Where To Find Google Meet Recordings?

Google Meet saves recordings automatically, but finding them is not always obvious, especially when the meeting was organised by someone else or the recording was started mid-session. Recording your Google Meet meetings can be incredibly valuable for future reference.

This guide covers every location where recordings end up, how to access them on any device, and what to do when a recording is missing.

Where are Google Meet recordings saved?

By default, the Google Meet recordings are saved to the meeting organizer’s Google Drive in the 'Meet Recordings' folder.  However, you should make sure there is enough storage space on the Drive.

Additionally, if you set up a Google Meet call using Google Calendar and start recording at the scheduled meeting time, the recording will be automatically added to the Google Calendar event.

Also, an email containing the recording link will be sent to the meeting organizer and the person who initiated the recording.

One thing that should be noted is that the Google Meet recording feature is not available to all, some requirements must be met:

• You use Business, Enterprise, or other permitted Google Workspace Editions.

• You are the meeting host.

• You are not in the same organization as the host but promoted to co-host.

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How to find, download, and share a Google Meet recording? 

With just a few steps, users can record Google Meet with ease and have the recordings at their fingertips. As we have stated above,  Google Meet recordings can be saved in three different locations, namely:

1. In Google Drive

2. Using email link

3. Though Google Calendar

Let's show you how to actually access them, step by step.

If you’re the meeting organizer, then the meeting recording will automatically be sent to your Google Drive. Here is how you can easily access the recording:

1. Log in to your Google account and head over to Google Drive.

2. Navigate to My Drive on the left side and open the Meet Recordings folder. Your recorded video should appear there. If you can't find the recording,  just wait for a while as Google may still process the video.

   

Download the recording

Locate the recording you want, then click on the 'More actions' button (represented by three dots) and select "Download" to download the recording to your computer. 

Share the recording

If you want to share the recording, simply click on the "Share icon" and fill in the details of the email addresses you would like to share the recording with. 

By following these simple steps, you can easily find, download, and share your Google Meet recordings. Whether you need to review the recording for work, share it with classmates, or keep a record for future reference, Google Drive makes it easy for you.

Another place your Google Meet recording will be sent is to your email inbox. If you’re the person who organized the meeting, or the one who started the recording, then you’ll receive an email that has the link to your video after the meeting is over.

To access the recording, click on the link in the email to open the recording in Google Drive. 

Download the recording

To download the recording, hover on the video and click on the 'Download' icon. The recording will be saved to your computer as a .webm file.

You'll need a media player that can handle .webm files to play the recording. Some famous media players that can play .webm files include VLC, Windows Media Player, and QuickTime. 

Share the recording

Two options are available. 

1. Forward the email to anyone with whom you would like to share the recording. The email already contains the recording, so it will be easy for the person with whom you have shared it to either view the recording or download it.

2. Open the recording, click the 'More' icon with three vertical dots, and choose the 'Share' option from the drop-down menu.

   

   Following that, enter the email addresses of the recipients you wish to send the recording to, then click 'Done.'

It’s common to schedule meetings in Google Calendar along with a Google Meet link. 

When a meeting is planned, and the recording has begun at the scheduled time, a link to the recording will immediately appear in the Google Calendar event information once the meeting is over.

Everyone who attended the meeting and is a member of the same company as the organizer will instantly get access to the recording in Google Calendar. To view the recording, simply click the link attached to the Calendar event.

Read next: how to take notes in Google Meet meetings

Extra tip: record Google Meet as a participant

As we have explained above, Google Meet is a feature limited to certain persons.

What if you don’t meet the requirements to record a Google Meet call, but this meeting is important to you and you don’t want to miss out on anything?

Don’t worry, Notta has a screen recording function that allows you to record Google Meet as participants on both desktop and mobile. Moreover, it automatically generates a transcript and transcribes meeting minutes alongside the recording so you have a text version of the meeting that you can go through at any time.

Here's how:

• Go to the Notta dashboard and select 'Record a Video' on the right side.

• Select 'Screen Only' from the options, then click on 'Start Recording'.

  

• Choose the tab where your Google Meet call is ongoing and click 'Share'.

And voila! The recording will start immediately, and you can stop it anytime by clicking the 'Stop Recording' button.

Once the recording is complete, you can review, download, or share it directly from the Notta app.

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Troubleshoot common Google Meet recording issues

Here are a few of the most often-asked questions we've encountered regarding Google Meet recordings.

Problem: I cannot find the recording button.

Solution:

1. Ensure that the admin has turned on 'record for Meet' in the admin console. You cannot record the meeting if you merely join to present.

