How long does it take for a zoom meeting to process

How Long Do Zoom Recordings Take to Process: We Tested It

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Let’s cut to the chase: Zoom claims that, under normal circumstances, the video of an online meeting will process and download to your computer or cloud storage in about the same time (or slightly longer) than the meeting itself. Sometimes, though, it can take up to 24 hours to process recordings. And if it’s been over 48 hours, something has gone wrong.

In our little test, we’ve examined how long the process actually takes and what determines that speed. We’ll share the results with you and tell you what to do if the promised timeframes have passed and your video is still stuck or missing.

How Long Do Zoom Recordings Take to Process?

Zoom claims on its official website that it typically takes twice as long to process a recording as the meeting duration itself. You can use this info as a helpful benchmark.

Zoom cloud recording time

However, we decided to put these figures to the test and check out how long does recording take “in the wild.” We suspected that Zoom might overestimate the processing time a bit to avoid disappointing users when the saving process takes longer. 

How Long Does It Take for a Zoom Local Recording to Process

When you end the meeting and stop recording the video, a window with a progress bar appears on your screen. It indicates that the video is being processed. Once complete, Zoom will prompt you to choose a location to save the file.

So, we recorded meetings of different lengths and came up with the following approximate processing times for a local Zoom recording:

  • 15-minute meeting: Processing took 2 minutes.
  • 1-hour meeting: Processing took 4 minutes.
  • 3-hour meeting: Processing took about 20 minutes.

For this experiment, we didn’t turn on HD video quality because we don’t usually need it.

But when we do use HD (for example, if we share a presentation with small text or plan to broadcast the recording on a large screen later), the processing time doesn’t increase dramatically. Typically, HD quality requires only 10–20% longer to process recordings.

However, the time can vary depending on many factors that we’ll discuss later.

How Long Does It Take for a Zoom Cloud Recording to Process

The process of cloud video recording is less obvious. After you finish a meeting, you can track the progress of your video upload in the Zoom web portal under Recordings & Transcriptions > Cloud Recordings.

With a fast Internet connection on your end and a low load on Zoom’s servers, a 30-minute recording can be uploaded in 10–20 minutes. On the other hand, during peak hours and with a slow connection, this process might take about 1 hour.

So, how long does recording take when we save videos to cloud storage?

  • 15-minute meeting: Processing took 10 minutes.
  • 1-hour meeting: Processing took 20 minutes.
  • 3-hour meeting: Processing took about 1 hour.

Again, these videos were captured in standard quality, not HD. For HD, we’d add 20% of the time or so. Also, we have a fairly fast Internet connection, so we cannot rule out the possibility that our results may be somewhat optimistic for users with a slower Internet connection.

What Determines the Processing Time of a Record?

Why do some recordings process almost instantly, while others take hours? The processing time depends on four key factors:

  1. The duration of the meeting. The longer the recording, the longer it takes to convert.
  2. Video quality. High definition (HD) creates larger files, which slow things down.
  3. Storage method. Cloud-based Zoom processing recording is typically slower due to additional data upload time.
  4. Server load. During peak hours, processing can get stuck or experience significant delays.

Tip

It’s important to know that not everything that happened in the meeting will be captured in your recording. For example, cloud recordings don’t capture nonverbal feedback or meeting reactions ― simply put, the smiley faces and emojis we like to send each other or the icons we use when we ask a speaker to slow down or speed up.

The local recording does not support audio transcription, separate recording of streams (like the speaker or gallery view), reactions, or a shared screen recording layout.

Why Is Zoom Recording Processing Time Long?

According to Zoom’s official website, although video processing typically takes twice as long as the meeting itself, it can sometimes stretch up to 24 hours. Why does this happen?

The following factors can cause Zoom processing recording delays

#1. High Load on Zoom’s Servers

Zoom serves millions of users worldwide, so you can imagine how busy the servers are, especially during peak hours. Sometimes, they can even fail to work. By the way, you can check the real-time status of Zoom services here

Such issues were virtually non-existent before the pandemic, but we still remember how forums exploded in 2019–2020 with questions like: “Why does it take so long to process my recording?” “Why isn’t Zoom support responding to me?” and “What should I do if the video doesn’t load for more than 48 hours?” These days, such problems are less frequent but still not exceptional.

#2. Data Quality and Volume

High-definition (1080p) and high-frame-rate recordings take longer to process because of their larger file sizes. Also, consider sound quality. The stereo format adds megabytes to the file size and can slow down the download.

#3. Your Hardware Limitations

When saving Zoom files locally, the time to process recordings depends on the technical characteristics of your computer. A faster processor, more RAM, and a speedy hard drive can help you quickly cope with the meeting recording. Plus, things can go faster if you can free up some CPU by closing your browser (Chrome is particularly resource-hungry) or other demanding programs.

Tip

Consider enabling automatic recording if you record all (or almost all) of your meetings. To do this, open your account on a Zoom web portal, go to Settings > Recording, and scroll down to Automatic Recording. Toggle on these functions, and from now on, all meetings you host will be automatically recorded.

