1. Connect your Zoom cloud account
From the home page go to Moderated Study -> Create a new study or select an existing one.
Once you are inside a study, click the Import button.
Select the "Connect to Zoom" option.
Follow the on-screen prompts to securely link your Zoom account. (Don't worry, we only access the recordings you tell us to!)
All your Zoom cloud recordings will appear here. Use the check box to select the recordings you want to import. Click "Import" to start the import.
Your selected session will appear in the sessions list with an uploading status.
2. Using your Zoom recordings
Once your recordings have been imported, Sondar.Ai will automatically generate a searchable transcript along with an AI generated summary. See this Quick Starte Guide for a quick overview of its analysis capabilities.
3. Disconnecting your Zoom account
Step 1: Disconnect Zoom in Sondar.Ai
Go to Setting > Integrations > Zoom, then click the Disconnect button.
Step 2: Remove Access Token From the Zoom Marketplace
Log in to your Zoom account and navigate to the Zoom App Marketplace.
Click Manage >> Added Apps or search for the "Sondar.Ai" app.
Select the "Sondar.Ai" app.
Click Remove.
Once disconnected, Sondar.Ai will no longer have access to your Zoom recordings.
4. FAQ
How will I know a session has been imported?
When the session is ready, you will receive an email notification.
How long does it take to import a session?
It depends on the size of the recording. Longer sessions take more time to import and encode. 2x the length of the session is a good rule of thumb
Is the a limit on the size of the session?
Yes, the current limit is 1GB which equates to about 90mins for most recordings.
Can I use the app while it's importing?
Yes, all imports are handled in the background. Once you see the sessions appear in the list, you can continue to use the app or close the browser tab.
5. Trouble Shooting
New Recordings Not Showing
Check the Recording's Processing Status in your Zoom web portal; wait the full time (sometimes double the meeting length).
Missing Cloud Recordings
Verify Cloud Recording is ON in your Zoom web portal setting. Confirm the host has a Paid/Licensed Zoom account.
"No Permission" Errors
Confirm your Zoom Admin has approved the integration for your account/user group.
6. Security Note
To ensure the security of zoom recordings while providing a smooth experience, we uses industry-standard, time-limited security measures for all video playback.
Security Measures: Signed Playback Protection
All Zoom recordings stored within Sondar.Ai are protected by the following security protocols:
Signed Playback: All video playback URLs are secured, requiring a cryptographically signed JSON Web Token (JWT) for access.
These JWT tokens are server-side generated and are only issued on-demand when an authenticated user attempts to view a recording. This prevents unauthorized generation of access tokens.
Recordings are not publicly accessible. They require a valid, non-expired authentication token at all times.
Important Note on Sharing and Token Expiration
We currently set the JWT token expiration to 2 hours to accommodate long-form sessions and extended analysis periods without interrupting active viewing.
What this means for end-users:
Time-Limited Sharing Risk: While the recording itself is secure, a legitimate, authenticated user could theoretically copy and share the playback URL within this 2-hour validity window.
After the 2-hour window has passed, the shared playback URL will automatically expire and become completely inaccessible, even to the user who initially generated it.
This approach balances strong security protection (signed, time-limited URLs) with the necessity of maintaining a good user experience for legitimate research workflows.