Retain Google Meet data with Vault

As part of your organization's information governance plan, you can control how long Google Meet recordings and logs are retained by Google Vault. Use retention rules to set how long to keep Meet data and when to delete it, if ever.

By default, Meet data is subject to retention rules for Google Drive because the files are stored in Drive. To manage the retention of Meet data separately from other Drive items, you can set Meet-specific retention rules. These rules don't take effect until you enable Meet retention rules in Vault's retention settings.

To keep data that matches specific conditions for a set time, create a custom retention rule. To keep all service data for all licensed accounts for a set time, create a default retention rule.

On this page

• Important information about Meet & retention
• Set a custom retention rule for Meet
• Set the default retention rule for Meet
• (Optional) Enable dedicated retention rules for Meet

Important information about Meet & retention

Before you set retention rules, we strongly recommend you read about how retention works and review the Meet data supported in Vault.

WARNING: An improperly configured retention rule can allow Meet to immediately and irreversibly purge recordings and logs. Use caution when you create or change retention rules. We recommend that you test new rules on a small set of accounts before you apply the rules to your entire organization.

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Don't enable retention for Meet until you create retention rules

Meet-specific retention is turned off by default and Meet data is retained according to Drive retention rules. If you turn on Meet retention before you set Meet retention rules, Meet data isn't protected from deletion. Some Meet data might be purged during this lapse in retention coverage because it's no longer protected by Drive retention rules.

What do Meet retention rules apply to?

Meet retention rules apply to original Meet recordings and the logs for in-Meet attendance, notes taken by Gemini, chat, Q&A, transcripts, and polls associated with recorded meetings.

Copies of these files, or versions that are downloaded and uploaded to Drive, are subject to Drive retention rules. Meeting notes are also subject to your Drive retention rules, even when you create Meet-specific retention rules and have turned on Meet retention.

Drive holds always apply to Meet recordings and their associated logs

When you turn on Meet-specific retention rules, Drive holds still apply to Meet recordings and in-Meet attendance, notes taken by Gemini, chat, Q&A, transcripts, and polls logs.

Set a custom retention rule for Meet

1. Sign in to vault.google.com.
2. Click RetentionCustom RulesCreate.
3. For the service, select Meet and then click Continue.
4. Choose an entity:
   • Organizational unit—Apply the rule to a specific organizational unit:
     1. Click the field and choose an organizational unit.
     2. (Optional) To apply the rule to shared drives that accounts in the selected organizational unit are members of, enable Include results from shared drives.
   • All shared drives—Apply the rule to all shared drives in your organization.
   • Specific shared drives—Apply the rule to a shared drive shared with a specific account.
     1. Click Add shared drives.
     2. Enter one or more accounts and click Find.
     3. Select one or more shared drives.
     4. Click Add.
5. Click Continue.

6. Choose how long to keep files:

   • To permanently retain files covered by this rule, select Indefinitely.
   • To purge files after a set time:
     1. Select Retention period.
     2. Enter the number of days of the retention period, from 1 to 36,500.
     3. Select when to start the file's retention period:
        1. To start the retention based on an event related to a file, click Start of retention periodselect Date created, Date modified, or Date moved to trash. 
        2. To start the retention based on a Drive label’s date field condition (see Step 6), click Start of retention period select Date set on label date field. Then select a date field. The retention period for an item begins at the value of that date field. 
     4. Select what to do with files when the retention period ends:
        • Purge only permanently deleted items—This option purges expired items that are emptied from the Trash folder. Users don’t have access to them and don’t expect to keep them. To purge only files that are already emptied from the users' Trash, choose this option.
        • Purge all items in users’ Drives, including items that aren’t permanently deleted—This option purges all expired items, including items in users’ Drive folders. It might purge items users expect to keep. To purge all files, including files that aren't deleted, choose this option.
          Warning: Vault allows Drive to immediately purge files that exceed the retention period when you submit the rule. The purged data can include data that users expect to keep. Do not proceed to the next step until you’re sure the rule is configured correctly.
7. If you set a duration, choose what to do with the data after the retention period ends:
   • To purge only the data that users deleted, choose the first option.
   • To purge all data, choose the second option. This rule can purge both deleted data and data in users' Drives.

     Warning: If you enabled dedicated Meet rules, Vault immediately allows Meet to purge data that exceeds the retention duration when you create a rule. These files might include data users expect to keep. Do not proceed to the next step until you’re sure the rule is configured correctly.

8. Click Create. If you set a retention period, check the confirmation box and click Accept.

Set the default retention rule for Meet

When turned on, the default Meet retention rule applies to all Meet data that isn't covered by a custom rule or a hold, including recordings in My Drive and in shared drives.

1. Sign in to vault.google.com.
2. Click Retention. The list of default retention rules opens.
3. Click Meet .

4. Choose how long to keep files:

   • To permanently retain files covered by this rule, select Indefinitely.
   • To purge files after a set time:
     1. Select Retention period.
     2. Enter the number of days of the retention period, from 1 to 36,500.
     3. Select when to start the file's retention period:
        1. To start the retention based on an event related to a file, click Start of retention periodselect Date created, Date modified, or Date moved to trash. 
        2. To start the retention based on a Drive label’s date field condition (see Step 6), click Start of retention period select Date set on label date field. Then select a date field. The retention period for an item begins at the value of that date field. 
     4. Select what to do with files when the retention period ends:
        • Purge only permanently deleted items—This option purges expired items that are emptied from the Trash folder. Users don’t have access to them and don’t expect to keep them. To purge only files that are already emptied from the users' Trash, choose this option.
        • Purge all items in users’ Drives, including items that aren’t permanently deleted—This option purges all expired items, including items in users’ Drive folders. It might purge items users expect to keep. To purge all files, including files that aren't deleted, choose this option.
          Warning: Vault allows Drive to immediately purge files that exceed the retention period when you submit the rule. The purged data can include data that users expect to keep. Do not proceed to the next step until you’re sure the rule is configured correctly.
5. If you set a duration, choose what to do with data after the retention period ends:
   • To purge only the data that users deleted, choose the first option.
   • To purge all data, choose the second option. This rule can purge both deleted data and data in users' Drives.

     Warning: If you enabled dedicated Meet rules, Vault immediately allows Meet to purge data that exceeds the retention duration when you save the rule. These data might include files users expect to keep. Do not proceed to the next step until you’re sure the rule is configured correctly.

6. Click Save. Vault asks you to confirm you understand the rule's effects. Check the boxes and click Accept to save the rule.

(Optional) Enable dedicated retention rules for Meet

Meet recordings are retained by Drive retention rules until you change Vault settings and enable Meet retention rules.

To apply Meet retention rules to Meet recordings and associated logs instead of Drive retention rules:

1. Sign in to vault.google.com.
2. Click RetentionSettings.
3. Next to Meet, select Retained by Meet rule.
4. Click Save.