Sometimes, you need to record a meeting without actually joining it—whether it’s because of a scheduling conflict, a busy day, or just wanting to review the discussion later without actively participating. While most video conferencing platforms require you to be present to initiate a recording, there are ways to capture meeting audio and video without entering the session yourself.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best methods to record a meeting without joining and introduce a powerful AI tool to transcribe and summarize your recordings automatically.

Why Record a Meeting Without Entering It?

There are several reasons why you might need to capture a meeting without actively joining:

• Conflicting schedules – You can’t attend but still need the information.

• Passive participation – You only need to review key points later.

• Time efficiency – Instead of sitting through long discussions, you prefer a summary.

• Asynchronous collaboration – Team members in different time zones can catch up at their convenience.

Want to turn meeting transcripts into clear, actionable minutes effortlessly? Check out our guide here: vomo.ai/blog/how-to-make-meeting-minutes-from-transcripts

Ways to Record a Meeting Without Entering It

1. Use a Meeting Bot (Best for Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams)

Some tools provide AI meeting assistants that can join and record meetings on your behalf.

Popular Meeting Bots for Recording:

• Otter.ai Assistant – Automatically joins scheduled meetings and transcribes them.

• tl;dv – Records Zoom & Google Meet calls, generates summaries.

• Fireflies.ai – Captures meetings, transcribes, and extracts key action points.

✅ Pros:

• No need to join manually.

• Provides both video and text transcription.

• Easy integration with calendar and conferencing apps.

❌ Cons:

• Some platforms notify participants that a bot is recording.

• Requires setup and integration.

2. Record Through a Secondary Device (Best for Internal or Private Meetings)

If you have access to a meeting link but don’t want to actively participate, you can:

• Use a separate computer or phone to join the meeting and record from there.

• Keep your camera and microphone off to stay unnoticed.

• Use built-in screen recording software like QuickTime (Mac) or Xbox Game Bar (Windows).

✅ Pros:

• Simple and free method.

• No need for third-party tools.

❌ Cons:

• You still technically “enter” the meeting.

• Some platforms notify hosts when a recording is happening.

3. Request a Meeting Recording from the Host

If you can’t attend, the simplest solution is to ask the meeting host to record and share the file with you.

✅ Pros:

• Ensures high-quality recording.

• Avoids third-party software risks.

❌ Cons:

• You rely on someone else to record and share.

• Not always an option in external meetings.

Enhance Your Meeting Recordings with VOMO AI

While the above methods help you capture a meeting, they don’t offer an efficient way to process the information. This is where VOMO AI can help.

What is VOMO AI?

VOMO AI is a smart voice recording and transcription tool that:

• Transcribes recordings automatically into text.

• Generates Smart Notes—summaries and key takeaways.

• Works with recorded audio files from meetings.

• Supports over 50 languages for global teams.

How VOMO AI Complements Meeting Recordings

After recording a meeting, you can:

1. Upload the audio or video file into VOMO AI.

2. Get a full transcription of the meeting conversation.

3. Generate Smart Notes for quick takeaways.

4. Search key topics easily without listening to the full recording.

This means you can skip long meetings and still get all the key information in minutes.

Try VOMO AI today and transform the way you handle meetings!