First: get consent
Recording laws vary by country and, in the US, by state — some places require only one party to consent, others require everyone on the call. Wherever you are, the safe and respectful default is to tell participants you’re recording and why, and to get their agreement before you start.
This isn’t just legal hygiene. People speak more freely when recording is in the open, and a recording made without consent can be worthless — or worse — exactly when you need it.
Recording in Microsoft Teams
In Teams, the meeting organiser (or someone they’ve given permission) can start recording from the meeting controls; everyone is notified, and the recording is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint. It’s convenient inside the Microsoft ecosystem, but it depends on your account type and admin policy — some plans and personal accounts can’t record at all.
The catch: you need the right role and plan, the file lives in the cloud, and if you’re a guest in someone else’s tenant you may not be able to record at all.
Recording in Zoom
In Zoom, the host can record locally or to the cloud (cloud recording needs a paid plan), and can let participants record too. Participants are notified when recording starts. It’s solid if you host your own calls.
The catch: if you’re not the host and aren’t granted permission, you can’t use Zoom’s recorder — and cloud recordings sit on Zoom’s servers under your subscription.
Recording in Google Meet
Google Meet recording is available only on certain Google Workspace editions — not on free personal Gmail accounts — and recordings save to Google Drive. Participants are notified, and on eligible plans the host or a co-host controls it.
The catch: many people simply don’t have a plan that allows it, and when they do, the recording ends up in Google’s cloud.
The universal way: record locally
There’s one method that works regardless of platform, plan or role: capture the audio your computer is already playing, on your own machine. MeetIT records your microphone together with the system audio from Teams, Meet, Zoom, Webex — even a phone call on speaker — locally, with no bot joining the call and no need to be the host.
Because it’s local, nothing is uploaded, the recording is a file you own, and it works offline. MeetIT also transcribes as people speak and drafts minutes with decisions and action items, so you get the notes, not just the audio. You still need consent — but you no longer need anyone’s plan or permission to keep your own record.
Frequently asked questions
Can I record a meeting if I’m not the host?
Not with the built-in recorders in Teams, Zoom or Meet — those need host rights or permission. A local recorder like MeetIT captures the audio your computer plays, so you can keep your own record regardless of role. Always get consent first.
Do I need a bot to join the call?
No. MeetIT records the system audio on your own device, so there’s no bot joining the meeting and nothing announcing a third-party tool — just your machine capturing what it already plays.
Where is the recording stored?
With Teams, Zoom and Meet the recording goes to the cloud (OneDrive, Zoom’s servers or Google Drive). With a local tool like MeetIT it stays on your own machine as a file you own, and nothing is uploaded.
Is it legal to record a meeting?
It depends on your jurisdiction — some require one party’s consent, others everyone’s. The safe rule everywhere is to inform participants and get their agreement before recording.