Convert Zoom Meeting Recording Saved Locally in macOS

Zoom frequently bungles up a local recording. It’s happened to me twice in 6 months. On the surface, fixing it looks like a pain but fret not! There’s a simple way out.

Zoom should convert the temporary recordings into MP4 video and audio files once a meeting ends.

After a meeting, Zoom should produce these files

If it doesn’t? This is the sweet little packing you are left with.

This is the cue to rip your hair out

First, try double-clicking the file. Sometimes it works. If it does, lucky you. If it doesn’t, follow the method borrowed from here.

1. Start a new Zoom meeting.
2. Start recording and immediately stop it. In all OSes, this creates a new recording folder Documents/Zoom and deposits the recordings as two double_click* files. Look for this folder.
3. Copy, paste and replace the problematic double_click* files in the folder.
4. End the meeting to trigger the conversion of the recordings. Zoom will complain and just click Convert Anyway.

Keep calm and convert anyway

The dialog below should appear once the conversion begins.

Pop the champagne!

This process was tested in macOS. If you’re on Windows or Linux, I think it should be the same. Windows users might have an alternative method so give it a try if the above fails.

Good luck!