2. Check if you meet the requirements to start recording on Google Meet.

3. Remember that you can only record when using a desktop.

Problem: My Google Meet recordings are not showing up in the drive.

Solution: 

In the event that you have started recording but don’t find it in Google Drive, Google is currently processing the video. Just wait a short while, and the recording will show up. 

According to Google, the recording takes around 24 hours to process. However, it usually takes less time.

Problem: Others cannot download the Meet recordings.

Solution: Others cannot download the recordings because the settings are restricted and require the organizer’s permission. 

• Log in to your Google Drive. 

• Find the recorded file and select “Share”.

•  Click “Advanced” in the lower right corner and uncheck the "Disable options to download, print, and copy for comments and viewers"; save changes.

Who Can Record a Google Meet Meeting?

Recording in Google Meet is not available to every account. To record, your organisation needs to be on one of the following Google Workspace editions:

• Business Standard or Business Plus

• Enterprise Starter, Standard, Essentials, or Plus

• Education Plus (with a Staff or Student licence)

• Teaching and Learning Upgrade

• Google One subscribers with 2 TB or more of storage

Beyond the Workspace tier, you also need the right role in the meeting. You can record if you are the meeting host, a co-host from within the host's organisation (with Host Management turned off), or a co-host promoted from outside the organisation. Teachers and co-teachers in Google Classroom meetings can also record.

One restriction that catches people out: you cannot record if you joined only to present. You need to join the meeting as a full participant first, then share your screen, and then start recording.

For Education accounts, the rules differ by tier. Education Fundamentals and Education Standard accounts do not allow teachers, staff, or students to record meetings they organise. Education Plus and Teaching and Learning Upgrade accounts have broader recording permissions.

If you do not meet these requirements but need a record of an important meeting, Notta's AI meeting recorder works as a meeting participant and captures audio, video, and a full transcript automatically, without needing host permissions.

What Gets Recorded in a Google Meet Session?

Understanding what ends up in the recording file avoids surprises when you review it later.

A Google Meet recording captures the active speaker and anything that is being presented on screen. If someone shares a slide deck, document, or browser window, that appears in the recording. The recording resolution can reach up to 1080p when a screen is shared, depending on the resolution of the screen being shared.

A few things that do not appear in the recording: other browser windows, desktop notifications, and any participant you have manually pinned on your own screen. Pinning someone affects only your view, not the recording.

Chat messages are recorded separately. When a meeting is recorded, the chat conversation log for the entire duration is also saved as an .SBV file in the organiser's Drive. This file plays as subtitles when opened in a media player like VLC. If you want captions embedded in the video clip itself, the host needs to select "Record captions" before or during the recording. Those captions can then be toggled on in Google Drive's video player or enabled as subtitles when downloading and playing the file locally.

One caveat on captions: the recording file is often ready before the caption file. If you open the video in Drive shortly after the meeting and captions are not showing, wait a few hours for processing to complete.

Google Meet recording FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions we’ve received about Google Meet recordings.

How to check Google Meet call history?

Google Meet has a call history available that you can access at any time. All you need to do is sign in to your Google Admin console.

Then, go to Reports > Audit log > Google Meet.

Here you will see your complete call history.

How long does it take for a Google Meet recording to be ready?

Most recordings are ready within a few minutes to an hour after the meeting ends. Longer recordings or sessions with screen sharing may take longer. Google states the maximum processing time is 24 hours.

Can I change where Google Meet saves recordings?

No. Google Meet always saves recordings to the organiser's Google Drive in the Meet Recordings folder. You can download the file and move it elsewhere after the fact, but you cannot change the default save location within Meet itself.

Where do Google Meet recordings go if I don't have Google Workspace?

If your account does not meet the Workspace requirements for recording, the native recording feature is not available to you. In that case, a third-party tool such as Notta can record the meeting from your side without needing host permissions or a paid Workspace plan.

How do I check my Google Meet call history?

Sign in to the Google Admin console, then navigate to Reports > Audit log > Google Meet. This shows a full log of meetings associated with your account.

Can participants see when they are being recorded?

Yes. Google Meet notifies all participants when a recording starts, including those joining from mobile or from outside the organisation. They cannot control the recording, but they are always informed it is happening.

Closing thoughts

We hope this guide helped you learn where your Google Meet recordings go and how you can save, share, and download these recordings. 

If you want to transcribe your Google Meet recordings, then we recommend using Notta. It’s a powerful and easy-to-use meeting transcription app that lets you transcribe speech to text in a couple of clicks.