Guide for Recording a Google Meet in 2024

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The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown everyone into a global remote-working experiment. When lockdowns around the world closed offices and schools in early 2020, the world adjusted quickly, as everyone jumped on video-communication platforms like Google Meet.

One of its most convenient features is the recording option, which allows users to save a recording of a class, training, or meeting and revisit it when it fits their schedule.

This article will explain how to record a Google Meet call, who can do so, where it’s saved, and answer some FAQs. Let’s get started!

Can You Record a Google Meet Call?

The short answer is yes. Google allows Google Meet users to record a video meeting in real-time.

Still, Google restricts the recording feature to certain customers. If you want to record a meeting, you have to get an appropriate Google workspace (also known as G-Suite) edition. What this essentially means is that you have to be a paid subscriber to record video calls on Google Meet. The cheapest edition you can get costs $12 a month.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you use a G-Suite edition that allows you to record Google Meet sessions, you won’t be able to do so unless the feature is enabled. The administrator is the only one that has the power to turn the recording feature on and off.

It’s also important to remember that while recording video conferences is legal, it is illegal to record people without their consent in most situations. For privacy reasons, Google also has another feature: if someone wants to use the recording option, Google will send a request to all participants asking for their consent to tape the video call. Everyone in the meeting will be notified when a person starts and ends a Google Meet recording.

The recording feature is more than just a fancy option. Recording a video call has its advantages and can be immensely useful, especially in a remote working and learning environment. It allows teachers to revisit and analyze their lessons and encourages students to actively engage and be fully present in the lesson, rather than focusing on taking down notes.

The same applies to employees who want to double-check if they have missed any details during the meeting or need specific information that was mentioned during a video call.

Students and employees who were not present at a lesson or meeting, respectively, will also find the Google Meet record meeting perk quite useful. It simply keeps everyone in the loop!

DID YOU KNOW? Google Meet saw its use jump by 30% between January and April last year at the start of the pandemic, reaching 100 million users a day! Still, Zoom, another video conference app, had the upper hand at 200 million daily.

How to Record a Google Meet Call

The good news is recording a Google Meet video call is quite simple. All you need to do is hit a couple of buttons after the video call starts and you’re good to go!

It’s worth noting that a recording won’t include outside notifications, windows, or live captions.
The recording captures the active speaker and any presentations that occurred in the video call.

How to Record a Google Meet Call on a Laptop

As previously mentioned, not every Gmail user can record a meeting on Google Meet. You have to be a paid subscriber and use one of the Google editions that include the recording feature. Once you’ve ensured that the edition you use is on that list and that your administrator has enabled the feature, here’s what you need to do to record a video call on Google Meet.

Start or join a meeting

To record a meeting in Google Meet, you have to be on the video call. Open Google Meet and start a new meeting or join an existing one. To join a meeting you will need a link to it. In other words, you have to be invited. If it’s a Google Calendar invite, click on the event on the schedule to see more information and then on “Join with Google Meet.”

Find the recording option

Once you’re in the meeting, you’ll need to find the recording feature to start recording the video call. To do so, click the three dots at the bottom of the right corner. You’ll see the “Record Meeting” button at the top of the pop-up, as well as other functions that can help you change the layout or add more participants.

Ask for consent

When you click on the “Record meeting” button, a pop-up will appear asking you to approve sending a request to participants for their consent to record the video call. The Google Meet recording will begin after you click “Accept” on the “Ask for consent” pop-up. If you’re a participant, you need to ask permission from the host to record the session.

Stop recording

You can stop the recording by clicking on the three-dots menu at the button of the right corner and then the “Stop Recording” button.

Remember that all participants will receive a notification when you start and stop recording the video call.

DID YOU KNOW? Other popular video-communication services also allow users to record their video calls. FaceTime has a recording feature, as well as Zoom and Skype. The recording process on Zoom and Skype is similar to that of Google Meet.

How to Record a Google Meet Call on a Phone

Unfortunately, mobile app users can’t record video calls on Google Meet just yet, regardless of whether they’re the host of a video call or participants. While they don’t get a recording option, those who join a Google Meet video conference via a mobile device still get notified when the recording starts or stops.

DID YOU KNOW? Google Meet can be used by both iPhone and Android device users, as well as those who have a Mac or a Windows PC. The type of OS you have does not prevent you from using the Google Meet record option.

Who Can Record a Google Meet Call?

To record a video call in Google Meet, you’ll need to use one of the following Google workspace editions:

  • Workspace Individual Subscriber
  • Business Standard
  • Business Plus
  • Enterprise Essentials
  • Enterprise Standard
  • Enterprise Plus
  • Education Standard
  • Education Fundamentals
  • Education Plus
  • Teaching and Learning Upgrade

Furthermore, users of certain editions need to have special licenses to record Google Meet video calls. Users of the Education editions need to have a “staff” and “student” license, and users of the Teaching and Learning Upgrade need to have a “Teaching and Learning” license to use Google’s recording feature.

Google limits the recording option in other ways for several reasons, including privacy and transparency. Even if you’re using one of the G-Suite editions that have the feature, you have to be the organizer (or the host) of the meeting, be in the same organization as the organizer (i.e. use the account provided by your employer), or a teacher to record on Google Meet.

If the teacher is the host of the video call, then students can also record the meeting, unless the administrator places restrictions on their accounts.

Note that even if you have an account that can use the recording feature and your administrator has enabled the option, you still won’t be able to record a Google Meet video call if you only join to present.

DID YOU KNOW? Users of the Education Fundamentals or Standard editions can use the record Google Meeting option until the end of 2021. Google allowed them access to the feature because most schools around the world opted to use Google Meet as virtual classrooms.

Where Do Google Meet Recordings Go?

Recordings from Google Meet video calls are saved to the Meet Recordings folder of the organizer of the meeting.

They can find the folder in Google Drive. Google will also send an email to the organizer with a link to the recording. If a participant started the recording, then they and the organizer will receive the recording link in an email. Other participants can find the recording link in their Google Calendar event.

If the organizer of the meeting changes or if the video call takes place outside of the scheduled time on the Google Calendar, the recording will be sent to the person that created the event.

You can share the meeting via the Google Meet record share function. You could also copy and share the link with others.

Conclusion

While not everyone can record on Google Meet, these sessions offer many advantages. Recordings are a great way to stay connected during the session, listen to a teacher’s lecture or a meeting that you missed or simply want to revisit. The best thing about it is that recording a video call is simple, helps you plan ahead, and is automatically saved once the meeting is over.

FAQ

How can I record Google Meet for free?

Only paid subscribers have access to the record option in Google Meet. Those who want a way around it will have to opt for a third-party screen recorder. Remember that it’s illegal to record someone without their consent, so before you hit the record button, make sure everyone is on the same page.

Can you record a Google Meet session?

Yes, but you need to use some of the Google G-Suite editions that have this option, as the Business and Enterprise editions. You’ll also have to get the administrator to enable the feature and ask everyone in the for their consent.

How do students record on Google Meet with audio?

If you’re wondering how to record a Google Meet audio call, then the answer is that Google offers no such option. This means that anyone who is recording audio-only business meetings or school lessons is probably using third-party software.

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