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How to record and transcribe Google Meet meetings locally

July 1, 2026· 3 min read· by AppNest
The short answer

You can record and transcribe Google Meet without sending anything to a third-party cloud. MeetConnect's Chrome extension records the meeting audio directly in your browser and saves it locally (IndexedDB) — no bridge and no ffmpeg needed for basic recording. For AI transcription, you run a small local bridge with your own Gemini API key, so the audio and transcript stay on your machine. Live captions are captured and exportable as .txt for free.

Why record locally

Most meeting recorders upload every word you speak to their servers. A local-first approach keeps the recording and the transcript on your own hardware: nothing leaves the machine unless you choose to send it. That matters for candid internal calls, regulated work, or simply not wanting a third party to hold a copy of every meeting.

What you need

  • Google Chrome (or a Chromium browser) and a Google Meet call.
  • The MeetConnect extension — download the latest build and load it unpacked.
  • (Optional) a Gemini API key — only if you want AI transcription of the audio. Live captures and recording work without it.

Step by step

  1. 1.Install the extension. Unzip the download, open chrome://extensions, enable Developer mode, click *Load unpacked*, and pick the meetconnect-extension folder.
  2. 2.Join a Meet. The live panel appears and captions are captured automatically — you can export them as .txt at any time.
  3. 3.Record the audio. Press record in the panel. Audio is saved to your browser in ~10-second crash-safe chunks, so a refresh or crash loses at most the last chunk.
  4. 4.Download the recording. Open the Meetings dashboard, pick the session, and click *Download .webm*. This works with no bridge and no ffmpeg installed.
  5. 5.(Optional) AI transcription. Start the local bridge with your Gemini key and use *Transcribe* to get a mixed-language, speaker-attributed transcript from the audio.
NoteBasic browser-only recording (audio + a locally-saved caption transcript) needs no server. AI transcription, meeting summaries, and a permanent server-side archive are the parts that require the local bridge.

Where your data lives

Browser-only recordings are stored in the extension's local IndexedDB and never uploaded. The Meetings dashboard reads them straight from the browser, so your history works offline. When you run the bridge, transcripts and finalized audio are written to your own disk — again, on your machine.

Not sure whether captions or an AI transcript is right for a given meeting? See live captions vs AI transcription.

Frequently asked questions

Can I record Google Meet without uploading it anywhere?+

Yes. MeetConnect records the meeting audio directly in your browser and stores it locally in IndexedDB. Nothing is uploaded unless you explicitly choose a cloud feature.

Do I need ffmpeg or a server to record?+

No. Basic browser-only recording and download work with no bridge and no ffmpeg. Those are only needed for AI transcription and server-side finalizing.

Is a Gemini API key required?+

Only for AI transcription of the audio. Live caption capture, .txt export, and audio recording all work without any API key.

Where are my recordings stored?+

In your browser's local IndexedDB for browser-only recordings, and on your own disk when the local bridge is running. Both stay on your machine.

Keep reading
Captions vs AI transcription →Download the extension →Privacy model →

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