How do you turn on Zoom AI meeting notes?
Switch on Meeting summary with AI in the Zoom web portal, then start it from the Zoom AI icon in the meeting. The switch exists at three levels: account (an admin), group (an admin) and user (you). A lock at a higher level overrides the level below, so a greyed-out toggle means an admin has locked it.
One naming point saves a lot of searching. Zoom's pricing page still mentions AI Companion, but Zoom's help pages, checked 5 Nov 2026, label the settings tab Zoom AI and the in-meeting button Start Zoom AI. Zoom's enabling or disabling meeting summary article is the source for every setting name below, and its meeting summary article for the in-meeting steps.
Before you start, check three things the support pages list: a licensed user on Zoom Workplace Pro, Pro Plus, Business, Business Plus, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus or Enterprise Bundle; the Zoom desktop or mobile app at Zoom's global minimum version or higher (Zoom Rooms 5.16.0 or higher); and that the meeting isn't in breakout rooms, where Meeting Summary isn't available.
Where are the account, group and user settings?
All three are in the Zoom web portal in a browser, on desktop. The path differs by level:
| Level | Who can change it | Path in the web portal | Extra options under the toggle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Account owner, an admin, or a custom role that can edit account settings | Profile picture > Admin Center > Settings > Zoom AI > under Meeting, Meeting summary with AI | Auto-start when meetings start; Send an email notification when sharing with participants; Restrict users from sharing summaries |
| Group | An admin with privileges to edit groups | Admin Center > Users > Groups > group name > General configuration > Edit product settings > Zoom AI | Auto-start when meeting starts; Send an email notification when sharing with participants; Restrict users from sharing summaries to those outside of our organization |
| User | You | Profile picture > Settings > Zoom AI > under Meeting, Meeting summary with AI | Auto-start when meeting starts; Send an email notification when sharing with participants |
At every level, confirm with Enable if prompted, choose who gets the summary under Automatically share summary with, and click Save. An admin who wants the setting fixed for everyone clicks the lock icon next to it, then Lock.
If you run a small team, the fastest route is: the admin turns it on and locks it at account level with auto-start on, so nobody has to remember. Don't lock it if some people run calls where a summary shouldn't exist, such as HR conversations.
How do I start AI Companion in a Zoom meeting?
Tick Auto-start when meeting starts once, or start it by hand in each meeting. Zoom's article says only the host and co-host can start or stop Meeting Summary from the meeting controls. The steps by device:
Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Hover over the Zoom AI icon in the top-right of the meeting window, select the Meeting summary checkbox, optionally select Generate transcript, then click Start Zoom AI.
Mobile (iOS, Android)
Tap the Zoom AI icon, turn on Meeting summary, optionally turn on Retain meeting transcript, then tap Start Zoom AI.
Zoom Rooms
Tap More, then Start Summary.
Stop it
Clear the Meeting summary checkbox, or click Stop Zoom AI to stop every AI feature. You can also select Delete meeting assets to remove the transcript and summary.
With auto-start, generation begins as soon as anyone starts the meeting, so the host doesn't need to be there. A participant who isn't host can pick Ask host to start Zoom AI. Started by hand, it summarises from that point on, according to Zoom's getting started with Zoom AI features page, so a summary started ten minutes in misses the first ten minutes.
Who receives the Zoom meeting summary?
Whoever you pick under Automatically share summary with, provided they were signed in to Zoom during the meeting. The options on the enabling page:
| Option | Who gets it | Good fit |
|---|---|---|
| Only meeting host (Only me (meeting host) on a personal account) | The host; automatic sharing is off for newly created meetings | Sales calls with prospects, where you want to check it first |
| Only meeting host, co-hosts, and alternative hosts | The people running the call | Two founders sharing calls |
| Only meeting host and meeting invitees in our organization | Your own invited colleagues | Internal stand-ups and planning |
| All meeting invitees including those outside of our organization | Everyone on the invite, inside or outside; unavailable if external sharing is restricted | Client projects where both sides want the same record |
Three edge cases from the Using Meeting Summary with AI article: people who weren't signed in don't get the summary automatically; people who joined ad hoc, through an in-meeting invitation or a shared join link, don't get it either; and Zoom says anyone who receives a summary may save and share it with apps and others. Summaries arrive by email (subject: the meeting topic) and, if meeting chat before and after meetings is turned on, in the meeting's group chat.
Our view for a small B2B team: keep sales calls on Only meeting host. An unchecked summary that misquotes a price or a promise can reach a prospect before you've read it. Our guide to what to send in the first 24 hours after a sales call covers turning the checked notes into the follow-up.
How do you edit, share or delete a Zoom summary?
