How to Automatically Record Google Calendar Meetings: Recall.ai Setup Guide
Meeting recordings slip through the cracks when you rely on memory to hit that record button. You join back-to-back calls, focus on the conversation, and realize halfway through that you forgot to start recording the most important discussion of the week.
Google Calendar handles scheduling, but recording every meeting requires a different approach. Manual recording is effective until you’re managing multiple projects and check-ins, where each conversation involves decisions that require documentation.
Automatic recording removes the guesswork from meeting documentation. Whether you choose Google Meet‘s built-in features, third-party tools like Recall.ai, or automation platforms, you can ensure every important conversation gets captured without interrupting your workflow.
TL;DR: Never forget to record another meeting again.
Use this template:
MESA Template ID
send-google-calendar-events-to-recall-meeting-bot
In this article:
Step-by-step guide: How to automatically record Google Calendar meetings with Recall
Time needed: 5 minutes
Set up an automation that monitors your Google Calendar for new events and automatically creates recording bots in Recall whenever you schedule a meeting. This workflow eliminates the need to manually configure recording for each meeting.
- Connect your Google Calendar
Set up MESA to monitor your Google Calendar for newly created events. You’ll need to authenticate your Google account and specify which calendar to watch. The automation will check for new events every minute and trigger the automation whenever you create a meeting that includes a video call link.
- Create the Recall recording bot
When the workflow detects a new calendar event with a meeting URL, it automatically sends the meeting details to Recall to create an AI recording bot. The bot will be configured with the meeting link from your calendar event and given a standard name like “MESA Recording Bot” so you can easily identify it in your recordings.
- Turn on and run once to test
Enable the workflow and create a test calendar event with a meeting link to verify that the Recall bot is created successfully. Once confirmed, the automation will run continuously, creating recording bots for every new meeting you schedule.
Never forget to record another meeting again.
Use this template to get set up in 2 minutes:
MESA Template ID
send-google-calendar-events-to-recall-meeting-bot
Tips on automating Google Calendar meeting recordings
1. Set up meeting-specific automations instead of blanket recording everything
Create targeted MESA automations that trigger recording based on meeting criteria like attendee count, external participants, or specific calendar labels. This approach respects privacy while capturing important discussions automatically. You can build workflows that only record client calls, team standups, or meetings tagged as “record-worthy” in your calendar.
2. Create post-meeting workflows for immediate value
Connect your recording automation to follow-up actions that deliver instant impact. Set up MESA to automatically transcribe recordings through Recall.ai, extract key action items, and distribute meeting summaries to relevant team members or project management tools. This transforms raw recordings into actionable insights without manual processing.
3. Build recording reminders into your calendar workflow
Use MESA to automatically notify meeting organizers about recording preferences before important calls. Create workflows that check attendee lists and send customized reminder emails about recording policies, especially for external meetings where consent matters. This proactive approach prevents awkward mid-meeting recording requests.
4. Always integrate recordings with your knowledge management system
Design automations that route completed recordings to the right places in your organization. Set up MESA workflows that analyze meeting content, tag recordings by topic or department, and file them in appropriate folders or knowledge bases. This creates a searchable archive of institutional knowledge that grows automatically with each recorded meeting.
Related workflow templates:
MESA Template ID
transcribe-meeting-send-notes-slack
Top reasons to auto-record Google Calendar meetings
Never lose important decisions made in spontaneous discussions
When meetings veer into unplanned territory—like when a casual check-in suddenly becomes a strategy session—you won’t scramble to remember who committed to what. Auto-recording catches these pivotal moments that transform routine meetings into business-critical conversations.
Create a searchable knowledge base without dedicated note-takers
Small teams often struggle to spare someone to take detailed notes, especially during technical discussions or client calls. With automated recording and transcription, every meeting becomes part of your company’s institutional memory, accessible to anyone for later search.
Protect yourself in client relationships and vendor negotiations
When scope changes or pricing discussions happen verbally, having an automatic record means you can reference exact conversations months later. This isn’t about being litigious—it’s about having clarity when memories fade or stakeholders change.
Enable asynchronous participation for global or hybrid teams
Team members in different time zones or those who couldn’t attend can catch up on their own schedule. Instead of rehashing everything, they can jump straight into the recording at 1.5x speed and stay current with project developments.
Turn ad-hoc brainstorming into actionable documentation
Those “quick” ideation sessions often produce your best insights, but they’re also the hardest to document in real-time. Auto-recording means you can focus on the conversation while still capturing every breakthrough idea for later analysis.
Build training materials from real client interactions
Customer-facing teams can use recorded calls to create onboarding materials or FAQ content based on actual questions and scenarios. New hires learn from real situations instead of hypothetical role-playing exercises.
Related:
Frequently asked questions
You can set up auto-recording through Google Workspace admin settings for native Google Meet recording, or use Recall.ai with MESA automation for more recording across different meeting platforms. With MESA, you can create workflows that automatically trigger Recall.ai to join and record meetings based on your Google Calendar events.
Google Meet’s built-in recording only works within the Google ecosystem and requires Google Workspace Business or Enterprise plans. Recall.ai works across multiple platforms (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet) and provides AI-powered transcription and summaries. When you connect Recall.ai to MESA, you can automatically process recordings – like sending transcripts to Slack, creating meeting summaries, or updating project management tools – something Google’s native recording can’t do.
For Google Meet’s native auto-recording feature, yes – you need admin access to enable organization-wide recording policies. However, with Recall and MESA, individual users can set up automatic recording for their own meetings without requiring admin permissions, making it perfect for solo operators or teams where you don’t control the Google Workspace settings.
Yes, both methods support recurring meetings. Google Workspace admins can set policies for automatic recording of all meetings. With Recall.ai and MESA, you can create automation workflows that detect recurring calendar events and automatically trigger recording for each instance, ensuring you never miss capturing important recurring team meetings or client calls.
For Google Meet’s native recording feature, participants must be notified, and the meeting organizer must have recording permissions in their Google Workspace plan. With Recall.ai, the bot joins as a participant, so organizers should inform attendees. When you use MESA to automate this process, you can set up automatic notifications to participants about recording policies to maintain transparency.
Next steps…
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 simple ways we can help you get more done:
- Try MESA free. The best way to get started is sign up today. Every plan includes a 7-day free trial free so you can get your workflow running properly.
- Browse pre-made templates. Our pre-built workflow templates are a great way to get started with automation.
- Talk to our experts. We can personalize any template, provide guidance for custom workflows or, simply build workflows for you. Contact us.
