Manage your Microsoft Teams recordings
Microsoft Teams recordings are saved in different places depending on meeting type: most non-channel meeting recordings go to the meeting organizer’s OneDrive for Business, while channel meeting recordings are stored on the channel’s SharePoint site. To keep recordings useful over time, organize files, set consistent sharing and retention rules, and consider a dedicated private video archive to preserve and present important meetings.
What to know
- Most non-channel Teams recordings are stored in the meeting organizer’s OneDrive; channel recordings go to SharePoint.
- Check the meeting chat first, then the organizer’s OneDrive or the channel SharePoint site to find a recording.
- Set sharing permissions and retention policies to control who can access and how long recordings remain available.
- Use consistent naming, folders, and owner responsibilities to keep recordings discoverable.
- Consider a dedicated private video archive for long-term preservation, categorization, and trusted viewing.
Where Teams recordings live
Teams recordings can appear in meeting chats, the organizer’s OneDrive for Business (for most non-channel meetings), a channel’s SharePoint site (for channel meetings), or as downloaded MP4 files. Knowing the recording type helps you locate the file without hunting through multiple folders or chats.
Control access and retention
Microsoft allows organizations to manage recording permissions, access, retention, and expiration policies. Use file-level sharing settings, SharePoint site permissions, and organization-wide retention rules to limit who can view recordings and how long they remain available.
Organize and preserve important recordings
Prevent recordings from becoming scattered by using consistent naming, centralized folders or SharePoint libraries, and clear owner responsibilities. For long-term replayability and easier discovery, you can move key recordings into a private video library that supports categorization, preservation, and controlled sharing so viewers can revisit content without searching through old chats and cloud folders.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a Teams meeting recording?
Start in the meeting chat for a recording link. For non-channel meetings, check the meeting organizer’s OneDrive for Business (often a 'Recordings' folder). For channel meetings, look in the channel’s associated SharePoint site. Also check any downloaded MP4s if someone saved a local copy.
Who controls access to Teams recordings?
Access is controlled by file-level sharing settings and SharePoint/OneDrive permissions. Organization administrators can also enforce retention and sharing policies that affect who can view recordings.
Will Teams delete recordings automatically?
Recordings can be affected by retention or expiration policies set by your organization. If such policies exist, they determine how long a recording stays available; there is no single default across all tenants.
How can I keep important recordings easy to find long-term?
Use consistent file naming, centralized storage locations or libraries, and assign owners to maintain organization. For durable discovery and controlled replay, move key recordings into a private video library or archive where content can be categorized, preserved, and shared with trusted viewers.