Zoom transcription
Zoom has multiple “transcription” paths. Some are live captions. Some are meeting transcripts tied to cloud recordings. The difference matters — especially when you’re relying on the notes for decisions and follow‑ups.
- “Live transcription” (in-meeting) and “audio transcript” (after a cloud recording) are not the same thing.
- If you can’t find transcripts, check: account settings, host permissions, recording settings, and whether the meeting was cloud-recorded.
- Zoom’s output is a starting point — if your stakes are high, validate with failure‑first tests (numbers, names, overlap, noise).
1) Know which transcript you mean
2) Enable transcription (the common choke points)
Most “it’s missing” problems are settings, not bugs. Check the admin/account level first, then host controls:
- Account settings: transcription features may be disabled org-wide. If you’re in a company account, you might need an admin.
- Host settings: some orgs require the host to explicitly allow transcription for participants.
- Recording settings: if you want a post-call transcript, ensure cloud recording (and audio transcript) is enabled before the meeting.
3) Where Zoom transcripts are saved
Where you find transcripts depends on the path you used. If you expect a downloadable transcript, start by checking whether the meeting was recorded to the cloud.
- Cloud recordings: check the Zoom web portal under Recordings. Look for transcript files or “audio transcript.”
- Local recordings: you may only have local files unless your settings also generate a transcript artifact.
- If your org has retention settings, older recordings/transcripts may expire automatically.
4) Why Zoom transcripts go wrong
The biggest reputational failures aren’t “missed a filler word.” They’re these:
5) If bots aren’t allowed in Zoom meetings
Many orgs ban bots joining calls. Your stack can still work — you just need upload‑only tooling and a clean export path.