Guide, updated November 2026
How to record a Zoom meeting on Mac
Short answer: as the host, use Zoom's Record button and choose Record on this Computer. As a participant, or if you want a transcript, record the Mac's audio directly: Mac Note Taker captures your mic and the meeting audio, needs no host permission, adds no bot to the call, and transcribes on your Mac. QuickTime alone records only your side.
Why avoid the bot in the first place
Bot notetakers join your meeting as a visible participant, record to a vendor's cloud, and bill per seat per month. On customer calls and anything under NDA, the bot itself becomes the conversation: who is that participant, where does the audio go, whose servers store the transcript. Recording locally removes the whole topic.
Method 1: Zoom's built-in recording
In the Zoom desktop app, click Record (or press Cmd+Shift+R) and choose Record on this Computer. Local recording works on free and paid plans; when the meeting ends, Zoom converts the file and saves video and audio to the Zoom folder in Documents. The catches: only the host and co-hosts can record unless the host gives you permission, everyone sees a recording notice, and the local file has no transcript. Cloud recording, which can add an audio transcript, needs a paid plan.
Verdict: Fine for the host archiving a call. Not an option when you are a participant without permission, and no notes either way.
Method 2: QuickTime or a screen recorder
Open QuickTime Player, choose File > New Screen Recording (or press Shift-Cmd-5), and pick your microphone under Options. The result has your screen and your voice, but the other people in the call are silent: macOS screen recording does not capture the audio Zoom plays unless you install a virtual audio driver like BlackHole and route Zoom through it. You end up with a large video file and still no transcript.
Verdict: Works for your own side of the call. Missing everyone else unless you set up audio routing first.
Method 3: A local recorder that captures both sides
macOS can capture the audio an app plays (system audio) and your microphone at the same time, with no bot in the participant list, no host permission, and no virtual cable. Mac Note Taker does this: it notices the Zoom call starting, offers to record with one click, captures both sides, transcribes on your Mac, names the speakers, and writes a summary with a local model (Ollama) or your own API key. Audio and transcript never leave your Mac.
Verdict: The only method of the three that captures both sides from any seat and gives you usable notes.
The three methods side by side
| Zoom recorder | QuickTime | Mac Note Taker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works when you are not the host | Only with host permission | Yes | Yes |
| Other participants' audio | Yes | No, without BlackHole | Yes |
| Recording notice shown in Zoom | Yes | No | No (tell people yourself) |
| Transcript | Cloud recording on paid plans | No | Yes, with speaker names |
| Summary and action items | No | No | Yes, on your Mac |
Record both sides in 2 minutes
- 1
Download Mac Note Taker from macnotetaker.com/download (free trial, Apple Silicon, macOS 14.2+).
- 2
Grant the two standard macOS permissions on first launch: Microphone and Screen Recording.
- 3
Join your Zoom call as usual: as host or participant, in the desktop app or a browser.
- 4
The menu bar icon offers to record the moment Zoom starts using your microphone. One click starts capturing both sides.
- 5
When the call ends, the transcript appears with speakers identified, plus a summary, action items, and topics, all generated on your Mac.
Tell people you are recording
Consent rules differ: many US states need one person's consent, others need everyone's, and GDPR expects disclosure. A short line at the start of the call covers it, and the local part answers the most common objection:
"I record meetings locally on my Mac for my own notes. The audio and transcript stay on my machine, no third-party service. Happy to share the transcript afterward, just say if you would rather I did not record."
Frequently asked
How do I record a Zoom meeting on my Mac with audio?
If you are the host, use Zoom's own recorder: Record > Record on this Computer saves video and audio to Documents > Zoom when the meeting ends. If you are a participant, or you want a transcript, use a local recorder that captures the Mac's system audio and your microphone, such as Mac Note Taker. QuickTime alone records only your side.
Can I record a Zoom meeting on Mac if I am not the host?
Yes. Zoom's built-in recorder needs the host's permission, but a local recorder like Mac Note Taker records what your Mac plays plus your microphone, which works from any seat in the call. Recording-consent rules still apply, so tell the other participants.
Can QuickTime record a Zoom meeting with sound?
Only your side. QuickTime records your microphone, not the audio Zoom plays, so the other participants are silent in the file unless you install a virtual audio driver such as BlackHole and route Zoom's output through it.
Where do Zoom recordings go on a Mac?
Local recordings are saved in Documents > Zoom, one folder per meeting, once Zoom finishes converting them after the meeting. You can change the folder in Zoom's Settings > Recording. Cloud recordings appear in the Zoom web portal under Recordings.
Will other participants see that I am recording?
Nothing appears in the Zoom participant list or interface, because no bot joins and Zoom's own recording feature is not used. Disclosure is your responsibility: recording-consent laws vary by state and country, and many require you to tell participants. A one-line notice at the start of the call is standard practice.
Does this capture both sides of the call?
Yes. Mac Note Taker records your microphone and the meeting audio side by side, so you and the other participants are both in the recording and the transcript, with separate speaker labels.
Can I record Zoom running in a browser?
Yes. A system-audio recorder does not care whether Zoom runs in the desktop app or a browser tab. If the sound plays through your Mac, it is recorded.
What if I forget to start recording?
Start at any point and you keep everything from that moment on. Audio that already played cannot be recovered, which is why Mac Note Taker offers to record as soon as Zoom turns on your microphone.
Does the audio go to a cloud service?
No. Recording, transcription, and speaker identification run on your Mac. Summaries run on a local model via Ollama by default; sending transcripts to OpenAI is optional and only happens under your own API key.
Does the same setup work for Google Meet and Teams?
Yes. The capture happens in macOS, not inside Zoom, so the same one-click flow works for Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, Webex, Discord, and FaceTime.