Capturing a session

Capturing a session means recording it so Klarity can produce a transcription and then a summary. This is what feeds the client's memory, session after session. Video capture relies on an assistant that joins your call; in person, you capture the exchange straight from Klarity — with your mic or by importing a recording. Either way, it requires the client's consent.


Understanding capture


For a recorded video session, recording starts automatically at the scheduled time: the assistant asks to join your room (which must be open), you admit it, then it captures the audio. When the session ends, it moves through the Processing and then Generating summary states on its own, with no action from you. The audio is processed encrypted, then automatically deleted 24 h after the summary is generated — a GDPR guarantee. Only the summary and the text transcript are kept afterwards.


The assistant never enters your room on its own: on Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom alike, it's up to you to admit it from the waiting room, for every session. This is a safeguard of the video tool (not Klarity): only the host can let an external participant in.


The capture channel is shown in the session's Metadata panel: Recorded video, Unrecorded video, In person · mic, Phone or Other. Once the session is captured, the Source panel spells out how it was recorded: Captured in person — mic recording or Captured in person — audio import.


Automatic recording is optional and is set per session type. In a type's editor (Agenda › Availability › session type), the Record audio and generate a summary setting turns capture on or off: disable it for formats with no coaching content (an administrative call, for example). A video session whose type doesn't record then appears as Unrecorded video, with no transcription or AI summary.


If no video link was known at booking time, the session shows a Not recorded — missing video link badge and a Set up a recording channel button. Connect Google Calendar or add a room link to the session type: you'll then be able to re-enable capture from the agenda.


Automatically generating a Microsoft Teams link only works with a work or school Microsoft account. With a personal outlook.com account, Teams can't create the link for you: paste a room link into the session type, otherwise the session stays Not recorded.


Another case: the link exists but is invalid or unsupported. The session then shows an Invalid meeting link banner (a Not recorded · invalid link badge in the agenda and lists) with a Check the meeting link action. Fix the link: recording resumes automatically, with nothing else to do.


Starting the recording


  1. Open your video room before the time: the assistant can only join a room that's already open. Once it arrives, it waits up to 15 min in the waiting room for you to admit it.
  2. At the scheduled time, recording starts: the session moves to Recording.
  3. To start early, use Start recording now (banner) or the Start recording now button (session header): the session is moved to the current time and the assistant joins the call. You can start recording up to 15 min before the scheduled time.


When the call ends, the session automatically moves to Processing, then Generating summary. The summary is usually ready a few minutes after the session ends.


If nobody joins the call, the assistant waits 10 min alone, then leaves. If you step out to fix your mic or camera, it gives you 2 min to come back before stopping the recording.


Starting a session now


If the session begins right away, there's no need to schedule it in advance. From the New session button (agenda or client file), choose Start a session now: the session is created on the spot and capture starts immediately.


  • Recordable Google Meet video — the video link is required (the bot must be able to join the call). As soon as the session is created, recording starts and the bot joins the call.
  • In person — the capture sheet opens right after creation: you then start mic recording or import, as described below.


Klarity confirms with a Session started toast. See Creating a session manually for the full composer.


If recording can't start, the session is still created: restart capture from its file.


Admitting the assistant into your room


Whatever the tool, the assistant appears under a clearly identifiable name (Klarity assistant) and waits for your go-ahead. You click once at the start, then it stays for the whole session:


  • Google Meet — a "… wants to join" request appears when the assistant arrives. Click Admit.
  • Microsoft Teams — the assistant waits in the lobby. Click Admit on the notification.
  • Zoom — if your room has a waiting room, the assistant waits there: click Admit in the Participants panel.


If you forget to admit the assistant, it waits up to 15 min then leaves without recording. If it couldn't join at all, Klarity retries once with a fresh assistant; if that fails too, the session moves to To finalize and you close it by hand. The session stays valid, but without a transcription: remember to admit it as soon as it appears.


On Zoom and Teams, you can disable the waiting room / lobby for your sessions so the assistant enters without a click — only do this if you control who can join your permanent room. Google Meet always requires manual admission.


