# Inquiry regarding Recording Status and missing CHAT/TRANSCRIPT files in Zoom API **URL:** \ **Category:** API and Webhooks\ **Created:** [April 10, 2026, 11:32am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/inquiry-regarding-recording-status-and-missing-chat-transcript-files-in-zoom-api/142923 "2026-04-10T11:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kazu1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/devforum.zoom.us/kazu1/32/74306_2.png) [@kazu1](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/kazu1)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2026, 11:32am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/inquiry-regarding-recording-status-and-missing-chat-transcript-files-in-zoom-api/142923/1 "2026-04-10T11:32:19Z")
I have a question regarding the following API: **List all recordings** `GET /users/{userId}/recordings` ([https://developers.zoom.us/docs/api/meetings/#tag/cloud-recording/get/users/](https://developers.zoom.us/docs/api/meetings/#tag/cloud-recording/get/users/){userId}/recordings) In the `recording_files` object, the `status` only seems to show `"completed"`. Can I rely on this `status` field for files with `file_type` set to `"CHAT"` or `"TRANSCRIPT"` to determine if these files have been successfully saved? **Current Issue:** I am encountering cases where the chat and transcript files are not being retrieved properly. My hypothesis is that the API is being called before these files have been fully processed or saved. Is there any other way to verify their availability? **Additional Question:** I have noticed `meeting.alert` events appearing in the Zoom logs during recording. I would like to know if there is any known causal relationship between these alerts and the failure to generate chat or transcript files. Thank you for your assistance. ---
**Author:** ![amanda-recallai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/devforum.zoom.us/amanda-recallai/32/44747_2.png) [@amanda-recallai](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/amanda-recallai)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/inquiry-regarding-recording-status-and-missing-chat-transcript-files-in-zoom-api/142923/2 "2026-04-13T23:59:20Z")
I wouldn’t treat `recording_files.status = "completed"` as a reliable readiness signal for `CHAT` or `TRANSCRIPT`. Zoom notes that the [audio transcript](https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0064927) can become available after the cloud recording itself, and Zoom staff has also reproduced cases where `recording.completed` only included MP4, M4A, and TIMELINE while [recording.transcript\_completed](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/how-to-access-meeting-transcript-from-recording-completed-webhook-event/103087/5) delivered the TRANSCRIPT file. For transcript handling, that event is the safer trigger than the per-file `status` field. For chat, I could not find doc-backed proof of a dedicated chat-completed webhook. The best first check is [saving in-meeting chat](https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0067312), because Zoom only saves public messages sent while cloud recording was active. That means a missing `CHAT` file can be expected if no public chat was sent, or if chat happened before cloud recording started. I also could not find a documented causal link between [meeting.alert](https://developers.zoom.us/blog/not-receiving-webhooks/) and missing chat or transcript files. Zoom treats that as a separate webhook flow, not as a recording-generation signal. If the transcript or chat is visible in Recordings & Transcripts but absent from API results, that’s strong support-case material with the meeting UUID, host account, end time, and webhook delivery logs. If you do not want to handle this integration complexity yourself, you may want to consider Recall.ai’s [Meeting Bot API](https://www.recall.ai/product/meeting-bot-api?utm_source=zoom&utm_medium=forum_answer). It provides a simple way to access Zoom recordings and transcripts, both in real time and after the meeting has ended. ---
**Author:** ![kazu1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/devforum.zoom.us/kazu1/32/74306_2.png) [@kazu1](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/kazu1)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/inquiry-regarding-recording-status-and-missing-chat-transcript-files-in-zoom-api/142923/3 "2026-04-15T00:30:11Z")
Thank you for your response. I have a question regarding the webhooks. In the `recording.completed` response, should I avoid assuming that the transcription and chat are ready, even if the `status` within `recording_files` is “completed”? Ref: [https://developers.zoom.us/docs/api/meetings/events/#tag/recording/postrecording.completed](https://developers.zoom.us/docs/api/meetings/events/#tag/recording/postrecording.completed) Specifically, must I use the `recording.transcript_completed` webhook to guarantee that the transcription is truly finished? Ref: [https://developers.zoom.us/docs/api/meetings/events/#tag/recording/postrecording.transcript\_completed](https://developers.zoom.us/docs/api/meetings/events/#tag/recording/postrecording.transcript_completed) If so, what criteria should I use to determine if the **chat file** is fully processed and ready, given that there is no specific webhook for “chat completed”? I have noticed that the chat file is occasionally empty when I attempt to access it. ---
**Author:** ![chunsiong.zoom](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/devforum.zoom.us/chunsiong.zoom/32/35488_2.png) [@chunsiong.zoom](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/chunsiong.zoom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 5:40am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/inquiry-regarding-recording-status-and-missing-chat-transcript-files-in-zoom-api/142923/4 "2026-04-22T05:40:17Z")
@kazu1 If the status is completed, you should be able to retrieve the files associated with it, I’ll PM you for more information regarding that meeting with the empty chat Chat should be retrieved within the recording.completed event, assuming status: completed" Transcript should be retrieved from recording.transcript\_completed event.