Teams recordings are stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, depending on who started the meeting

When you record a Teams meeting, Microsoft saves it automatically — but not to your computer. The recording goes to cloud storage: either your personal OneDrive (if you started the meeting) or your organization's SharePoint site (if someone else started it). You access it the same way you'd access any other file in those services.

The person who started the meeting can always find the recording. Other participants can only see it if the meeting organizer shares it with them or if your organization's settings allow broader access. This matters because it means you cannot just search for a recording you attended — you need the organizer to send you the link or grant you permission.

Key Takeaways

  • Recordings you started appear in your OneDrive under a folder called "Recordings" within 24 hours of the meeting ending.
  • If someone else started the meeting, the recording goes to your organization's SharePoint site, and you need them to share the link with you.
  • You can download a recording to your computer, share it with specific people, or change who can view it through OneDrive or SharePoint settings.
  • Recordings are video files (usually MP4 format) that play in any standard video player, so you can move them to other storage if you need to.

Finding a recording you started

Open your OneDrive in a web browser or the OneDrive app on your computer. Look for a folder called "Recordings" — this is where Teams automatically puts every recording you started. The file will have a name like "Meeting with [Team Name]" or "Channel meeting" plus the date. If you do not see the folder yet, wait up to 24 hours after the meeting ended; Teams sometimes takes time to process and upload the file.

Once you find the recording, you can play it directly in OneDrive by clicking the file. You do not need to download it first. If you want to keep a copy on your computer, right-click the file and choose "Download". The file is usually an MP4 video, which plays in Windows Media Player, QuickTime, VLC, or any other standard video player.

Finding a recording someone else started

If you attended a meeting but did not start it, you cannot search for the recording yourself. The person who started the meeting needs to share it with you. Ask them for the link, or ask your Teams administrator if your organization has a policy about where recordings are stored and who can see them.

When the organizer shares the link with you, it will take you to a SharePoint site or OneDrive folder. You can play the recording there, download it, or share it further — depending on what permissions the organizer gave you. If you cannot open the link, it usually means the organizer has not granted you permission yet, so ask them to check the sharing settings.

Sharing a recording with others

Open the recording file in OneDrive or SharePoint. Click the "Share" button near the top of the screen. You can then type in the names or email addresses of the people you want to share with, or copy a link to send to anyone. Teams will show you options like "Can view", "Can edit", or "Can share" — choose the level of access you want them to have.

If you want to share the recording with your whole team or organization, you can change the sharing setting to "Anyone in [your organization] can access" or "Anyone with the link can access", depending on your organization's security settings. Be careful with this option if the recording contains sensitive information — once you make it visible to everyone, you cannot easily undo that.

Downloading and moving recordings to other storage

You can download any recording you have permission to view. In OneDrive or SharePoint, right-click the file and select "Download", or click the file and look for a download button. The file will save to your computer's Downloads folder (or wherever your browser is set to download files).

Once downloaded, you can move the recording to an external hard drive, USB stick, or another cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox. Teams does not lock you into keeping recordings in OneDrive — the file is yours to manage once you have it. Just remember that if you delete the file from OneDrive, you will only have the copy you downloaded, so keep a backup if the recording is important.

What to do if you cannot find a recording

If a meeting was recorded but you cannot find it, check these things first: Was the recording actually started? Sometimes a meeting is set to record but the organizer forgets to press the button. Ask the organizer to confirm they started it. Did the meeting end more than 24 hours ago? If not, wait a bit longer for Teams to process it. Are you looking in the right place? If you did not start the meeting, the recording is not in your OneDrive — ask the organizer for the link.

If the organizer says they started the recording but you still cannot find it, the file may have failed to upload. This happens occasionally with very long meetings or poor internet connections. Ask the organizer to check their OneDrive Recycle Bin — sometimes Teams saves the file there by mistake. If it is not there, the recording may be lost, and the only option is to record the meeting again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record a Teams meeting on my own computer instead of using Teams' recording feature?

Yes, you can use a third-party screen recording tool like OBS Studio, Camtasia, or ScreenFlow to record your screen during a meeting. However, Teams' built-in recording is simpler because it captures audio and video automatically without you managing the recording yourself. Check your organization's policy first — some companies restrict outside recording tools for security reasons.

How long does Teams keep recordings?

Teams does not delete recordings automatically. They stay in OneDrive or SharePoint until you or someone with permission deletes them. However, your organization may have a retention policy that automatically deletes files after a certain time (often one to seven years, depending on your company). Ask your IT department if your organization has a retention policy.

Can I edit a Teams recording after it is saved?

Teams saves recordings as video files, so you would need video editing software to trim, cut, or add captions. Microsoft Stream (if your organization uses it) offers some basic editing tools like trimming the start and end. Otherwise, download the file and use a tool like Windows Photos, iMovie, or Adobe Premiere to edit it.

What if my organization uses Microsoft Stream instead of OneDrive?

Some organizations are set up to save recordings to Microsoft Stream rather than OneDrive. In that case, look for a "Recordings" tab in Teams or ask your organizer for the Stream link. Stream works similarly to OneDrive — you can watch, download, and share recordings there. Your IT department can tell you which system your organization uses.

Can I prevent others from downloading a recording I shared?

In OneDrive and SharePoint, you can set sharing permissions to "Can view" only, which prevents people from downloading the file. However, someone determined could still record the video while watching it. If the recording contains very sensitive information, consider whether it needs to be shared at all, or share it only with people you trust.