Webex by Cisco is a video conferencing software that can run virtual meetings, screen-sharing, and webinars — tools that have been incredibly helpful as more and more people started to work remotely these past couple years. Sorry, we don’t mean to bring up the year that shall not be named. ?
The software can record meetings, which means no more struggling to remember what happened in your last meeting or scrambling to get your coworker notes from the meeting they missed. You have better things to do!
In this post, we’ll discuss the reasons why it’s helpful to record meetings, who can record Cisco Webex meetings, how to record a Webex meeting, and frequently asked questions about recording meetings.
Not a Webex user? No problem! We have guides on How to Record a Google Meet, How to Record a Teams Meeting, and How to Find and Share Zoom Recordings.
Why You Should Record Webex Meetings
Memory is fickle. What one person remembers from a meeting could be completely different from what someone else remembers a few days or a few weeks later. Recording your Webex meetings gives your attendees and the entire team a clear record of everything that happened during a meeting, event, webinar, etc.
Recording a meeting also helps those who couldn’t attend the full meeting. Anyone who was absent or late can consult the recording rather than tracking down a coworker. This is a win for everyone — no one wants to be interrupted by a coworker who is demanding A FULL rundown of everything they missed. ?
Lastly, if a meeting is being recorded, people in the meeting can focus on the conversation rather than scrambling to jot down everything that happened.
Reasons to record a Webex meeting:
- You want a clear record of your meetings or events.
- There are people who are late, had to leave early, or were not able to attend the meeting. (This can especially be the case with time zone restrictions.)
- You want people attending an online meeting or event to engage in the moment instead of focusing on taking notes.
- You are hosting an event, conference, or webinar and want to share what happens with those who can’t attend.
- You want to share repeatable content, such as tutorials or onboarding sessions, with new employees or clients.
How to Record a Webex Meeting: Your Step-by-Step Guide
How do you record a Webex meeting? Whether you can record depends on your device and account type. Let's walk through the process step-by-step:
Step 1: Determine How You Can and Want to Record
The type of account you have with Webex will restrict how you can record. The two options are:
- Record meetings directly to the cloud. (The recording file is saved as an MP4 in Recordings on the Webex site.)
- Record meetings directly to a local computer. (The recording file is saved as an MP4 on the computer you select.)
You can record directly to the cloud on Webex Starter, Plus, Business, and Enterprise plans (if configured by a Webex Site administrator.)
You can record to a local computer with Webex Free, Starter, Plus, and Business plans, as well as Enterprise plans (if configured by a Webex Site administrator.)
The main difference is that the Free plan does not let you save recordings directly to the cloud. In this case, you would need to save the recording to your computer and then choose a way to share it with participants or upload it to a shared cloud space. It’s one more step, but hey, it’s free!
Step 2: Start a Webex Meeting
At the scheduled time of the meeting, the host needs to log into your organization's Webex Meetings site. Locate the Upcoming Meetings section in the center of the site’s Home page. Find the meeting you are looking for and choose Start to begin the meeting.
Step 3: Start Recording
Only the host of a meeting is able to record a meeting, and they must start the meeting on the Webex desktop application. If they start the meeting on a mobile device, recording options won’t be available.
This part is worth repeating loud and clear: ? Webex meetings can only be recorded by the host and you can only record from the desktop application.
The co-host can act as an alternate host to enable recording but only if the host is absent from the meeting.
If you are using the Webex Training feature, a person with the presenter role can record a video, so long as the site administrator has allowed recording in the WRF format (Windows only, not Mac.) You can make any participant a presenter who will then have access to the recording button.
As the host (or co-host), locate the record button, which will either say “Record” or “Recorder,” depending on the application version. If you don’t see a recording option, you can check under “More Options,” which may look like an ellipsis (...). If you still can’t locate a record button, you may need to ask a Webex site administrator to enable recordings.
Everyone ready? Select Record when you want to record the meeting.
Step 4: Stop Recording
Once recording begins, you can select the “Record” button again to reveal more options. These include Pause, which will pause recording until you choose “Resume.” Even when you pause and resume, your recording isn’t interrupted.
You can also choose the “Stop” button to stop recording, which will end your current recording session. This is recommended to reduce the file size of extra long meeting recordings. You can stop the recording at a convenient time and begin another recording file at any time.
Step 5: Find and Share Recordings
The recording format is MP4, whether you save to your local computer or upload directly to the cloud (Webex site).
The recorded video won’t be available right away if you choose to record it directly to the cloud. It can take up to 24 hours to receive the video depending on the length of the meeting. When it is ready, you will receive an email, and you can then download the recording in an MP4 format. Then, you can share it however you’d prefer with others, such as by email or through Slack.
If you requested that the recording be saved directly to the cloud when you started the recording, you will find it in “Recordings” on your Webex site account when it is ready.
Webex Recording FAQs
Gather round! It’s question time. We answer some of the most common questions below.
1. How Long Does It Take to Receive a Recording?
If you are recording directly to the cloud, you will not receive the recording right away. It can take up to 24 hours to prepare the recording, depending on how long it is and current demand. When the recording is ready, you will receive an email along with details about how to share the recording.
2. What’s Included in the Webex Recording?
All recordings include Webex video, audio, and anything that was shared during the meeting. Editing the screen layout to your desired settings will help make sure everything you want recorded fits into the screen.
3. Can You Transcribe Recordings?
Yes, Webex can produce basic transcripts of meeting audio, so long as a Site Administrator has enabled this function. Transcripts are not available with the Webex Free plan.
4. Can You Record a Webex Meeting by Phone?
At this time, you can’t start a recording from an iPhone, Android, or other mobile device. If a meeting starts by phone, it can’t be recorded. You can only record from a computer using the desktop app (not a web app.)
Get More From Your Webex Meetings
Recording a Webex meeting is simple to do, so long as you (as the event host) begin the meeting on a computer with the desktop app. There are a number of reasons to record your meetings, most notably to have a clear record of everything that occurred. Save the guess work for what’s making the office fridge smell!
If you want even more clarity from your virtual meetings and events, Anchor AI can record full transcripts. The powerful tool can separate action items, keywords, speakers, and decisions using Anchor AI software.
Learn more about our versatile product and sign up today!