Record a Zoom meeting on your Mac, without a bot
Vida records a Zoom call from your Mac itself: the other participants through system audio, you through the microphone, and the screen if you want it. Nothing joins the meeting and nothing is uploaded. Zoom's own record-to-computer option also works on free accounts, but a participant needs the host to allow it.
Your options on a Mac
| Method | What it records | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom: record to computer | What it recordsVideo and audio of the meeting, saved on your Mac | What you needThe Zoom desktop app. Participants need the host to allow it. |
| Zoom: cloud recording | What it recordsVideo and audio of the meeting, saved in Zoom's cloud | What you needA paid Zoom plan |
| Vida | What it recordsYour screen, the call's sound and your microphone, saved on your Mac | What you needmacOS 14 or later. Records what your Mac plays, so it does not use Zoom's recording feature. |
Record it with Vida
- Get Vida from the Mac App Store and open it. Allow Screen Recording and Microphone when macOS asks. On macOS 15 and later the setting is called Screen & System Audio Recording.
- Join the call in the Zoom app or in your browser.
- In Vida, go to Record and choose Screen + Audio, or Audio Only if you only need the sound.
- Open Audio, turn on System Audio for the other participants and Microphone for your voice, and pick the microphone you use in Zoom.
- Click Start Recording. After the countdown, wait until the Video, Speaker and Mic icons all turn green.
- Stop when the meeting ends. Vida saves the file in ~/Movies/Recordings.
- For a transcript with speaker labels, transcribe the recording on your Mac. Your first five complete transcriptions are free.
Check that every side is recording
Vida's REC health badge confirms each source from real captured samples, so you know the recording is working while the meeting is still running, not afterwards.
- Video
- Turns green when the screen is being written to the file.
- Speaker
- Turns green when sound from the Mac, including the other participants, is being recorded.
- Mic
- Turns green when your own voice is being recorded.
Orange means Vida is still confirming a source. Red means a selected source is not being recorded: stop and fix it before you continue.
Tell people you are recording
Vida records from your Mac and adds nothing to the meeting, so the other participants will not see a recording notice. Tell them before you start, follow the law where you and they are, and respect your organization's policy. If the organizer has turned recording off, ask them first.
Good to know
- Screen + Audio records one full display, not a single window. Move private windows to another display, or use Audio Only.
- System Audio records everything your Mac plays, including notification sounds. Turn on a Focus mode to keep them out.
- Vida needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Screen Recording permission for the screen and system audio, and Microphone permission for your voice.
Questions
Will other participants know I am recording?
Vida adds nothing to the meeting, so Zoom does not show them a notice. Tell them yourself before you start.
Do I need a paid Zoom plan?
No. Vida records what your Mac plays and hears, so it does not depend on your Zoom plan.
Can I record a Zoom call that runs in my browser?
Yes. System Audio records sound from any app on your Mac, including a browser tab.
Can I record only the audio?
Yes. Choose Audio Only to save the call as M4A or WAV without video.
How long can I record?
As long as the meeting runs and your disk has space. Vida Free has no time limit.
Sources
Third-party details checked on 25 September 2026. Plans and settings change, so check the current rules for your account.
Zoom is a trademark of its owner. Vida is not affiliated with or endorsed by Zoom.
Record the meeting. See that it's working. Keep it private.
Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Apple Silicon recommended for transcription.