Method 1: transcribe Zoom's local recording
Best when you host the meeting.
- In the meeting, click Record and choose Record on this Computer. Zoom shows the recording indicator to everyone.
- When the meeting ends, Zoom converts the recording and opens the folder. You get an MP4 and an M4A.
- Drop the M4A into Scrieb. Transcription and speaker identification run on your computer.
- Export the transcript as DOCX, PDF or TXT, or use the local summary for minutes.
Method 2: record the call with Scrieb
Best when you are a participant, or when you don't want Zoom's recording notice.
- Start a recording in Scrieb with system audio enabled. It captures what you hear plus your microphone.
- Join the Zoom meeting as normal. No bot, no extra participant, nothing visible to others.
- Tell the participants you are recording. Zoom won't do it for you in this setup.
- Stop the recording when the call ends; Scrieb transcribes it locally.
Why not just use Zoom's transcript or an AI bot?
Zoom transcription and AI Companion
Processed on Zoom’s servers, paid plans only, and the transcript lives in your Zoom account. Fine for internal stand-ups, a problem for client or patient calls.
Third-party meeting bots
A visible participant that records everyone and uploads to yet another vendor. Changes how people talk, and adds a processor you have to justify.
Local transcription
The recording stays on your computer. No vendor, no upload, and one place where the transcript lives: your disk.
More on the bot problem: Meeting transcription without a bot.
Pricing
Free plan: 1 hour of recording a day. Pro: unlimited meetings, one licence for Mac and Windows.
Try it on your own recordings
Free: 1 hour of recording a day, no card needed.Windows on ARM64 (Snapdragon)
Frequently asked questions
- Can I transcribe a Zoom meeting without a bot joining?
- Yes. Either record the meeting with Zoom's own local recording, which saves an MP4 and an M4A file on your computer, and drop that file into Scrieb; or let Scrieb record the system audio of the call directly. In both cases no third participant appears in the meeting and nothing is uploaded.
- Where does Zoom save local recordings?
- By default in a Zoom folder inside your Documents folder, one subfolder per meeting, containing an MP4 video and an M4A audio file. Either file works; the M4A is smaller and transcribes just as well.
- How do I make Zoom save recordings and transcripts on my computer by default?
- Zoom can record to your computer automatically: in the Zoom web settings, under Recording, turn on Local recording and set Automatic recording to Record on the local computer. Zoom's own audio transcript, though, exists only for cloud recordings on paid plans, and is made on Zoom's servers. For a transcript that stays local, drop the local recording into Scrieb, or let Scrieb record the call itself.
- What about Zoom cloud recordings?
- Cloud recordings are already on Zoom's servers. You can download the MP4 or M4A from the Zoom web portal and transcribe it locally, but if the point is to avoid uploading, use local recording next time.
- Does Zoom transcribe locally or on its servers?
- On its servers. Zoom's audio transcript and AI Companion summaries are processed in Zoom's cloud and need a paid plan; a local recording saved to your computer gets no Zoom transcript at all. To keep the transcript on your computer, record locally and transcribe the file with Scrieb, which runs offline.
- Do participants know they are being recorded?
- With Zoom local recording, Zoom shows a recording indicator and can play a consent notice, depending on the host's settings. If you record with Scrieb via system audio, Zoom shows nothing, so tell participants yourself. Consent rules apply either way.
- Will the transcript show who said what?
- Yes. Scrieb's speaker identification runs locally and labels each speaker. With Zoom local recordings the audio is mixed, so labels come from voice, not from Zoom's participant list.