How to Fix Zoom Failed to Convert Recording Error
In just a few years, Zoom has gone from a relatively obscure communication app to a major channel for business communications. It is now widely accepted as the default solution for video meetings and online collaboration, so a lot of people have it on their computers and use it for a variety of purposes.
Recording the meeting is a common practice that can be helpful to remember key takeaways, but users need to convert the recording to another format (typically MP4) before saving it. While in most cases this only takes a few moments and requires no user action, in rare situations the user might see an error message. This can complicate matters and force the user to look for a quick fix.
This article will explain why such errors happen in the first place, instruct about what you can do if you experience it, and provide some guidance that might be useful in such a scenario.
Also read: How to Fix FaceTime Screenshots Not Saving? >
Why is My Zoom Recording not Converting?
The video conversion tool within Zoom usually works well, and is activated automatically when a video meeting is completed. This is a core feature of the app and usually is a mere formality that users don’t even think about. They can simply record the meeting, wait for Zoom to convert the recording into an MP4 file and then save it locally or in the cloud.
If the conversion process is interrupted or shut down for whatever reason, the user will be shown the dreaded ‘failed to convert message’ that indicates a problem. Figuring out why Zoom is not able to perform this action is typically the first thing to do if the conversion doesn’t go as expected and the error message shows up instead. There are a few possibilities to consider when this happens.
Zoom Failed to Convert Recording Error
One common reason for the failure is that the conversion was stopped because the computer was turned off or lost the connection to the internet, which should be easy to notice. The primary cause could also be related to some user’s action in the app, for example changing the file name before the conversion started. Finally, the issue might originate from Zoom’s own back end system and arise from certain technical incompatibilities between its various parts. While the user might not always be 100% sure what caused the error to occur, this shouldn’t change the approach to fixing the conversion issue.
How to Fix Zoom Failed to Convert Recording Error?
There are two main lines of action that can lead to the correction of the error and completion of the conversion process. Either of them should be effective and ultimately allow the user to save the recording as MP4 video. Here is how each of those methods can be executed, starting with the point when you already finished the meeting and received a message stating that the conversion has failed.
Method 1. Converting the video manually
Zoom allows for the possibility of manual conversion as a failsafe for the automatic process, and has a dedicated command for it. To activate this feature, just do the following actions:
Step 1. With the Zoom app still running, find and open the Meetings tab
Step 2. Click on the Recorded button located just under the header
Click on the Recorded Button
Step 3. In the next screen, find the recording file of your meeting and mark it
Step 4. Press the Convert button to immediately start or continue the conversion process
Method 2. Conversion with zTscoder.exe file
An alternative to manual conversion (or a fallback if the first option doesn’t work) involves finding and executing the conversion program that can be found in the Zoom file package. This method is somewhat more complicated, as the user needs to navigate through system folders and execute a command prompt. Here is the correct procedure for fixing the Zoom conversion error with the zTscoder.exe tool:
Step 1. Click on the file name contained within the Zoom error message
Step 2. Select Open with, then click on More apps, and finally pick Look for another app on this PC
Step 3. Go to the folder C/Users/Username/AppData/Roaming/Zoom/bin
Step 4. Find the executable file for zTscoder converter and run it
Find the Executable File
Step 5. Return to the original error message and start conversion by double-clicking on the file name
Frequently Asked Questions about Zoom Conversion Error
Should I be worried about losing important data if I see the Zoom failed to convert recording error?
As explained above, video conversion that was abruptly ended before completion can be continued so there should be no long term issues caused by it. At the very least, raw video recording is unaffected by the conversion error so there is no chance that any of the content might be lost or damaged.
What should I do if the error message keeps popping up after almost every meeting?
In case this problem is frequent and/or persistent, there appears to be an underlying issue that needs to be identified and properly addressed. Unstable internet connection could be behind it, or you might need to install a newer version of Zoom. It’s also a good idea to ask for expert assistance, either from IT people in your company or directly from Zoom’s customer support.
How long does it take to fix this type of problem with a Zoom meeting recording?
Regardless of the conversion method you choose, it shouldn’t take more than a minute or two to execute all the necessary steps. It might take a few more minutes for the video to be converted, but even if you are under time pressure there is no reason to be worried as the process is simple and swift.
Conclusion
As Zoom becomes even more indispensable for conducting meetings and collaborating remotely, understanding its technical limitations is paramount. It’s reasonable to expect occasional issues if you are using this app every day and record all of your meetings, but they are usually manageable. Even if a conversion error occurs it won’t cause any serious problems or compromise data integrity. There are two easy ways to resolve the Zoom failed to convert error, so with a little bit of effort it’s possible to salvage the video and transfer it to a format that can be shared or edited with third-party software.
