Where to find your Teams recording and how to save it
When you record a Teams meeting, the video file saves to your organization's cloud storage — usually Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint — not to your computer automatically. To get the recording onto your device, you need to find it in that cloud location and download it from there. The process takes about two minutes once you know where to look.
The person who started the recording can download it immediately after the meeting ends. Other participants can download it only if the meeting organizer or someone with access to the storage folder shares it with them. If you were not the organizer and cannot find the recording, ask the person who ran the meeting.
Key Takeaways
- Teams recordings save to OneDrive or SharePoint automatically, not to your computer, so you must download them manually.
- The recording appears in the chat history of the meeting within a few hours, with a direct link you can click to open it.
- You can download the video file by opening the recording link and selecting the download button in the playback window.
- If the recording does not appear in your chat after 24 hours, check with the meeting organizer to confirm it was recorded and that you have permission to access it.
Finding the recording in your Teams chat
After a meeting ends, Teams posts a link to the recording in the meeting chat automatically. Open Teams and go to the chat for that meeting. Scroll up to find the message that says "Recording started" or shows a video thumbnail with the meeting name. This message appears within a few hours of the meeting ending, not immediately.
Click on the recording link or thumbnail. This opens the video in a playback window where you can watch it. The recording stays in the chat history permanently, so you can come back to it anytime — you do not need to download it right away.
Downloading the recording file to your computer
While the recording is playing in the Teams window, look for a three-dot menu button (⋯) or a download icon in the top right corner of the video player. Click it. A menu appears with options including "Download." Select "Download."
Your browser downloads the video file to your computer's default download folder, usually called "Downloads." The file is named with the meeting title and the date it was recorded. Depending on the length of the meeting, the download may take several minutes. Do not close the browser tab until the download finishes.
What to do if you cannot find the recording
If the recording link does not appear in the chat after 24 hours, the recording may not have started properly, or it may still be processing. Check the meeting chat again — sometimes Teams takes longer than a few hours to post the link. If you still do not see it after a full day, the recording did not save.
Ask the person who organized the meeting whether they started the recording. They can confirm whether the "Record" button was actually clicked during the meeting. If it was, they can check their OneDrive or SharePoint to see if the file is there. If the organizer cannot find it either, the recording was not captured and cannot be recovered.
Downloading a recording someone else shared with you
If another person recorded the meeting and shared the recording link with you in a chat or email, click the link to open the video. Use the same download process: click the three-dot menu or download icon and select "Download." You can only download the recording if the person who owns it gave you permission to access it.
If you click a recording link and see a message saying you do not have permission, the organizer has not shared it with you yet. Contact them and ask them to share the recording. They can do this by changing the sharing settings in OneDrive or SharePoint, or by sending you a direct link with access included.
Understanding file size and storage
A one-hour Teams meeting recording is typically 100 to 300 megabytes, depending on video quality and whether the recording includes screen shares. A two-hour meeting can be 200 to 600 megabytes. Make sure your computer has enough free space before downloading, especially if you are downloading multiple recordings.
The recording file is an MP4 video that plays in any standard video player — Windows Media Player, QuickTime, VLC, or your web browser. Once it is on your computer, you can move it, rename it, or share it with others the same way you would any other video file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download a Teams recording on my phone?
You can watch the recording on your phone through the Teams app, but downloading the actual video file to your phone is not straightforward. Most phones do not have a traditional "Downloads" folder. Use a computer to download the file, then transfer it to your phone if you need it there.
What if the download stops or fails partway through?
Start the download again. Your browser may resume from where it stopped, or it may restart. If the download keeps failing, try a different web browser or wait a few hours — the file may be temporarily unavailable. If it fails repeatedly, contact your IT department.
Can I edit or trim the Teams recording after I download it?
Yes, once the file is on your computer, you can edit it with any video editing software. Windows includes a free tool called Photos that can trim videos. More advanced editing requires software like Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, or iMovie on Mac.
Does the person who recorded the meeting know if I download it?
No. Downloading a recording does not send any notification to the organizer or anyone else. The recording owner can see that the file exists and who has access to it, but not who has downloaded it.
How long does Teams keep the recording available?
Teams keeps recordings in OneDrive or SharePoint according to your organization's retention policy, which varies. Most organizations keep them indefinitely unless a specific policy deletes old files. If you need the recording long-term, download it to your own computer or external drive.