Is Otter.ai still residing on your computer, perhaps quietly transcribing your meetings or even running in the background when you least expect it? Are you looking to reclaim your digital privacy, free up system resources, or simply declutter your machine? If so, you've come to the right place! This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step to completely remove Otter.ai from your computer, ensuring no lingering traces remain.
Let's begin, shall we?
The Grand Uninstallation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Removing Otter.ai
Removing Otter.ai isn't just about clicking "uninstall." It involves a multi-faceted approach to ensure it's truly gone from your system, your browser, and even your online presence. Follow these steps carefully for a clean sweep.
Step 1: Identify and Close All Otter.ai Processes
Before you attempt to uninstall anything, it's crucial to ensure that Otter.ai isn't actively running in the background. An active application can prevent a clean uninstallation, leaving behind corrupted files or incomplete removal.
For Windows Users:
Open Task Manager: Press
Ctrl + Shift + Escsimultaneously, or right-click on your taskbar and select "Task Manager."Locate Otter.ai Processes: In the "Processes" tab, look for any entries related to "Otter.ai," "OtterPilot," or anything similar. These might be under "Apps" or "Background processes."
End Task: Select each Otter.ai related process and click the "End task" button at the bottom right. Confirm if prompted. Repeat this for all instances.
Check Startup: Navigate to the "Startup" tab in Task Manager. Look for Otter.ai and if found, right-click on it and select "Disable" to prevent it from launching with your system boot.
For macOS Users:
Open Activity Monitor: You can find this by going to
Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor, or by searching for it using Spotlight (Cmd + Spaceand type "Activity Monitor").Locate Otter.ai Processes: In Activity Monitor, use the search bar at the top right to type "Otter.ai" or "Otter." Look for any active processes.
Quit Process: Select the Otter.ai process (or processes) and click the "X" button in the toolbar. Choose "Quit" or, if that doesn't work, "Force Quit" to terminate the application.
Check Login Items: To prevent Otter.ai from launching on startup, go to
System Settings(orSystem Preferenceson older macOS versions) >General>Login Items. Look for Otter.ai and click the "-" button to remove it.
Step 2: Uninstall the Otter.ai Desktop Application
This is the most straightforward part, but it's important to do it correctly based on your operating system.
For Windows Users (Windows 10/11):
Access Apps & Features: Right-click on the Start button and select "Apps and Features" (or
Settings > Apps > Apps & features).Find Otter.ai: Scroll through the list of installed applications or use the search bar to find "Otter.ai."
Uninstall: Click on "Otter.ai" and then click the "Uninstall" button. Follow any on-screen prompts from the uninstaller. This may include confirmation messages or options to delete user data (choose to delete if you want a complete removal).
Alternatively (Older Windows Versions): Go to
Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Find "Otter.ai," select it, and click "Uninstall/Change."
For macOS Users:
Drag to Trash: Open your
Applicationsfolder. Find the "Otter.ai" application icon. Drag the icon directly to the Trash (located in your Dock).Empty Trash: Right-click on the Trash icon in your Dock and select "Empty Trash" to permanently delete the application. Confirm if prompted.
Step 3: Remove Otter.ai Browser Extensions
Otter.ai often integrates with web browsers to provide its notetaking and transcription services during online meetings. These extensions need to be removed separately.
For Google Chrome:
Open Extensions: Type
chrome://extensionsinto your address bar and press Enter, or click the three vertical dots (Menu) in the top-right corner, then go toMore tools > Extensions.Locate and Remove: Find the "Otter.ai" or "Otter AI Notetaker" extension. Click the "Remove" button. Confirm removal when prompted.
For Mozilla Firefox:
Open Add-ons: Click the three horizontal lines (Menu) in the top-right corner and select
Add-ons and themes, or typeabout:addonsinto your address bar and press Enter.Locate and Remove: In the "Extensions" tab, find "Otter.ai" or "Otter AI Notetaker." Click the three dots next to it and select "Remove."
For Microsoft Edge:
Open Extensions: Click the three horizontal dots (Menu) in the top-right corner, then select
Extensions.Locate and Remove: Find the "Otter.ai" or "Otter AI Notetaker" extension. Click the "Remove" link or the trash can icon. Confirm removal when prompted.
Step 4: Clear Remaining Files and Folders (Advanced)
Even after uninstalling the application, some residual files and folders might be left behind. These are often small, but for a truly complete removal, it's good practice to delete them. Proceed with caution in this step, as deleting incorrect files can affect your system.
For Windows Users:
Show Hidden Files: You'll need to enable showing hidden files and folders. In File Explorer, go to
View > Show > Hidden items.Navigate to AppData: Press
Win + Rto open the Run dialog, type%appdata%and press Enter. This will open your Roaming folder.Delete Otter.ai Folders: Look for folders named "Otter.ai," "Otter," or similar. Delete them.
Check Local AppData: Go back to the
AppDatafolder (you can navigate up one level from Roaming) and then enter theLocalfolder. Repeat the search and deletion for Otter.ai related folders.Check ProgramData: Navigate to
C:\ProgramData(this is a hidden folder, so ensure "Show hidden items" is enabled). Look for and delete any Otter.ai related folders.Check Program Files: Look in
C:\Program FilesandC:\Program Files (x86)for any "Otter.ai" folders and delete them.