Only the host can edit or delete. From the email, click Edit Summary Here; in Zoom Chat, open the group chat named after the meeting, find the message from Zoom Meetings and click View Details, then Edit. In the web portal, go to My account > Summaries: hosts work in My Summaries, recipients see Shared with me, and each summary has Share (by email), Edit and Delete. Zoom says deletion can't be undone.
Edit before you share. A two-minute check against this list catches the errors that matter most once a summary leaves your hands:
Point 5 is the rule behind our post on meeting notes that become actions: decisions, rejected options, actions and open questions are what a summary is for.
What do attendees see when the summary is on?
An illuminated AI Sparkle icon in the top-right corner of the meeting window, according to Zoom's user transparency and notice page. Hovering over it shows which AI features are on and whether a transcript is being generated. Participants can ask the host to turn the features off, with the option to delete what has been generated so far. When the features are off, the icon isn't lit.
An icon in a corner is easy to miss, and some prospects mind. Say it in the invite and again in the first minute. A line you can paste (sample wording, ours):
Recording-consent rules differ by state, and a summary built from a transcript raises the same question. Our sibling post on sales call recording covers the rules. On data, Zoom's page on how Zoom AI features handle your data says it does not use your audio, video, chat, screen sharing or attachments to train Zoom's or third-party AI models.
Which Zoom plans include meeting summaries, and what do they cost?
Paid plans list unlimited summaries; the free Basic plan lists three a month. Zoom's pricing page, checked 5 Nov 2026, in US dollars per user a month:
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually | Meeting summaries | Meeting length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free | Free | For 3 hosted meetings per month | 40 minutes |
| Pro | $16.99 | $14.16 | Unlimited | 30 hours |
| Business | $21.99 | $18.33 | Unlimited | 30 hours |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | Unlimited | 30 hours |
Two cautions. The support article still lists a licensed user on Pro or above as the requirement, so the Basic allowance may not appear in every account. And the pricing page says AI features don't apply to users with Basic permissions on paid accounts: an unlicensed seat on a paid plan gets nothing.
Worked example for a two-person team on Pro: $14.16 × 2 × 12 = $339.84 a year billed annually, against $16.99 × 2 × 12 = $407.76 billed monthly, a difference of $67.92. If only one person runs customer calls, one licensed seat at $14.16 × 12 = $169.92 a year covers the summaries, as long as that person hosts.
If you would rather not have Zoom's assistant on client calls, Siela's meeting notes tool records on your own device through the Windows or macOS desktop app and pulls out decisions, owners and follow-ups. For third-party tools, how bots join Zoom calls under the 2026 rules and what they cost, see our sibling guide AI note taker for Zoom: built-in summary vs bots.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on auto transcription for Zoom cloud recordings?
In the web portal, open Settings, then Recording, check cloud recording is on, and under Advanced cloud recording settings select Create audio transcript, then Save. Zoom says it needs a Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise account, works only for cloud recordings, supports English only and can't be changed during a meeting. The Generate transcript box when starting Zoom AI is separate.
How do I automatically start the AI Companion in Zoom meetings?
Tick Auto-start when meeting starts under Meeting summary with AI in your Zoom AI settings, or ask your admin to tick the account version, Auto-start when meetings start. Zoom says generation then begins as soon as anyone starts the meeting, even if the host hasn't joined. If the box is greyed out, an admin has locked the setting.
How do you take notes in a Zoom meeting?
Three routes: let the host's meeting summary write them, take your own with My Notes, or use a separate tool. Zoom's My Notes article says it needs a Pro, Business or Enterprise account or a My Notes standalone plan, and admins choose whether participants outside the organisation can use it. Zoom's notice page says other participants see a banner that the meeting is being transcribed.
Is Fathom AI free to use?
Fathom has a free plan. Its pricing page, checked 5 November 2026, lists unlimited recordings and transcriptions and instant AI call summaries on Free, with some AI features, such as pre-built summary templates and Ask Fathom, marked limited use. The first paid plan for individuals, Premium, is $20 per user a month, or $16 a month billed annually.
Can I get a Zoom summary if I wasn't the host?
Only if the host's sharing setting includes you and you were signed in to Zoom during the meeting. People who joined through a shared link or an in-meeting invitation don't receive it automatically. If it doesn't reach you, My Notes can give you your own record where the admin allows it.
Sources
- Zoom Support: Using meeting summary with AI (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom Support: Enabling or disabling meeting summary with AI (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom Support: Getting started with Zoom AI features (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom pricing (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom: User Transparency and Notice (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom Support: How Zoom AI features handle your data (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom Support: Enabling or disabling audio transcription for cloud recordings (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Zoom Support: Enabling or disabling the My Notes feature (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Fathom pricing (checked 5 Nov 2026)