On Zoom, Coworker Recorder can only record after the meeting host approves it. When Recorder joins, Zoom shows the host a popup asking to allow recording. If Recorder can't get into the meeting, or nobody is there who can approve it, nothing is recorded and no transcript or summary is created.

In this article, "host" means the person who scheduled the Zoom meeting. Most of these are fixed in Zoom by the host. If you can't change the host's settings, see the Notetaker section at the end.

Only the host can approve Recorder. Co-hosts can let Recorder in from the waiting room, but they can't approve recording. So if the host doesn't join, Recorder stays in the call without recording. This can happen with a recurring meeting when the host misses an occurrence.

Fix: If the host can't make it, they can add an alternative host when scheduling the meeting. In the Zoom desktop app, open the scheduler, click Settings, then under Advanced add the person in Alternative hosts. The alternative host starts the meeting from the link Zoom sends them, signed in to Zoom, and has host controls unless the original host joins and takes them back. That includes the popup to allow Recorder, so the alternative host can approve recording. Both people need a paid (Licensed) Zoom license on the same Zoom account.

You can't change the alternative host for just one occurrence of a recurring meeting. Edit all occurrences in the Zoom web portal.

To get host controls, the host has to join signed in to the Zoom account they scheduled the meeting from. If they join from another account, or without signing in, Zoom treats them as a regular participant and they never see the popup.

Fix: Sign in to Zoom with the account that scheduled the meeting before joining.

The approval popup only appears in the Zoom desktop app on Windows, Mac or Linux. It doesn't appear when the host joins Zoom in a web browser or from a Zoom Room.

Fix: The host joins from the Zoom desktop app.

Even when the host is in the meeting, their Zoom settings can stop the popup from appearing. In the Zoom web portal, the host goes to Settings, then the Recording tab, then General, and checks that:

If a setting is greyed out, the company's Zoom admin has locked it and needs to change it.

The host can also turn off recording requests during a meeting, from Host tools under Allow all participants to. If Request to record to computer is off, Recorder can't ask.

If the host clicks deny, or doesn't respond within about a minute, Recorder can't record.

Fix: For next time, let the host know to expect the popup and click Allow.

If the meeting has a waiting room, only the host or a co-host can let Recorder in. If neither is there, Recorder waits and eventually leaves.

Fix: Make sure the host, or an alternative host (see case 1), is in the meeting to let Recorder in. A co-host can let it in too, but recording still needs the host's approval.

Recorder joins Zoom as a guest, without a Zoom account. If a meeting requires people to sign in to Zoom before joining, Recorder can't get in.

Fix: In the meeting's options in Zoom, turn off Require authentication to join. If it's greyed out, the company's Zoom admin has locked it. Or use the Notetaker.

For another company's meetings, or any meeting where the host can't approve Recorder, use the Notetaker. It runs in the Coworker desktop app (currently Mac only) and creates the transcript and summary from audio on your computer, so there's no bot to let in and no host approval needed. It doesn't record video. See Recorder vs Notetaker and Using Notetaker for desktop.

For other reasons a meeting might be missing, like an out-of-date meeting link, see Why didn't Coworker Recorder capture my meeting? Still stuck? Contact support with the meeting name and time.