Reminder on first launch (Google Meet). The very first time you start a recordable Google Meet call, Klarity shows a Remember to admit the recording bot window: the bot asks to join the meeting shortly after it starts, and you click Admit when Meet shows the request — without this step, the session can be neither recorded nor summarized. This reminder is shown only once (Zoom and Teams are excluded, since admission there depends on your room's configuration).


Capturing an in-person session


An in-person session is captured straight from Klarity, with no video assistant. The banner of a scheduled in-person session reads Capture the session live, or import the recording afterwards, and the Session capture panel (the Capture this in-person session block) offers two paths:


  • Record with the microphone (beta) — records the exchange live with your computer's mic. Ideal when you and your client are in the same room.
  • Import the recording — adds an audio or video file you recorded elsewhere (voice recorder, phone, screen recording).


Either way, Klarity transcribes the exchange then generates the summary and memory, exactly like a video session.


Don't confuse this with Dictate a note: dictation transcribes your voice only into your notes, with no summary or memory. In-person capture records the full exchange with your client.


Record with the microphone (beta)


  1. On the in-person session, open the Session capture panel and click Record with the microphone (beta).
  2. The first time, your browser asks for mic access: allow it.
  3. Click Start recording. The timer runs; you can Pause then Resume (pause isn't available on every browser).
  4. At the end of the session, click Stop and confirm: the recording is uploaded and transcription starts. Capture cannot resume once stopped.


⚠️ Keep the screen on and don't close this tab during the session: the recording happens in your browser. If you try to close the tab, Klarity offers to Continue recording, Stop and generate the summary or Discard the recording.


Quality depends on your mic and the room — it's not guaranteed. For a better transcript, place a USB desk mic between you, in a quiet room.


If your browser isn't well suited to capture, a banner at the top of the app tells you so: For stable audio and video capture, we recommend Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox (Safari is fine on Mac too). Follow the recommendation before an important capture.


Max length: 2 h per capture (beyond that, transcription isn't guaranteed) — this cap may vary with your setup. 15 min before the limit, a countdown warns you.


Import a recording


  1. In the Session capture panel, click Import the session recording.
  2. Drag and drop your file into the drop zone, or click to browse your files.
  3. Start the import: transcription begins, then the summary is generated.


Accepted formats: MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG or video (WebM, MP4) — a single file, up to 2 GB. Import the full exchange with your client, not just your voice. The Which recording should I import? link recaps these pointers right in the panel.


Session capture (mic and import alike) is available on the Professional and Signature plans, within your capture quota. As with video, the client's consent is required before capturing, and the audio is automatically deleted within 24 h of the summary being generated (immediately if the client withdraws consent).


Keeping an eye on your recording quota


Capture time (video and in-person alike) counts against your plan's recording quota. Klarity warns you before it blocks a session:


  • Quota nearly exhausted — when your planned sessions risk exceeding the remaining time, a Capture quota nearly exhausted — this session might not be recorded warning appears on the session concerned. Nothing is blocked: it's an early heads-up.
  • Quota reached — the session shows a Recording quota reached box ("This session won't be recorded. Renews on {date}.") and the record button is disabled, with the renewal date in a tooltip. Affected sessions carry the Not recorded (quota reached) badge. An Unlock button offers to raise your quota; the session itself takes place normally, just without capture.


Your detailed usage (hours used / included) is tracked in Plan & billing › Consumption. The quota renews with each billing period.


Consent is required


Without the client's consent, recording is disabled and the report email can't be sent. A Client without consent badge then appears on the session, with a Resend the consent link action. The capture modes tolerated in the absence of consent are set in Settings › Sessions & memory, in the Consent section (the If the client hasn't given consent yet setting).


A session created manually for a client without consent stays within your private scope: you can generate an AI summary for your own use, but the report email can't be sent.


💡 Tip: in Settings › Sessions & memory, adjust the Recording start, the Visible recording signal and the Review before locking the summary (the summary stays editable during the enrichment window) to your comfort.


Related articles

  • The lifecycle of a session
  • Taking session notes
  • Creating and editing a session type
  • Configuring your sessions & memory
  • The client's consent
  • My session wasn't recorded

Updated on: 08/09/2026

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