How to transcribe a Zoom meeting
Deepu Nair· CEO, Sunnyside AIUpdated 12 Nov 20264 minThe short answer
Turn on Create audio transcript in your Zoom settings, then record the meeting to the cloud. Zoom emails you when the transcript is ready and shows it in the web portal next to the recording. It needs Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise. For a way with no bot, Sunnyside AI writes the transcript on your own computer.
The steps
- 01Check your planAudio transcripts are for Pro, Business, Education and Enterprise accounts that have cloud recording on.
- 02Turn on the transcriptProfile menu, Settings, Recording, then switch on Create audio transcript and Save. If it is grey, an admin locked it.
- 03Record to the cloudStart the meeting and choose Record to the cloud. Local recordings do not get a transcript.
- 04Wait for the second emailZoom sends one email for the recording and a later one for the transcript. It gives no time for the second.
- 05Open the transcriptZoom web portal, Recordings & Transcripts, Cloud recordings. Open the meeting and the text is on the right.
- 06Tidy itClick the pencil to fix a phrase and rename Unknown Speaker. The text has no capitals or full stops until you edit it.
- 01Install the appSunnyside AI runs on a Mac or Windows computer.
- 02Sign inUse your work email.
- 03Join the Zoom meeting on any planYou do not need cloud recording or a transcript setting in Zoom.
- 04Talk as you wouldSunnyside AI hears both sides through your computer and writes as the call goes.
- 05Open the transcript when the call endsIt sits next to the notes for that call.
Which way to choose
The Zoom transcript needs a paid plan and a cloud recording. If you have neither, you can still get the words.
| Compared on | Zoom audio transcript | A bot note taker | Sunnyside AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan needed | Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise, with cloud recording on | An account with the bot service | Any Zoom plan, plus the desktop app on a Mac or Windows computer |
| Works on a local recording | No, cloud recordings only | Not applicable | Not applicable, it listens live |
| When you get it | After the meeting, by a second email | After the call | In the app when the call ends |
| Beyond the text | Edit phrases and speaker names | A summary | Notes, a follow-up draft and live help during the call |
Limits
- Sunnyside AI does not give you the Zoom video or the Zoom transcript file. Its text lives in its own app.
- It runs on a Mac or Windows computer, not on a phone or a tablet.
- It is built for sales calls, not lectures or interviews.
- It does not replace telling people. Say at the start of the call that you take notes.
Claire Dunn · Meridian Group
On a real call, this is what you would see
Sunnyside AI writes the notes while the call is fresh, and no bot joins.
Try Sunnyside AI freeQuestions people ask
Can I get a transcript of a local Zoom recording?
Not from Zoom. Its audio transcript works on cloud recordings only, so a local file needs another tool.
What is the difference between captions and a transcript?
Captions are live text on screen during the meeting. A transcript is the full text kept after it. Zoom's help says that from 18 May 2026 users can no longer save live captions, so use the cloud transcript if you need the text.
Which languages does Zoom transcribe?
Zoom's own help pages disagree: one says English only and another lists about a dozen languages. Check the page for your account before you rely on it.
Is it legal to transcribe a Zoom meeting?
It depends on where each person is. Tell people at the start of the call and ask.
- Zoom: audio transcription for cloud recordings, checked 12 Nov 2026
- Zoom: turn audio transcription on or off, checked 12 Nov 2026
- Zoom: saving closed captions, checked 12 Nov 2026