Record an in-person meeting people can trust afterwards

Tell the room before you record, every time

Video calls usually show a recording indicator. A meeting room doesn't. The only notice is the one you give, so say it out loud before the real discussion starts. Then give people a moment to object.

In the United States, the law depends on where the conversation happens. The Digital Media Law Project explains that federal law allows recording with one party's consent, while some states require everyone's. Its advice is to get everyone's consent.

Other countries and workplaces have their own rules, so check the ones that apply to you. This article isn't legal advice.

• Invitation line: “This meeting will be recorded and transcribed so we can share notes afterwards.”
• Opening line: “We're recording this for the notes. Is everyone comfortable with that?”
• If someone objects: stop and take written notes instead, or agree which part may be recorded.
• If someone joins late: tell them when they arrive.

Put one device where it can hear everyone

Most room recordings fail on audio, not software. A laptop at one end of a long table hears its own keyboard and loses the far end. Put the recorder in the middle of the group, away from projector fans and air vents. Close any laptop that isn't recording.

Before an important session, ask the quietest person to say a sentence and play it back. If you can't understand it, a transcription model won't either.

Ask people not to talk over each other during decisions. Those are the moments you most need recorded clearly.

Pick one recorder for hybrid rooms

If the room also joins a video call, decide which device records. Recording the call and the room separately can leave you with two partial records of the same meeting.

Plan how speakers will be named

A video call can label speakers from the participant list. A room recording usually can't, so the transcript starts with generic labels. Fix them soon after the meeting while you still remember who said what. A quote pinned on the wrong person is worse than none.

Two habits help. Ask people to say their name the first time they speak, and note the seating order at the start.

Recording a room meeting in Bridge

In Bridge, choose New, then Record in-person meeting, and allow microphone access. It works in the web app, on mobile web and in the Mac desktop app. Bridge transcribes live while you take notes, then files the meeting under Completed with structured notes.

Speakers start as Person 1, Person 2 and so on. You can rename them on the completed transcript. On mobile web, keep the browser tab open until you stop recording.

Check before you share

Read the decisions and action items against the transcript before sending notes to anyone who wasn't there. Fix names, and remove anything people asked to keep off the record. Share only with the people who need it.

If the notes are going to someone who will act on them, our guide to meeting-notes handoffs covers what to include.