How do I set up Zoom so Read can join and record my meetings?

Zoom requires every meeting bot, including Read, to be authorized by a signed-in Zoom user. This article puts everything in one place so Read can join your Zoom meetings and record them. Follow the steps in order. If you’ve gone through all of them and Read still doesn’t join or record, contact the Read Support Team (see How do I contact the Read Support Team?).

TL;DR

For Read to join and record a Zoom meeting:

1. Your Zoom account is connected to Read.
2. The meeting is on a calendar connected to Read, and Add Read? is turned on for it (or you add Read manually).
3. You’re in the meeting, signed in to the same Zoom account you connected to Read.
4. The meeting allows Read in (the “Only authenticated users can join” setting doesn’t block it).
5. The host’s Zoom settings allow recording, including Record to computer files.

Step 1: Connect your Zoom account to Read

Read can only join and record a Zoom meeting if you’ve connected your Zoom account to Read. You can’t send Read to a Zoom meeting on its own. If you haven’t connected your Zoom account, Read can’t join any of your Zoom meetings, including when you add it manually.

Free Zoom accounts work too. You don’t need a paid Zoom account.

Check whether you’re already connected

• Integration: Go to Integrations > Zoom. If Zoom shows as Active, you’re all set.
• Sign-in method: Go to your Profile & Account settings. If Zoom is listed under Sign-In Methods, you’re set up, but we still recommend connecting the integration too.

Connect the Zoom integration (recommended)

1. Go to Integrations > Zoom.
2. Click Connect.
3. Sign in to Zoom and approve the connection.

You can also add Zoom on the Add Sign-In Method page, but this alone doesn’t give you all the benefits of the integration. With the integration connected, Read can:

• Join meetings you host with permission to record already granted
• Join meetings hosted by others more reliably, because it meets the host’s “authenticated users only” setting and is less likely to need the host to admit it

For more details, see Upcoming Changes to Zoom Meetings.

Step 2: Make sure Read is set to join the meeting

• Connect your calendar. Read supports Google Calendar, Zoom Calendar, and Microsoft Outlook. After you connect it, your upcoming meetings are listed on your Calendar page. See How do I connect my calendar to Read?
• Check that the meeting has a Zoom link. Meetings without a valid video conferencing link are hidden by default on your Calendar page, and Read won’t join them automatically. Email protection tools (like Mimecast or Safe Links) and scheduling apps (like Calendly) can change meeting links so Read doesn’t recognize them.
• Turn on “Add Read?” in advance. You’ll find this toggle on your Calendar page. Your auto-join preferences in Account Settings > Meeting Recording decide which meetings have it turned on by default. See What meetings does Read join when I connect my calendar?

Read tries to join automatically a few minutes before the scheduled start time. If the meeting starts more than ten minutes late, you’ll need to add Read manually (see Add Read manually below).

Step 3: Join the meeting signed in to the same Zoom account

You need to be in the meeting, signed in to the same Zoom account you connected to Read. If you join signed in to a different Zoom account, or not signed in at all, Read can’t join.

Step 4: Make sure “Only authenticated users can join” doesn’t block Read

Some Zoom meetings only let in participants who are signed in to Zoom. Connecting your Zoom account to Read (Step 1) satisfies the host’s “Only authenticated users can join” restriction, so the host usually doesn’t need to change that setting.

If you’ve connected your Zoom account and still get the “Only authenticated users can join” error, the host should check whether this setting is turned on in any of these places and turn it off for meetings Read should record:

1. User settings (meeting hosts): Sign in to Zoom and go to your profile settings. Select the Meeting tab and make sure Only authenticated meeting participants and webinar attendees can join meetings and webinars is turned off.
2. Personal Meeting ID (PMI) settings: These apply to meetings that use your PMI. In the Zoom app, click the down arrow next to New Meeting, select your PMI, and click PMI Settings. Make sure Only authenticated users can join: Sign in to Zoom is turned off.
3. Individual meetings: The meeting creator can turn this setting on for a single meeting. When scheduling a meeting you want Read to record, make sure it isn’t checked.
4. Account or group settings (Zoom admins): If a Zoom admin turned this setting on for your whole account or group, you won’t be able to see or change it. Ask your Zoom admin to check it. They can follow Zoom’s instructions.

For more details, see How do I allow unauthenticated users to join Zoom?

Step 5: Give Read permission to record

Zoom doesn’t allow anyone to record a meeting without the host’s approval. If you’re the meeting host and your Zoom account is connected, Read already has permission to record, so you won’t need to approve a request during the meeting. If someone else is the host, they may need to approve Read’s request to record. If they don’t, you’ll see “Read requested recording permission but the host did not grant it” on your Incomplete reports page.

The meeting host also needs these Zoom recording settings:

These settings exist at the user, group, and account level in Zoom. If a setting is turned off at the account or group level, it overrides the user settings, and a Zoom admin may need to change it.

User level

1. Sign in to Zoom and go to your Profile Settings.
2. Select the Recording tab.
3. Make sure the settings above are turned on.
4. If a setting is grayed out and you can’t turn it on, contact your Zoom admin.

Account level (Zoom admins)

1. Sign in to Zoom and go to Account Settings.
2. Select the Recording & Transcript tab.
3. Make sure the settings above are turned on.

Group level (Zoom admins)

1. Sign in to Zoom and go to Group Management.
2. Select the group you want to check.
3. Select the Recording & Transcript tab.
4. Make sure the settings above are turned on.

For more details, see How do I enable recording permissions in Zoom?

Add Read manually

If the meeting starts more than ten minutes late, wasn’t on your calendar, or Read didn’t join on its own, you can add Read to the meeting while it’s in progress. The requirements above still apply: your Zoom account must be connected, and you must be in the meeting signed in to that account.

• From Read’s website: Sign in to Read, click Add to live meeting in the left-hand navigation, and paste the meeting URL. To copy the URL in Zoom, click the ^ next to Participants, then Copy Invite Link.
• Through Read’s Zoom app: Open AI-generated meeting summaries by Read AI from the Apps list during your meeting. Zoom Apps only work in the Zoom desktop app for Windows and Mac. See How to install Read's app for Zoom.
• Through Read’s browser extension: Paste the meeting URL into the extension, or click Yes, Add Read when it prompts you before the call.

For step-by-step instructions, see How do I manually add Read to a live meeting?

Note: When you add Read manually, Read can’t link the report to your calendar event. The report gets a default title, and automatic sharing to other participants won’t work.

Troubleshooting

If Read tries to join or record but doesn’t produce a full report, check your Incomplete reports page. Each meeting shows a message explaining what happened. Find your message below.

For other reasons Read may not join, see Why didn't Read join my meeting?

Related articles

• Upcoming Changes to Zoom Meetings
• How do I allow unauthenticated users to join Zoom?
• How do I enable recording permissions in Zoom?
• How do I manually add Read to a live meeting?
• Why didn't Read join my meeting?
• Admitting and Removing Read from a Meeting