Where Does BigBlueButton Store Config and Recordings on Linux?
BigBlueButton keeps overrides in /etc/bigbluebutton and recordings under /var/bigbluebutton on Linux.
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BigBlueButton splits packaged defaults from your edits. Override files live in /etc/bigbluebutton so updates never overwrite them. The main ones are bbb-web.properties, bbb-html5.yml, and the recording yamls. Edit only the overrides.
Recordings dominate disk use under /var/bigbluebutton: raw captures, processed output, published playbacks, plus captions. Logs sit in /var/log/bigbluebutton. Move /var/bigbluebutton to a bigger partition with a symlink when it fills.
Where BigBlueButton stores this, by platform
/etc/bigbluebutton
All local overrides: web properties, HTML5 client, pads, GraphQL, TURN servers, recording yamls. Back this dir plus any apply-config.sh before upgrades.
/var/bigbluebutton
Recordings raw, process, publish, and published trees. Raw auto prunes after about 14 days via cron. rsync this tree to migrate recordings.
/var/log/bigbluebutton
Web and recording worker logs. Check here plus journald for html5 units when meetings fail to record or play back.
Frequently asked questions
How do I migrate BigBlueButton recordings?
rsync /var/bigbluebutton/recording/raw to the new host, fix ownership to bigbluebutton, then rebuild needed meetings. Published trees can follow for instant playback of old sessions.
Why did recordings stop appearing?
Disk full under /var is the usual cause, then cron pruning. Check free space and /var/log/bigbluebutton. Meetings also need record enabled plus a moderator starting capture.
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