Guides
How to record Teams, Zoom and Meet on a Mac
Teams, Zoom and Meet can be recorded on a Mac with an app that picks up system audio and your microphone, or with each platform's own notes. PolarParrot, which we make, works with all three without adding a bot, using the macOS permissions. It has an open bug on Teams, explained below.
Written by Polargate, the company that makes PolarParrot, so we are an interested party. Data about each tool comes from its official page, with the date it was checked.
Last updated:
How do I record a Teams meeting on a Mac without a bot joining?
Open PolarParrot, press record and join the Teams call as usual. It records from your Mac, so nobody else appears in the participant list.
On Teams calls with three or more people there is an open bug: the others can stop being heard. The app warns you and tries to reconnect. If your Teams calls are always group calls, try it first on a meeting that does not matter.
If your company has Microsoft 365, also look at Copilot in Teams, which writes the recap inside Teams. It needs a Teams Premium or Copilot licence.
How can I record a Zoom meeting if I am not the host?
An app that records from your Mac does not use Zoom's recording, so it does not depend on the host's buttons. You press record in PolarParrot and join Zoom.
Even so, we recommend letting the host and the others know you are recording. We cover that in how to tell people you are recording.
How do I transcribe a Google Meet call for free?
Gemini notes in Meet are not free: they need a paid plan, and it is the organiser who needs it. These options have a free plan:
| Tool | How it works | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Fathom | Both: a bot by default, and bot-free device recording, in beta and only on Mac. | Free with unlimited recordings. Premium: $20 a month, or $16 paid yearly. |
| Tactiq | A browser extension that transcribes with no bot. | Free with 10 transcripts a month. Pro: €6.67 paid yearly. |
| Otter | Both: an assistant that joins the meeting and a desktop app that records without a bot. | Free with 300 minutes a month. Pro: $16.99 a month, or $8.33 paid yearly. |
With PolarParrot, Meet records the same way as Teams or Zoom, and your first meetings are free.
Each platform's own notes
Each platform has its own option. Copilot and Gemini work inside theirs. Zoom's My Notes also works on Teams and Meet:
| Tool | How it works | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot in Teams | Inside Teams. Transcription has to be turned on. | No free plan. Copilot Business: $25.20 a month. |
| Zoom AI Companion | Inside Zoom. My Notes also works on Teams, Meet and in person from the Zoom app, with no bots. | 3 free notes a month. Workplace Pro: $16.99 a month. |
| Gemini in Google Meet | Inside Meet. Participants get a notice and the notes go to a document in the organiser's Drive. | No free plan. Workspace Standard: €13.60 a month, excluding tax. |
What about FaceTime?
PolarParrot cannot record the other people on FaceTime: macOS only lets it record your voice. The app tells you. If you have the choice, use another platform. PolarParrot also works with WhatsApp.
Sources
- Copilot in Teams: intelligent recap, checked on 2 November 2026
- Copilot in Teams: Copilot pricing, checked on 2 November 2026
- Zoom AI Companion: pricing, checked on 2 November 2026
- Zoom AI Companion: AI note taking, checked on 2 November 2026
- Zoom AI Companion: Claude connector, checked on 2 November 2026
- Gemini in Google Meet: take notes with Gemini, checked on 2 November 2026
- Gemini in Google Meet: Workspace pricing, checked on 2 November 2026
- Fathom: pricing, checked on 2 November 2026
- Fathom: bot-free notes, checked on 2 November 2026
- Fathom: requirements, checked on 2 November 2026
- Fathom: MCP, checked on 2 November 2026
- Tactiq: pricing, checked on 2 November 2026
- Tactiq: MCP, checked on 2 November 2026
- Otter: pricing, checked on 2 November 2026
- Otter: desktop app, checked on 2 November 2026
- Otter: MCP server, checked on 2 November 2026
- PolarParrot support, checked on 2 November 2026
If you spot a wrong or outdated figure, write to hello@polargate.ai and we will correct it.
Keep reading
- How to record a meeting on a Mac without a botTo record with no bot you need an app that picks up system audio and your microphone. Here are the steps and the macOS permissions.
- How to tell people you are recording a meetingWe recommend telling people you are recording, even with no bot. How to do it and where to check the rules. General guidance, not legal advice.
- Mac meeting recorderWhich meeting recorders exist for Mac and which add a bot, from what each one publishes on its website.
- ComparePolarParrot next to Otter, Granola, Fathom and others, from what each website publishes: how each one records and what it costs.