Microsoft 365
required for recording
120 days
default retention
OneDrive
storage location
Auto-transcript
included with recording
Microsoft Teams has a built-in meeting recorder that stores recordings to OneDrive or SharePoint. You can also use a third-party AI meeting assistant that joins as a bot and provides transcription with structured summaries.
This guide covers both methods, including which plans include recording and what to do if recording is disabled by your IT admin.
Use the built-in Teams recorder if you need the video file in OneDrive for compliance or reference. Use a third-party AI tool if you want action items, searchable summaries, and CRM integration on top of the recording.
Check Your Teams Plan and Recording Permissions
Teams recording is available on Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, and enterprise plans. It is not available on the free Teams plan.
Your IT admin may have disabled recording for your organization or meeting type. If the record button is missing, contact your Teams admin. Guest participants can record only if the meeting organizer allows it in meeting options.
Start Recording Using the Built-In Teams Recorder
Join the Teams meeting. Click the three dots (More options) in the meeting controls. Select "Record and transcribe" then "Start recording". A notification appears for all participants that the meeting is being recorded.
To stop recording, go back to More options > Record and transcribe > Stop recording. The recording processes automatically and is saved to OneDrive (for the meeting organizer). You receive an email with the recording link when processing is complete, typically within 30-60 minutes.
Recordings are stored for 120 days by default. Teams also generates an automatic transcript from the recording, available in the meeting chat under the recording.
Enable Transcription Alongside Recording
In the meeting controls, go to More options > Record and transcribe > Start transcription. Transcription runs live during the meeting and is visible in the transcript panel on the right side.
After the meeting, the full transcript is saved alongside the recording in the meeting chat. You can download it as a .docx or .vtt file from the recording details page. Transcription accuracy varies by language and audio quality.
Use a Third-Party AI Tool for Better Summaries
The built-in Teams transcript is accurate but does not identify action items, decisions, or generate a structured meeting summary. For that, use an AI meeting assistant.
Fireflies.ai integrates with Microsoft Teams natively. Connect your Teams account in Fireflies settings and the Notetaker bot joins your scheduled meetings automatically. After the meeting you get a full transcript with speaker labels, a structured summary, action items with owners, and direct push to Slack, Notion, or your CRM.
MeetGeek also supports Microsoft Teams with calendar sync. It adds meeting analytics on top of transcription - useful for managers tracking meeting quality across a team.
Both tools work on top of Teams, not instead of it. You can run the built-in Teams recorder and an AI bot simultaneously if you want the recording stored in OneDrive and the structured notes in your workflow tool.
Share the Recording After the Meeting
Teams recordings are stored in the meeting organizer's OneDrive by default. To share with participants, open the meeting chat, find the recording, and click Share. The link works for anyone with access to the Microsoft 365 tenant.
For external participants or clients outside your organization, download the recording from OneDrive and share it via email or a file sharing service. Alternatively, change the OneDrive sharing permissions to "Anyone with the link can view".
The Teams built-in recorder is sufficient for simple meeting archives. For structured notes, action items, and integration with your tools, an AI meeting assistant like Fireflies gives you significantly more value from the same recording.
Compare all AI tools that support Microsoft Teams in our best AI note takers 2026 guide.
Tools Used in This Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you record a Microsoft Teams meeting without the organizer knowing?
No. Teams notifies all participants when a recording starts. You cannot start a recording silently. Third-party screen recording tools outside of Teams would capture your local screen only.
Where are Teams recordings stored?
Recordings are stored in the meeting organizer's OneDrive by default. For channel meetings, recordings go to the SharePoint site associated with the channel. You receive an email with the link when processing completes.
Do Teams recordings expire?
Yes. The default retention period is 120 days, after which Teams deletes the recording from OneDrive. Admins can change this policy. Download the recording locally or save to SharePoint if you need it longer.
Can guests record a Teams meeting?
Guests can record only if the meeting organizer explicitly allows it in meeting options (Recording > Allow recording for everyone). By default, only authenticated users from the same organization can record.
