Zoom cloud recordings that are at least 180 days old will be automatically deleted, with the exception of those created between January 1 – June 1, 2020.
Zoom’s cloud storage is best suited for short-term sharing. For long-term storage or video hosting, we recommend reviewing our information on how to download and archive your recording.
Below, we’ve highlighted some common questions from the community about this change. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us for additional assistance.
Can I recover a deleted recording?
Yes, recordings may be recovered from the Zoom website for up to 30 days after it was deleted. Please see our information on recovering recordings for further assistance. Recovered recordings will be sent back to the Zoom recording trash within 48 hours from when they were recovered.
Does this affect all Zoom cloud recordings?
Yes, this affects all Zoom cloud recordings that are at least 180 days old, except for those created between January 1 – June 1, 2020.
Does this also affect my locally recorded Zoom meetings?
No, this only affects recordings that were saved to the Zoom cloud. Locally stored recordings on your device are not impacted.
Will anything happen to recordings I’ve already moved to Blackboard or other services?
No, only the original cloud recordings hosted on Zoom are subject to automatic deletion. Archived copies of recordings hosted on other platforms are not affected.
Are attendance or other reports also affected?
No, reports will continue to be available according to Zoom’s report retention periods, which is typically up to 12 months.
Does this mean I can delete my own cloud recordings again?
Unfortunately, no; we still do not have a method to allow you to delete your own recordings while meeting the University’s preservation obligations. You may, however, request the deletion of recordings that do not fall under the requirements by completing our request form.
Will I be notified if one of my recordings is going to be deleted?
Beginning March 15, 2022, IS&T will send automated emails to hosts when at least one of their recordings has been moved to the trash. These emails will contain core information about the recordings deleted to help you quickly evaluate if you need to recover anything. To learn more, please see our page on Managing Recording Notifications.
Will deleting a recording break any links we’ve posted on websites or in a Blackboard course?
Yes, viewers following a link to a deleted recording will see an error stating that the recording does not exist. If you choose to recover a deleted recording, your existing sharing links and settings will be restored.
Why do we need to automatically delete cloud recordings like this?
While many cloud storage providers allocate space for individuals, Zoom provides institutions with a storage allotment for their community to share. In Spring 2020, the transition to remote learning resulted in a dramatic increase in the University’s usage of Zoom and Zoom Cloud Recordings. Storage usage continued trending upward in the following semesters both naturally and as a result of the University’s original preservation obligation.
In order to maintain a reliable environment for the community, we must return our Zoom cloud storage usage to a sustainable level. IS&T has selected 180 days (plus Zoom’s 30 day recovery window) after considering community needs, the state of our Zoom environment, and similar decisions made by peer institutions.
Zoom cloud recording storage is an excellent solution for short-term recording sharing. Archiving and long-term hosting, however, are better served by offerings designed for these purposes. You can find more information and recommendations on our page on how to download and archive Zoom recordings.