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From 1 December 2025 a 3 year (1095 days) retention policy will be introduced for Zoom cloud recordings. Recordings older than 3 years will be automatically deleted.
Effective 1 December 2025, all Zoom Cloud recordings will be subject to a 3-year (1095 days) retention period. This means that:
- Recordings older than 1095 days (i.e. created before 1 December 2022) will automatically be moved to the Zoom "Trash" folder.
- Recordings in the Trash will remain recoverable for 30 days, after which they will be permanently deleted from Zoom Cloud storage. They will not be able to be recovered after this point.
- Recordings younger than 1095 days will remain unaffected until they reach the retention threshold, at which point they will be moved to the "Trash" folder, where they will be recoverable for 30 days following the process highlighted above.
We strongly recommend that you review recordings you wish to retain well before 30 November 2025. Any recordings that you wish to retain should be moved to an alternative storage location.
Required Action
To preserve recordings beyond the 1095-day limit, please migrate them to an alternative storage location. Please see the file storage options available at UCL for further information.
All Zoom recordings exceeding 1095 days as of 1 December 2025 will be automatically moved to the "Trash" folder. You will then have a 30-day window to recover and relocate them before they are permanently deleted.
Accessing and Restoring Recordings from Trash
To restore recordings from the Zoom Trash:
- Log into your UCL Zoom account.
- Navigate to Recordings and Transcripts.
- Click on Trash (located next to the "Delete All" button).
- Select recordings to restore, then immediately transfer them to an alternative storage location to prevent them from being subject to future deletion.
Important Consideration for Shared Cloud Recording Links
If you have previously shared Zoom Cloud recording links via websites or social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), please note that any link to a recording that is deleted under this policy will no longer function. You are advised to:
- Either replace links with stored MP4 files on approved platforms.
- Or inform the relevant web administrators to remove outdated references.
Key Dates to Remember
- 30 November 2025: Deadline to review recordings older than 3 years and move any recordings that are still required to an alternative location.
- 1 December 2025: Retention policy becomes active. Recordings older than 1095 days will begin moving to the "Trash" folder.
- 30 Days After Deletion: Recordings are permanently deleted from Zoom Cloud.
Should you have any questions or require assistance with transferring your recordings, please contact OneDesk IT.