For macOS Users:
Open Go to Folder: In Finder, click
Goin the menu bar, then selectGo to Folder...(or pressShift + Cmd + G).Check Library Folders: Enter the following paths one by one and look for and delete any folders named "Otter.ai," "Otter," or related to it:
~/Library/Application Support/~/Library/Caches/~/Library/Preferences/~/Library/Logs/~/Library/Cookies//Library/Application Support/(without the~, for system-wide files)/Library/Caches/(without the~)
Remember to drag these folders to the Trash and empty it.
Step 5: Revoke OAuth Permissions and Delete Your Otter.ai Account
This is a critical step for privacy and security. Even if the application is off your computer, Otter.ai might still have permissions to access your calendar, contacts, and meeting platforms if you've previously granted them. Deleting your account will also remove all your transcribed conversations from their servers.
Step 5.1: Revoke OAuth Permissions:
This usually needs to be done through the services you connected to Otter.ai (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Zoom, Outlook).
For Google Accounts:
Go to your Google Account security settings:
myaccount.google.com/security.Under "Third-party apps with account access," click "Manage third-party access."
Find "Otter.ai" or "Otter" in the list and click on it. Then, click "Remove Access" or "Remove all access."
For Microsoft Accounts:
Go to your Microsoft Account privacy dashboard:
account.microsoft.com/privacy/dashboard.Navigate to "Apps and services that can access your data" or similar.
Locate Otter.ai and revoke its permissions.
For Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams:
Check the settings within these platforms directly. For example, in Zoom, you might find connected apps under "Integrations" or "Marketplace" settings and revoke Otter.ai's access there.
Otter.ai also has specific instructions on their support site for stopping the Notetaker from joining meetings and disconnecting calendars. It's highly recommended to visit their official help center (help.otter.ai) for the most up-to-date instructions on revoking permissions from specific platforms.
Step 5.2: Delete Your Otter.ai Account:
Sign in to Otter.ai: Go to
otter.aiand log in to your account.Access Account Settings: Click on your profile icon (usually in the bottom-left or top-right corner, or your name/initials).
Navigate to General Settings: Select "Account Settings" from the dropdown menu. Then, click on the "General" tab (if not already selected).
Initiate Account Deletion: Scroll down to the very bottom of the "General" tab. You should see an option like "Delete account." Click on it.
Verify and Confirm: You will likely be asked to enter your Otter.ai password (or verify through Google/Microsoft/Apple if you used those to sign up). Read the warning message carefully – deleting your account is irreversible and all your conversations will be permanently deleted. Confirm the deletion.
Important Note: If you have an active paid subscription, you must cancel it first before you can delete your account. You may need to wait for the subscription to expire. Otter.ai's help center (help.otter.ai) provides detailed instructions on canceling subscriptions and deleting accounts, especially if you're part of a Workspace.
Step 6: Restart Your Computer
After performing all these steps, it's always a good idea to restart your computer. This helps to clear any temporary files, refresh system processes, and ensure that all changes have been fully applied.
Congratulations! You have successfully taken comprehensive steps to remove Otter.ai from your computer and online presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are 10 common "How to" questions related to removing Otter.ai, with quick answers:
How to check if Otter.ai is completely gone from my computer?
After following all steps, check your
Applications(Mac) orApps & Features(Windows) list, browser extensions, and your Google/Microsoft account security settings for any remaining Otter.ai entries. Search your computer's file system for "Otter.ai" or "Otter" to see if any residual files are found.
How to stop Otter.ai from automatically joining my meetings?
Log in to your Otter.ai account, go to
Account Settings > Meetings, and toggle off the "Auto-join all meetings" setting for OtterPilot. You might also need to disconnect your calendar.
How to remove Otter.ai from a specific Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams meeting?
During a live meeting, if Otter.ai Notetaker is present, you (as the host) can typically remove it like any other participant. You can also stop the recording from the Otter.ai calendar or live conversation portal within the Otter.ai web app.
How to cancel my Otter.ai subscription?
Log in to Otter.ai, go to
Account Settings > Plan, and find the option to cancel your subscription. If you subscribed via Apple or Google Play, you'll need to cancel through their respective app stores.
How to delete my Otter.ai account permanently?
Sign in to
otter.ai, go toAccount Settings > General, scroll down to "Delete account," and follow the prompts, including password verification. Ensure your subscription is canceled first.
How to remove Otter.ai from my browser's extensions?
Open your browser's extension management page (e.g.,
chrome://extensionsfor Chrome), find the "Otter.ai" extension, and click "Remove" or the trash can icon.
How to revoke Otter.ai's access to my Google or Microsoft account?
Go to your Google Account security settings (
myaccount.google.com/security) or Microsoft Account privacy dashboard, find "Third-party apps with account access," and remove Otter.ai's permissions.
How to deal with persistent Otter.ai files after uninstallation?
Manually search and delete remaining files and folders in system directories like
AppData(Windows) orLibrary(macOS), as detailed in Step 4. Be cautious and avoid deleting unrelated files.
How to contact Otter.ai support if I have trouble removing it?
Visit the official Otter.ai Help Center at
help.otter.aiand look for their contact support options or submit a request form. They do not offer phone support.
How to ensure my transcribed conversations are deleted when I remove Otter.ai?
The only way to ensure your conversations are permanently deleted is by deleting your Otter.ai account (Step 5.2). This action will permanently remove all your data from their servers.
