FORA's AI Notetaker works best with Zoom's computer recording feature (formerly called "local recording"). This guide will help you enable the necessary settings in Zoom to ensure FORA can properly record and transcribe your meetings.
Why Computer Recording is Necessary for FORA
FORA requires Zoom's computer recording feature to be enabled for optimal performance. This allows the FORA AI Notetaker to:
- Join and record your meetings seamlessly
- Generate accurate transcripts and summaries
- Provide insights from your meetings
If your organization hasn't enabled cloud recording or prefers computer recording, these settings are essential for FORA to function properly.
Enabling Computer Recording in Zoom
For Account Administrators
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator with permission to edit account settings
- Navigate to Account Management → Account Settings
- Click the Recording & Transcript tab
- Under the Recording section, toggle "Record to computer files" to enable it
- In the verification dialog, click Enable to confirm
- Under "Who can request host permission to record?" enable the following options:
- Internal meeting participants
- Auto approve their permission requests
- External meeting participants (if you want external participants to record)
- Auto approve their permission requests
For Group Administrators
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with privileges to edit user groups
- Navigate to User Management → Groups
- Select the applicable group name
- Click the Recording & Transcript tab
- Toggle "Record to computer files" to enable it
- In the verification dialog, click Enable to confirm
- Configure the same "Who can request host permission to record?" settings as described above
For Individual Users
If you're setting this up for yourself and have the necessary permissions:
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal
- Navigate to Settings
- Click the Recording tab
- Toggle "Record to computer files" to enable it
- In the verification dialog, click Turn On to confirm
Note: If this option is grayed out, it has been locked at the group or account level. Contact your Zoom administrator for assistance.
Connecting FORA to Zoom
After enabling computer recording in Zoom, you'll need to connect your Zoom account to FORA:
- Sign in to FORA and select "Settings" from the settings cog in the top right navbar
- Select "Data Sources"
- Click on the "Zoom" app to initiate the OAuth flow
- You'll be prompted to grant permissions to the FORA OAuth Zoom app
- Once connected, you should see "Zoom Connected" on the data sources page
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
- FORA Notetaker can't record: Ensure "Record to computer files" is enabled and the FORA app has been authorized in your Zoom account
- Permission errors: Check that the "Who can request host permission to record?" settings are properly configured
- Recordings not appearing: Verify your FORA-Zoom connection is active
Need Additional Help?
If you're unable to enable these settings, please contact your FORA administrator within your company. For further assistance, reach out to FORA support at support@fora.day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will recordings be saved on my computer?
No, the FORA AI Notetaker records to its own system and doesn't save recordings on your device.
Why does FORA need record permission for all users?
Due to Zoom's permission structure, the "Record to computer files" setting must be enabled to allow the FORA AI Notetaker to request recording permission.
What if I don't enable these settings?
Without these settings, FORA may be unable to record and transcribe your meetings, limiting its ability to provide insights and summaries.
Will the FORA Notetaker wait in the waiting room?
No, the FORA AI Notetaker joins the meeting together with the host, as defined by Zoom.