How to Record Google Meet for Free

Key takeaways

Only Google Workspace, Google One Premium, or enterprise/education accounts can use Google Meet’s built-in recording. Personal accounts lack this function.
Hosts with Premium and permitted participants can record Google Meetings, which notifies all attendees and may have time limits by specific account types.
Utilizing online and offline third-party recording tools like EaseUS screen recorder or meeting recording plugins are effective alternatives for capturing Google Meet sessions, especially for free or when built-in recording functionality is unavailable.

Can you record Google Meet for free and without permission?

It is possible to record Google Meet for free, and to do so without permission. However, it is always advisable to gain consent from all participants before recording a meeting. Depending on your location, you may even be breaking the law by not doing so, and you will certainly be violating Google’s Terms of Service.

If you are a Google Workspace or Google One member you can record Google Meet on PC using the built-in recording feature. This is available at meet.google.com and in the Google Meet Progressive Web App. This will prompt meeting attendees for their permission to record the meeting and alert them to the fact it is happening.

If you are not a Google Workspace or Google One subscriber then you can record Google Meet for free using a third-party screen recorder or a free online meeting recorder. These video conference recorders will record your screen and any audio from Google Meetings, without automatically prompting participants for their permission.

Follow our comprehensive guide to learn how to record Google Meet in either scenario.

Directly record Google Meet on laptop with Premium account

With the Google Workspace edition, users can record Google Meet on PC with its built-in recording functionality. You can also livestream your meeting on YouTube. Here is more detailed information about it:

All participants will be notified of the recording.
Participants need the host’s permission to record the meeting.
Recordings are limited to 8 hours maximum and will automatically stop at the end of the meeting.
Recordings are automatically saved to Google Drive.

How to record Google Meet on PC with built-in recording features:

Step 1. Join or start a Google Meet meeting on your computer.

Step 2. Click Activities at the bottom of the main interface.

Step 3. Choose the Recording option. Click Start Recording in the pop-up screen.

Step 4. Go to Activities or More options > Recording > Stop recording to stop recording.

Step 5. Check or share your recording in the Google Drive folder.

Pros

Easy to use.
Automatically saved in Google Drive.
Provides automatic transcription.
HD Recording.

Cons

Only Google Premium users can use the app’s recording function.
Notification to everyone and participants need the host’s permission to record.
Recording is limited to MP4 format.
Lacks editing features.
Not available on mobile devices.

If you want to record Google Meet video and audio without a premium subscription, consider utilizing third-party online and offline screen recorders or Google Meet recording plugins to help you.

Using a professional Google Meet screen recorder

EaseUS RecExperts is a professional Windows and Mac meetings screen recorder, particularly designed for capturing online meetings like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. It can record audio from the website without losing sound quality. Thus, you can record Google Meet with audio, screen, and webcam up to 4K/8K simultaneously or separately. You can also export meeting audio or text with its built-in functionality as needed.

Moreover, it is also perfect for professionals who want to maintain a flawless presentation without distractions in the light of its virtual background feature. Its scheduled recording function is convenient for users who need to automatically record meetings at a specific time without manual operations, making meeting recording efficient and professional.

How to record Google Meet without permission via video conferencing recording app:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS RecExperts on your PC and choose the Record Screen mode.

Step 2. Set the recording area, or choose to record the window.

Step 3. Configure the recording settings, such as system sound, microphone, and other information, as needed.

Step 4. Start or join your Google Meet session. Click the REC button to begin recording your virtual session.

Step 5. Click the red icon in the taskbar to stop recording. You can then preview or edit the recordings using the built-in functionality.

Pros

Compatible with Windows and Mac.
Flexible customization settings.
Noise cancellation feature.
No watermark.
No time limit for recordings.

Cons

The free version limits some functions. For example, you can export one-minute videos only.

Use an online screen recorder for Google Meet video and audio recording

EaseUS Free Online Screen Recorder stands out as a convenient, accessible, cost-effective recording solution that doesn’t require downloads or installations. This browser-based recorder is designed to record Chrome tabs easily, such as browser-based online meetings. It offers a hassle-free and streamlined approach to capturing Google Meet sessions or recording video from websites, compatible with popular browsers including Firefox, Edge, and Chrome.

How to record Google Meet without Premium with a free online recorder:

Step 1. Start or join your Google Meet session. Go to the online recording webpage.

Step 2. Click on the Start Recording button and choose the Google Meet tab.

Step 3. Click on the red icon to stop recording.

Step 4. Press the Save button to save the recording to your local disk.

Pros

Free recording for 30 minutes.
Easy to use.
Record screen, webcam, and microphone at the same time.

Cons

Fewer editing and customization options than in the paid software.
Unable to extract meeting audio and text.
Cannot specify a recording region.

Record a meeting in Google Meet with a Chrome extension

Google Meet Recorder plug-ins also provide a convenient way to capture virtual meetings. Here, we explore two options, Loom and Scrnli, with each designed to enhance your meeting experience by recording Google Meet with audio and screen.

Loom

Loom is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Chrome. With Loom, you can effortlessly record, edit, and share videos directly from your browser. You will benefit from the Google Meet recorder extension’s simple interface, and you can capture screen, webcam, and audio with a single click. It also supports using shortcuts to pause, stop, or restart recording.

Pros

You can rewind, trim, or edit within the browser.
Powerful collaboration tools.
Share in Gmail or share to Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin.

Cons

Free accounts record videos for up to 5 minutes.
The free version supports 720p quality.
Advanced features require upgrading to the Business subscription.

Scrnli

Scrnli is a powerful yet simple screen recorder extension for Google Chrome and Edge that easily captures your virtual sessions. It’s a good choice for users who want a no-frills approach to recording. While recording, users can make annotations. After recording, you can download the recordings to your local computer in the default .webm format. You can also use it to convert to other formats such as MP4, MOV, and OGG.

Pros

Easy to use.
480p, 720p and 1080p recording is possible.
No time limit for recordings.

Cons

Download as .webm format only.
The max conversion size is 500MB.

Record Google Meeting on Windows 10 and Windows 11 for Free Using Xbox Game Bar

In addition to using third-party screen recorders or Google Meet recording add-ons, you can also use the computer’s built-in recording function to capture the images and sounds of online meetings. Both Windows and Mac provide similar functions. Let’s learn more about them.