Network Recording Player is Cisco's free desktop application for playing back Webex meeting recordings stored in ARF and WRF formats, with conversion to WMV, SWF, and MP4.
Network Recording Player is the free desktop application Cisco provides for watching Webex meeting recordings stored in the ARF and WRF formats. It plays network-based recordings captured on Webex servers as well as local recordings made with the Webex Recorder, and it can convert those files to WMV, SWF, or MP4 for editing or wider distribution. Meeting hosts, trainers, and support teams use it when a recording link opens a file rather than streaming in a browser. The player installs on Windows and macOS and is downloaded from the downloads page of an organization's Webex site.
The player is separate from the browser and does not use the browser certificate store, so SSL interception on a proxy can prevent playback and cause a stuck connecting state. Webex Meetings 40.10 changed the default recording format to MP4, which means older player builds return an unknown file format error until they are updated. Network-based recordings with VoIP-only audio created before WBS27.12 cannot be played on current builds because an old audio codec was removed. Anyone handling files alongside recording review may also use a Clipboard utility, though the player itself focuses on Webex recording playback.
Network Recording Player gives Webex users a reliable way to watch meeting recordings that would otherwise fail to open in a browser or media player, since ARF and WRF files require the dedicated application. Because the player is distributed from an organization's own Webex site, it can be matched to the recording formats that site produces, which avoids the unknown file format errors common after platform updates. Conversion to WMV, SWF, or MP4 makes recordings portable, so a session captured in Webex can be edited in third-party tools, archived in a standard container, or shared with people who do not have the player installed. Playback covers the full attendee view, including public chat, shared data, polls, annotations, presenter video, and Webex or third-party audio, which preserves context that a screen capture would lose. The application is free, installs on Windows and macOS, and requires no Webex host license to play a recording.
Key capabilities and highlights.
The application plays both network-based recordings stored as ARF files and local recordings saved in the WRF format. ARF files come from Webex network-based recording, while WRF files are produced by the Webex Recorder on a local machine. Both formats require the dedicated player because standard media applications do not decode them.
Playback reproduces what an attendee saw, including public chat, shared data such as annotations and poll results, presenter video, and Webex or third-party audio. Private chat to the host, unshared poll results, closed captioning, and some panel content are not recorded. This gives reviewers the meeting context rather than just a video feed.
Recordings can be converted to Windows Media File, Flash, or MPEG-4 format through the File menu, after which third-party editing tools can work with the result. Conversion is useful for archiving, for publishing to platforms that do not accept ARF, and for sharing with viewers who lack the player. Mac builds do not support MP4 conversion.
Webex Meetings 40.10 and later default new recordings to MP4, and current player builds handle that format. Older player versions return an unknown file format error when they encounter MP4 content. Updating from the company Webex site is the standard fix, and site administrators must be on a version that supports MP4 recordings.
The player is downloaded from the downloads page of an organization's Webex site rather than a public consumer page, so the build matches the site's recording capabilities. Administrators can confirm the correct version during a platform update. This keeps format support aligned with the recordings the site actually produces.
Installers are published for Windows and macOS, and the recording host can use Windows, Mac, Linux, or Solaris to capture a network-based recording. Playback is available on the two desktop platforms, with MP4 conversion limited to Windows. The download page asks users to select their operating system, since Windows is the default.
Administrators can enable a policy that requires users to sign in before viewing a meeting recording, which limits playback to authorized accounts. This matters for regulated environments where recording access must be tied to identity. Sign-in happens through the Webex service, so the player inherits the site's authentication rules.
The player does not use the browser certificate store, so SSL interception on a proxy can cause a cannot play recording error or a permanent connecting state. Administrators resolve it by excluding webex.com from SSL interception in the proxy policy. This is a common cause of playback failures in managed corporate networks.
Browse historical releases and previous builds.
No old versions have been added yet.
Common questions about Network Recording Player.
It plays Webex meeting recordings stored in the ARF and WRF formats and can convert them to WMV, SWF, or MP4. It is the required application for opening network-based recordings, since standard media players do not decode those formats.
Yes. The player is a free Cisco application and does not require a Webex host license to watch a recording. It is downloaded from the downloads page of an organization's Webex site rather than a public consumer page.
It installs on Windows and macOS. Recording hosts can capture network-based recordings from Windows, Mac, Linux, or Solaris, but playback is available on the two desktop platforms. MP4 conversion is not supported on Mac systems.
Webex Meetings 40.10 and later default to MP4 recordings, and older player builds cannot read that format. Download the latest player from your company's Webex site and make sure it is compatible with MP4. If your site is on a lockdown version without MP4 support, an administrator must upgrade it.
Yes, on Windows builds. Open the ARF file, choose File, then Convert Format, and select the desired output such as WMV, SWF, or MP4. Mac builds do not support converting recordings to MP4, so conversion on macOS is limited to other supported formats.
Starting in WBS28.9 a new audio engine was introduced and an old audio codec was removed, so ARF files created before WBS27.12 that use VoIP-only audio can no longer be played on current builds. Hybrid audio recordings that mix VoIP and telephony, or use telephony only, are unaffected.
The player is a separate application and does not use the browser certificate store, so SSL interception on the proxy breaks playback. Administrators should disable SSL interception for webex.com in the proxy policy, then retry the recording.
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