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How to Use Otter.ai: Meeting Transcription Guide 2026

Updated June 2026 · 8 min read
Otter.ai transcribes meetings in real-time, identifies speakers, and extracts action items automatically. This guide covers setup through getting the most from every meeting.

💰 Pricing

Free tier: 300 minutes/month transcription, 30-minute max per conversation. Pro: $16.99/month for 1,200 minutes and longer conversations.

🚀 How to Get Started

1

Create an account

Go to otter.ai and sign up with email or Google. The free tier is genuinely useful — 300 minutes/month is enough for most users.

2

Connect your calendar

In settings, connect Google Calendar or Outlook. Otter automatically joins your video meetings (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams) and starts recording.

3

Record a meeting

For in-person or phone meetings, tap the red record button in the Otter app on your phone. Place the phone on the table to capture everyone.

4

Review the transcript

After the meeting, open the conversation in Otter. The transcript shows who said what with timestamps. Search for any keyword to jump to that moment.

5

Export action items

Otter identifies potential action items and highlights them. Review, edit, and export them to email, Notion, or your task manager.

💡 Pro Tips

Use the summary feature After any meeting, click 'Summary' to get a 1-page overview with key topics, decisions, and action items. Share this instead of raw transcript for quick stakeholder updates.
Add tags during recording During a live meeting, tap a word in the transcript to add tags or highlight important moments in real-time.
Enable speaker identification In settings, train Otter on your voice and your team members' voices for more accurate speaker labels.

❓ FAQ

Is Otter.ai free?

Yes — free tier gives 300 minutes/month. Enough for most users.

Does Otter work with Zoom?

Yes — connect Otter to Zoom in settings and it automatically joins and transcribes all your Zoom meetings.

Is Otter accurate?

Very accurate for clear audio in English. Accuracy drops in noisy environments, heavy accents, or domain-specific technical language. Always review the transcript before sharing.