Google Meet will allow viewers to download or copy video recordings by default starting on April 30, 2026. Recording owners will need to manually restrict this setting if they want to prevent downloads or copies.
This change simplifies access to recordings for users. Previously, obtaining permission from the recording owner was necessary to download or copy recorded meetings.
Currently, the “Ask Gemini” functionality within the Drive viewer is disabled for non-file owners, impacting how users access recordings. After April 30, 2026, videos recorded will come with the new download permissions unless explicitly restricted by the owner.
Recording owners can disable this feature by unchecking the “Let Users download and copy Meet Recordings” option in the Admin console, but this must be done before the change takes effect. The update does not apply to videos recorded before April 30, 2026; those will remain restricted to viewers without modifications.
The new policy is aimed at business, enterprise, and education users. General Google account owners will not be affected by this update for the time being.
