The four ways to capture a call
| Way | How it works | Where the recording lives | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The platform's own recording | The organiser starts recording or transcription in Teams, Meet or Zoom | The platform's storage: for Teams, the organiser's OneDrive, or SharePoint for channel meetings | Admin policies decide who can record |
| A connector after the call | A minutes tool reads the platform's transcript or recording once the meeting ends | Stays with the platform; the tool keeps the text it needs | Often needs an admin to approve the app, and a plan that includes transcripts |
| A notetaker in the call | A bot joins as a participant, records and leaves | With the notetaker's provider | The host has to admit it; everyone sees it join |
| Your own device | You record the call's audio on your phone or computer | On your device | You must still tell everyone |
Teams
Microsoft's admin guidance explains that a Teams meeting recording is uploaded to the organiser's OneDrive for private meetings or to SharePoint for channel meetings, and that admins control who can record and transcribe through meeting policies. If the option to record is missing for you, ask your admin which meeting policy applies.
Google Meet
Google's help explains that meeting transcripts are on by default for Workspace editions except Education accounts with student licences, and that the Transcripts feature runs on a computer, laptop or Android device.
Zoom
Cloud recording, which a connector can read after the meeting, needs a paid Zoom plan with cloud recording switched on. Check your account's recording settings before relying on it.
How Note Metric does each one
- Connectors bring in the transcript or recording of Teams meetings you organise (work or school accounts, approved once by your IT admin), Zoom meetings you host (paid plan with cloud recording), and Meet meetings you organise (Google Workspace Business Standard or above with transcripts on), after they end. Note Metric never keeps a platform's audio, only the transcript and minutes.
- The notetaker joins Teams and Google Meet calls under its own name, Note Metric notetaker (recording), and waits for the host to let it in. It never joins by itself.
- The browser tab: from a computer, record the tab the call is in, mixed with your microphone where allowed.
- The phone on the table for the people in the room, at the same time.
Whichever you use, you still need to tell everyone you are recording.
Questions
Can I record a Teams meeting I did not organise?
That depends on your organisation's policy and the organiser's settings. The safest course is to ask the organiser to record, or to bring in the organiser's transcript afterwards.
Does the other company have to allow my notetaker?
The host decides whether to admit it, and everyone in the call sees it join. If the other company does not want the meeting recorded, respect that and take notes instead.
Is a platform transcript good enough for minutes?
It is a good starting point. Minutes still need someone to check names, decisions and dates against what was said before they are issued.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn, Manage Teams recording policies for meetings and events: where Teams recordings are stored and how admins control recording
- Microsoft Learn, Manage transcription and captions for Teams meetings: admin settings for Teams transcription
- Google Meet Help, Use transcripts with Google Meet: which editions have transcripts and on which devices
- ICO, The right to be informed: telling people their data is being collected, whichever tool records it
Our summaries of these documents are not their wording: read the source before relying on it. This guide is general information, not legal advice for a particular case. Note Metric and AI Metric Ltd are not affiliated with or endorsed by any body named here.