How to get a transcript of a Zoom or Teams call on a Mac

Zoom can transcribe the audio of meetings and webinars recorded to the cloud, and saves the transcript as a separate VTT file with the cloud recording (support.zoom.com/hc/en/article). Zoom says this needs a Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise account with cloud recording enabled, supports English only, and does not apply to computer recordings saved to your device (support.zoom.com/hc/en/article). In a Teams meeting you start live transcription from More actions > Record and transcribe > Start transcription, and the transcript shows each speaker's name and a time stamp, though participants can choose to hide their identity in captions and transcripts (support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/meetings/start-stop-and-download-live-transcripts-in-microsoft-teams-meetings). When the meeting is over, Teams puts the transcript in the meeting event on the calendar, and by default organizers and co-organizers can download it as a .docx or .vtt file (support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/meetings/start-stop-and-download-live-transcripts-in-microsoft-teams-meetings).

If the platform's transcript is not available to you, a notetaker app can record the call on your Mac and transcribe it. When Zoom, Teams, Meet or another call app starts using the microphone, Roundhand offers to record the call. While you talk, a small window shows the transcript as it is written. Roundhand transcribes the recording on your Mac. Afterwards you get a transcript with each speaker labelled. You name the speakers after the call, and Roundhand learns your own voice. With cloud cleanup on, Roundhand also writes a summary and each person's action items. Transcript text is sent to a cleanup provider only when cloud cleanup is on, and the audio is never uploaded. While a meeting is processed, its audio is held in a temporary file on your Mac, which is deleted once the meeting is processed unless you chose to keep the audio for playback.

Whichever route you take, other people on the call are being recorded too. Teams shows all participants a notification that the meeting is being transcribed (support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/meetings/start-stop-and-download-live-transcripts-in-microsoft-teams-meetings). The first time you record, Roundhand shows a notice that reads: "Recording other people may require their consent. The rules depend on where you and they are, so tell everyone on the call that you are recording."

In Roundhand, recording and transcripts are on every plan, including Free. Paid plans add cloud cleanup, which also writes meeting summaries. The pricing page lists what each plan includes.

How do I get a transcript of a Zoom meeting?

Zoom can transcribe the audio of meetings and webinars recorded to the cloud, and saves the transcript as a separate VTT file with the cloud recording (support.zoom.com/hc/en/article, checked on 2026-10-11). Zoom says this needs a Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise account with cloud recording enabled, supports English only, and does not apply to computer recordings saved to your device (support.zoom.com/hc/en/article, checked on 2026-10-11).

How do I download a Teams meeting transcript?

When the meeting is over, Teams puts the transcript in the meeting event on the calendar, and by default organizers and co-organizers can download it as a .docx or .vtt file (support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/meetings/start-stop-and-download-live-transcripts-in-microsoft-teams-meetings, checked on 2026-10-11).

Do I need permission to record a call?

The first time you record, Roundhand shows a notice that reads: "Recording other people may require their consent. The rules depend on where you and they are, so tell everyone on the call that you are recording."

Is the Roundhand Notetaker free?

In Roundhand, recording and transcripts are on every plan, including Free. With cloud cleanup on, Roundhand also writes a summary and each person's action items.