Where Are Microsoft Teams Recordings Stored? A Complete Guide (2026 Update)

As of 2026, Microsoft Teams recordings are stored in OneDrive for Business (for private meetings) or SharePoint (for channel meetings). They're no longer stored in Microsoft Stream. You'll find them in a "Recordings" folder within 5-30 minutes after your meeting ends.

You just finished recording an important meeting in Microsoft Teams. Maybe it was a research interview, a client presentation, or a focus group discussion. You hit "stop recording," and then... where did it go?

If you're used to the old Microsoft Stream system (pre-2021), the answer has changed. Microsoft moved Teams recordings to OneDrive and SharePoint, which is actually better for most people. Here's everything you need to know about finding, accessing, and managing your Teams recordings in 2026.

Where Your Recording Goes Depends on Your Meeting Type

Microsoft Teams routes your recordings to different locations based on what kind of meeting you held. Here's the simple breakdown:

Meeting Type	Storage Location	Who Can Access
Private meetings (1:1, scheduled)	Organizer's OneDrive for Business → Recordings folder	Organizer by default, then whoever they share with
Channel meetings	Team's SharePoint site → Recordings folder	Anyone with channel access
Group calls (non-scheduled)	Recorder's OneDrive for Business	Person who started recording
Webinars	Organizer's OneDrive for Business	Organizer, then shared attendees

The person who starts the recording controls where it goes. If you organized the meeting but someone else hit record, it goes to their OneDrive, not yours.

The Basics: Why the Change to OneDrive and SharePoint?

Before August 2021, all Teams recordings went to Microsoft Stream. It worked, but it was clunky. Files lived in a separate system, sharing was complicated, and integration with the rest of Microsoft 365 was limited.

The switch to OneDrive and SharePoint fixed most of these problems. Now your recordings live where your other files already are. You can search for them the same way you search for documents. Sharing uses the same permissions system you already know. And if your organization has retention policies or compliance requirements, those apply automatically to your recordings.

The practical benefits are real. Recordings appear faster (usually within 5-30 minutes instead of hours). You can download the MP4 file directly instead of relying on streaming. Automatic transcripts (if enabled) sit right next to the video as a .vtt file. And storage counts against your existing OneDrive or SharePoint quota, which most organizations already monitor.

How to Find Your Teams Recordings (Three Methods)

Teams smartly routes your recordings based on whether it's a casual 1:1 chat, a scheduled private meeting, or a channel-based team huddle. Here's the breakdown:

Method 1: Direct from Microsoft Teams (Fastest)

This is the quickest way if you just want to watch the recording or share it with someone.

For private meetings:

1. Open Microsoft Teams (desktop, web, or mobile app)

2. Go to the Chat tab

3. Find the meeting conversation in your chat list

4. The recording will appear as a message in the chat thread

5. Click the recording to play it inline, or click the three dots (...) for more options like Download

For channel meetings:

1. Open Microsoft Teams

2. Navigate to the channel where the meeting happened

3. Check the Posts tab (recording link appears as a post)

4. Or go to the Files tab → Recordings folder

5. Click to play or download

The recording appears in the chat or channel as soon as processing completes. You'll get a notification too.

Method 2: From OneDrive (Private Meetings)

If you want to manage the file itself (rename it, organize it, check storage space), go straight to OneDrive.

1. Open your web browser and go to onedrive.com

2. Sign in with your work or school account (the same one you use for Teams)

3. Look for a folder called "Recordings" in your OneDrive root directory

4. Your meeting recordings are in there, named with the meeting title and date

5. Click any recording to play it, or download the MP4 file

If you don't see a Recordings folder, either you haven't recorded any meetings yet, or they're in SharePoint (for channel meetings).

Method 3: From SharePoint (Channel Meetings)

Channel meetings belong to the team, not to individuals, so they're stored in the team's SharePoint site.

Option A: Through Teams

1. In Teams, go to your team channel

2. Click the Files tab at the top

3. Look for the Recordings folder

4. Your meeting recordings are in there

Option B: Direct in SharePoint

1. Go to your team's SharePoint site (usually yourcompany.sharepoint.com/sites/TeamName)

2. Navigate to Documents

3. Open the Recordings folder

4. Find your meeting recording

SharePoint recordings are accessible to everyone with channel permissions. If you need to restrict access, you'll need to adjust the sharing settings on that specific file.

Sharing Your Teams Recordings Securely

Once you've located your recording, sharing it is straightforward.

