Step 3: Click Record
In the meeting controls at the bottom, click Record. If your account has cloud recording, you may see a choice between Record on this Computer and Record to the Cloud. To keep things on your machine, choose Record on this Computer. (Zoom)

Step 4: Manage the recording while you talk
Use Pause if there’s a break you don’t need, and Stop when you’re done. Zoom will finish processing once you leave the meeting.

Step 5: Find the file on your computer
By default, Zoom saves local recordings in your Documents/Zoom folder on the host computer. (Zoom) You’ll get an MP4 video plus audio and chat files.

This built‑in route is fine for one‑off calls. The moment you care about layout, branding, or repurposing clips, though, you may feel its limits.

Why use StreamYard instead of just recording inside Zoom?

Most people searching "how to record Zoom meetings on computer" don’t actually want a file. They want clear, presenter‑led recordings they can share, clip, and reuse without wrestling with tech.

That’s exactly where a browser studio like StreamYard helps:

• You can join or display your Zoom meeting, then screen share that Zoom window/tab into StreamYard to record inside our studio environment. (StreamYard Support)
• We give you presenter‑visible screen sharing with controllable layouts—you decide how big the slides, gallery view, or speaker are on screen.
• You have independent control of screen audio and microphone audio, making it easier to balance voices versus system sounds.
• You can enable local multi‑track recording, creating separate audio/video files per participant for clean edits later. (StreamYard)
• From the same session, you can record both landscape and portrait outputs, which is perfect for turning a Zoom training into YouTube, LinkedIn, and vertical short‑form clips.

So instead of hoping Zoom’s default layout looks good in the final file, you produce a higher‑quality version in StreamYard that’s already formatted for content.

How do you record a Zoom meeting through StreamYard step‑by‑step?

Here’s a simple workflow you can reuse for live trainings, client calls, or panel discussions.

1. Set up your StreamYard studio

• Log into StreamYard in your browser and create a new recording session (you don’t have to go live).
• Choose your camera and mic, and add your branding overlays, logo, and background so your Zoom recordings look on‑brand from the start.

2. Join your Zoom meeting
Open Zoom on the same computer and start or join the meeting as usual.

3. Share Zoom into StreamYard

• In StreamYard, click Share → Window (or Tab, if you’re running Zoom in the browser).
• Select the Zoom window. StreamYard now sees the meeting as a screen source. (StreamYard Support)
• Add that shared window to the layout, alongside your camera if you want picture‑in‑picture.

4. Start recording in StreamYard

• Hit Record inside StreamYard. On paid plans, local recordings are effectively unlimited (subject to your device and storage), while the free plan includes 2 hours of local recording per month. (StreamYard)
• Because you control the layout, everyone in Zoom sees a normal call, while your recording has polished framing, branding, and presenter‑first visuals.

5. Wrap up and download your files
When the meeting ends, stop the recording in StreamYard. You’ll see:

• A cloud recording of the full show.
• Local multi‑track files per participant if you enabled local recording, which is ideal for editing out crosstalk or cleaning audio. (StreamYard Support)

Once you’ve done this once, the workflow feels just like joining Zoom—only with better, more reusable outputs.

When should you consider OBS to record Zoom instead?

OBS is a powerful desktop application for video recording and live streaming. It lets you mix many sources (displays, windows, webcams, images) into scenes and record them locally on Windows, macOS, or Linux. (OBS)

Basic OBS approach for Zoom:

• Add a Window Capture source that targets your Zoom window, so OBS records just the meeting and not the OBS interface. (OBS KB)
• Add an audio source for your microphone and, on macOS 13+ with OBS 30, a macOS Audio Capture source to grab Zoom’s desktop or app audio. (OBS KB)
• Hit Start Recording and manage the meeting in Zoom as usual.

This route is useful if:

• You want fine‑grained control over codecs, bitrates, and file formats.
• You’re comfortable tuning CPU/GPU usage and managing big local files.

The trade‑off is complexity. OBS expects you to configure everything and relies entirely on your hardware. For a lot of teams and solo hosts, a browser‑based studio like StreamYard is simpler than learning a full production app just to capture Zoom.

How about Loom—can you use it to record Zoom meetings?

Loom is geared toward quick, share‑by‑link screen and camera recordings. Its Starter plan is free but limits you to 25 videos and 5‑minute screen recordings per person, while paid plans unlock unlimited recording time and storage. (Loom)

For Zoom specifically, Loom offers a Zoom cloud import feature:

• Loom can automatically import Zoom cloud recordings for supported accounts.
• This integration is currently limited to Loom Enterprise customers and only works for meetings recorded to Zoom’s cloud, not local files. (Loom Support)

If your company already has Loom Enterprise and Zoom cloud recording, that can be a convenient archive path. But it still means:

• You’re dependent on Zoom’s layout and recording behavior.
• You may be juggling two sets of limits and admin controls.

By contrast, many teams find it simpler to record the meeting once—through StreamYard—then export and upload wherever they need, instead of chaining together Zoom cloud + Loom imports.

Which approach is right for you?

Here’s a quick way to decide based on your situation.

Use Zoom’s built‑in local recording if:

• You just need a record of what happened.
• You don’t care much about layout, branding, or editing.

Use StreamYard as your recording studio if:

• You want presenter‑led layouts, branding, and overlays applied live.
• You need local multi‑track files for clean editing, podcast‑style audio, or repurposed clips. (StreamYard Support)
• You’re running trainings, webinars, or recurring calls and want a repeatable, reliable setup that runs in a browser on typical laptops.
• Your team prefers per‑workspace pricing over per‑seat pricing like Loom’s, so you can add collaborators without multiplying subscription cost. (Loom)

Use OBS if:

• You need deep control over encoding and multiple complex scenes.
• You’re comfortable investing time to learn a pro‑grade tool and managing everything locally.

Use Loom if:

• You mainly send short async walkthroughs and already work in tools like Slack or Jira where Loom links are embedded.
• Your org is on Loom Enterprise and wants Zoom cloud recordings to auto‑appear in Loom. (Loom Support)

For most US‑based hosts who want reliable, good‑looking Zoom meeting recordings on a laptop—with minimal friction—using StreamYard as the recording layer around Zoom is often the sweet spot.

What we recommend

• Start with Zoom local recording for quick, one‑off meetings where quality and reuse don’t matter much.
• For repeat sessions, trainings, or content you’ll publish, route your Zoom meeting through StreamYard and record there for better layouts, branding, and multi‑track files.
• Reach for OBS only when you truly need fine‑grained encoder control and are comfortable with advanced setup.
• Treat Loom as an optional add‑on for async sharing—helpful in some environments, but not a replacement for a purpose‑built recording studio like StreamYard.