Troubleshooting Zoom Local Recordings

Overview

For Zoom recordings made to your local computer, after the meeting has ended, Zoom will convert the recording so you can access the files.

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Once the conversion process is complete, the folder containing the recording files will open.

Note: By default, the audio/video file (MP4) will be named Zoom_0.mp4. The audio only file (M4A) is named audio_only.m4a.

If you are having trouble with your recordings made to your local computer please try the troubleshooting steps below.

Confirm you are running the latest version of the Zoom Desktop Client. 

If you are not sure what version you are on, follow these steps:

  • For Windows, macOS, Linux
  1. Open and sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture to view desktop app options.
  3. Click Help, and then select About Zoom Workplace.
    You will see the currently installed version of the Zoom desktop app.
  • Android, iOS
  1. Open and sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. In the top-left corner, tap your profile picture.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap About.
  5. Next to Version, you will see the currently-installed version of the Zoom mobile app.

Low disk space

 

  • You may have low "disk space" on your computer at that time. [Error Code 614]
  • Check your "Disk space" and try and free up some space if it is low.

Invalid path

  • Invalid working "path/folder" (sometimes, an invalid network connection may appear with this warning too).
  • Change the recording location in your Zoom client and make sure it is a valid path string/folder.

Other common issues

  • Abnormal errors such as "internal errors" (bad data stream), invalid command, or logic issues.
  • If you close your laptop or turn off your computer while the recording is converting, it will stop the conversion process.
  • If you change the name of the double_click_to_convert.zoom file(s) while the recorded meeting is converting, it may corrupt the file and not convert correctly.

Manually convert your local recording

Follow the steps below to convert the files manually.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom Desktop Client.
  2. Click the Meeting tab.
  3. Click the Recorded tab.
  4. Select the meeting topic with the local recording.
  5. Click Convert.

How to convert a Zoom Recording that won't convert (Windows)

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to Documents > Zoom > [Zoom recording folder with meeting’s date].
  2. Right-Click on Zoom file named double_click_to_convert_01.zoom

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  3. In the pop-up menu click Open With

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  4. Click More apps

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  5. Scroll down to the bottom of the application list and click Look for another app on this PC

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  6. In the left panel click This PC

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  7. Next click in the Search Program Files bar and type zTScoder.exe and hit Enter.

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  8. Wait for the search to finish. It may take some time.

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  9. Click zTscoder
     

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  10. Click Open

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  11. Your recording should start to convert.

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  12. Upon completion you should see your Zoom recording as an MP4 file.

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How to convert local Zoom recordings manually on a Mac

The following guide will help you manually convert local Zoom recordings on a Mac.

Method 1: Using Zoom desktop client

If you’re running the Zoom desktop client version 5.0.0 or later, you can manually convert meeting recordings by following the steps below.

  1. Open the Zoom app on your Mac and click on the Meetings tab at the top.
  2. On the left sidebar, click on the Recorded tab.

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  3. Select the meeting whose recording you want to convert and click on the ‘Convert’ button to convert the recording to MP4 or M4A.

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Method 2: Using ‘double click to convert’

You can use this method to manually convert your recordings on Zoom.

  1. Open Finder from your dock, and navigate to Documents > Zoom > [Zoom recording folder with meeting’s date].
  2. Double-click on the file named “double click to convert”.

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This will start the conversion process on Zoom and you will be able to access the converted files in the same folder.

Method 3: When ‘double click to convert’ fails

On rare occasions, even double-clicking on the files won’t be enough to convert them, and to help you proceed with the conversion, the following guide is based on a suggestion inside Zoom’s developer forum.  Proceed with caution.

  1. Open the Zoom app on your Mac and start a meeting with yourself by clicking on the New Meeting button on the home screen.

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  2. Click on the Record button at the bottom to start recording a meeting with yourself and then select ‘Record on this computer’. This will create a new recording folder on your Mac with the current date, thus giving you a bridge to convert your previously-recorded files.

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  1. After a few seconds, stop the recording (but NOT the meeting) by clicking on the Stop button at the bottom. Note: DO NOT end your current meeting session.

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  2. Open Finder from your dock, and head over to Documents > Zoom > [Zoom recording folder with meeting’s date].

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  3. Copy your older recording file named “double_click_convert file.zoom” and paste it to this folder. If there are multiple recording files, then rename them as “double_click_to_convert_01.zoom”, “double_click_to_convert_02.zoom”, and so on, copy them and paste them to the Zoom recording folder with today’s date.

  4. After you’ve copied all your older recordings to the mentioned folder, click on the End Meeting button at the bottom right of your Zoom meeting window.

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Zoom will now start the conversion process for all of your previously recorded meetings and convert them to MP4 and M4A files. You will be able to access the converted recording inside Documents > Zoom > [Zoom recording folder with today’s date].

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Method 3: Via Terminal

  1. Open Terminal
  2. Open a Finder window and navigate to the recordings to convert
  3. In the Terminal window type “open -a /Applications/zoom.us.app/Contents/Frameworks/Transcode.app ”
    Include a space at the end.
  4. Next click on “double_click_to_convert_01.zoom” in the Finder window and drag and release the file over the Terminal window

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  5. Click on the Terminal window and press enter
  6. Zoom will start the conversion process

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  7. You may receive a file conversion warning.  Click Convert Anyway to continue

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  8. Zoom will begin converting your recording.  Please note, the longer the recording the longer the conversion process will take.

  9. Upon completion of the conversion, Zoom will prompt you to choose a location to save your recording.

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