To share a OneDrive recording:

1. In OneDrive, click the three dots next to your recording file

2. Select Share

3. Choose who can access it (specific people, anyone with the link, people in your organization)

4. Set permissions (view only or edit)

5. Optionally set an expiration date for the link

6. Copy and send the link

To share a SharePoint recording:

1. Same process, but note that anyone with channel access can already see it

2. If you share externally, make sure your SharePoint settings allow external sharing

3. Consider whether guests need download permissions or just viewing

For sensitive content (like research interviews or confidential meetings), always use "Specific people" sharing and set expiration dates. Don't use "Anyone with the link" for anything you wouldn't want publicly accessible.

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Troubleshooting: When You Can't Find Your Recording

"I recorded a meeting but the file isn't showing up"

Wait 30 minutes. Processing takes time, especially for long recordings. If it's been more than an hour, check these things:

• Did you actually start the recording? Check for the red recording indicator during the meeting

• Are you looking in the right place? Private meeting = OneDrive, Channel meeting = SharePoint

• Did someone else start the recording? It's in their OneDrive, not yours

• Is your OneDrive full? If you're out of storage, recordings can fail to save

"The recording appears in Teams chat but I can't download it"

Your organization might have disabled downloads while allowing viewing. Check with your IT admin about your Teams recording policies.

"I accidentally deleted a recording"

Check your OneDrive or SharePoint recycle bin. You have 93 days to restore deleted files before they're permanently gone.

"The recording quality is terrible"

Teams recording quality depends on bandwidth during the meeting. If participants had poor connections, the recording reflects that. There's no way to improve quality after the fact, but you can adjust Teams settings for future recordings (Settings → Devices → Camera settings).

"Automatic transcription isn't working"

Transcription must be enabled by your organization and requires specific language settings. Even when enabled, Teams transcription is often inaccurate for technical terminology, accents, or multiple speakers. For research-grade transcripts, professional transcription services provide much higher accuracy.

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Downloading and Organizing Your Recordings

To download a recording:

1. In OneDrive or SharePoint, find your recording

2. Click the three dots (...)

3. Select Download

4. The MP4 file downloads to your computer

Best practices for organization:

• Rename recordings immediately with descriptive names (Teams uses generic meeting titles)

• Create subfolders in your Recordings folder by project, date, or topic

• Add version dates if you're recording recurring meetings

• Export and archive completed project recordings to free up cloud storage

• Keep a local backup of critical recordings

If you're managing research interviews or focus groups, develop a consistent naming convention like "ProjectName_ParticipantID_Date.mp4" to make files easier to locate later.

Converting Teams Recordings to Transcripts

If you need your Teams recording transcribed for analysis, research documentation, or accessibility purposes, you have options.

Teams auto-transcription creates a basic .vtt file, but accuracy varies significantly. For academic research, legal documentation, or market research analysis, professional human transcription provides much higher accuracy, especially with:

• Technical terminology or specialized vocabulary

• Multiple speakers or group discussions

• Accents or non-native speakers

• Audio quality issues

  
  

Professional services can format transcripts for qualitative analysis software (NVivo, MAXQDA, Atlas.ti), include speaker identification, add timestamps, and provide the verbatim level you need for your specific project.

If you're working with sensitive research data, make sure any transcription service you use is HIPAA and GDPR compliant with proper security protocols for handling participant data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for a Teams recording to appear?

Usually 5-30 minutes after the meeting ends. Long recordings (2+ hours) can take up to an hour to process. You'll get a notification in Teams when it's ready.

Can I record a Teams meeting without being the organizer?

Yes, if the organizer or your IT administrator has enabled recording permissions for participants. When you start recording, everyone gets a notification that recording has started.

What format are Teams recordings saved in?

MP4 video format. If transcription is enabled, you'll also get a .vtt transcript file.

Can external participants see recordings?

Only if you explicitly share the recording with them after the meeting. External participants don't automatically get access to recordings stored in your OneDrive or SharePoint.

How long are Teams recordings kept?

Indefinitely, unless your organization has set retention policies. The files stay in OneDrive or SharePoint until you delete them or they're removed by organizational policy.

Can I edit a Teams recording?

Not directly in Teams, but you can download the MP4 file and edit it in video editing software. The edited version won't automatically replace the original in OneDrive.

What happens to recordings if I leave the organization?

If you recorded meetings in your personal OneDrive, those files typically transfer to your IT administrator when your account is deactivated. Channel recordings in SharePoint stay with the team.

Why can't some people see my recording?

Check the sharing permissions on the file. In OneDrive, files are private by default. In SharePoint, channel permissions apply, but individual file permissions can override them.

Can I upload my own video to look like a Teams recording?

You can upload video files to the Recordings folder, but they won't have Teams metadata or integration. They're just regular video files stored in that location.

Need professional transcription of your Teams recordings? Qualtranscribe provides human-verified transcripts with speaker identification, timestamps, and formatting for analysis software. HIPAA and GDPR compliant for research and healthcare applications.

Last updated: January 2025. Microsoft features change periodically, so verify current settings in your Teams admin center.