How Can I Speed Up the Processing of Recordings in Zoom?

If there are things that slow down the processing of a recording, there are ways to minimize them. To speed up the processing of Zoom recordings, try the following:

  1. Optimize your capture settings. Use a standard resolution (instead of HD) and reduce the frame rate from 30 to 15 fps if extra high quality is not critical. You can change the video quality in the Zoom web portal (Settings > Meetings > In Meeting (Advanced) > Meeting-HD Video Quality) or in the desktop application (Settings > Video > uncheck the Enable HD check box). To reduce the frame rate, check out your webcam settings.
  2. Ensure a stable Internet connection. To avoid interruptions, use a direct wired connection to your computer rather than Wi-Fi.
  3. Process recordings during off-peak hours. We know that it’s your meetings that usually revolve around your schedule, not vice versa. However, if you constantly have problems with Zoom recording processing, try scheduling meetings in the morning or evening.
  4. Upgrade your hardware. Devices with a powerful disk and plenty of RAM can speed up local processing.

Paid Zoom users have access to additional features, such as enhanced cloud recording options and priority support. Take advantage of these benefits when you need them.

Tip

You don’t have to store all your recordings exclusively in the Zoom cloud. There are integrations (e.g., in Zoom Web Marketplace and Zapier) that automatically send saved recordings to other cloud storages, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive.

What to Do if Recording Processing Is Stuck

Zoom states that it can take up to 24 hours to process recordings, especially those lasting several hours. Of course, that’s a long time, but we’ll have to wait.

However, if you’ve been waiting longer than that, try the following solutions:

  1. Make sure your device meets Zoom’s minimum requirements (you can find the list here).
Zoom system requirements macOS and Windows desktop
  1. Make sure you haven’t reached your Zoom storage limit.
  2. Ensure you finish the meeting. Really! We’ve heard many stories of users minimizing Zoom and forgetting to click Exit, leaving the recording unprocessed.

Finally, there’s always Zoom support. If something goes wrong with your cloud recording or it doesn’t show up, don’t hesitate to contact them. They usually help in these situations, even if it takes several days to complete:

Zoom stuck recording at the same place
Zoom recording not working

Remember that Zoom’s recording processing time depends on many variables, but you can control it by optimizing your settings and using reliable hardware. These tips will help you avoid delays and get your recordings right when you need them.

FAQ

Why is Zoom recording still processing?

Zoom recordings may take longer to process if the meeting was lengthy, had many attendees, or was recorded in high video quality. If you’re using cloud storage, the delay may be due to slow Internet speeds or server congestion during peak hours. If Zoom hasn’t finished processing your video after 24 hours, contact Zoom Support.

How long does it take Zoom to transcribe a recording?

The transcription time depends on the duration of the meeting and the complexity of the recording. Typically, a one-hour recording will take 30–60 minutes to transcribe. This time may increase if the sound quality is poor or there are many speakers.

How do I know my Zoom recording is being processed?

To check the status of your cloud recording, sign in to your Zoom account and go to the Recordings & Transcriptions section. If the recording is still being processed, you’ll see a notification.

For a local recording, open the folder on your computer where the file was intended to be saved (usually Documents > Zoom). If the status doesn’t change for a long time, check your Internet connection or contact Zoom Support.

Also, starting in 2024, after integrating AI into the service, Zoom began sending emails when your meeting recordings are complete and ready to watch. These notifications include a link to the recording for quick access. Don’t see the email in your inbox? Check your Spam folder. Likewise, verify that your email address is correct in your Zoom account settings.

How long does a 20-minute Zoom recording take to process?

For a 20-minute recording, the processing time is typically 7–10 minutes if you save it locally. If you are recording to the cloud, the time may increase to 20–40 minutes, depending on Internet speed and server load. In either case, the video should be uploaded within 24 hours. If it takes longer, please contact support.

Can I exit Zoom while the recording is processing?

You can close the Zoom app at the end of the meeting if the recording is stored in the cloud. Zoom will process recording on its servers regardless of your presence. However, Zoom must remain open for local videos to complete the conversion and save the file. If you close the program, you may lose your file.

How many GB is a 1-hour Zoom recording?

The size of a one-hour Zoom recording depends on the video quality. For example, a 720p video takes about 500–600 MB, while a 1080p video takes up to 1–1.5 GB. If the recording contains only audio, the volume is much smaller — about 50–100 MB. To reduce the file size, use standard video quality instead of HD.

Can I turn off my computer while the Zoom recording is processing?

If you’re saving the video to the cloud, you can turn off your computer because the processing takes place on Zoom’s servers and is independent of your computer.  However, if you save to local storage, you must keep your computer turned on until the video is processed and converted. If you turn off your computer, you may lose or corrupt the file.

Why is my Zoom recording not showing up?

If your recording doesn’t show up, it may be due to incomplete processing, technical issues, or an incorrect save location. Check the folder where the recording should have been saved (usually Documents > Zoom) or the Recordings & Transcriptions section of your Zoom account in the web portal. Also, make sure the meeting was recorded correctly. If you are still having problems, contact Zoom Support.

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