Hey there! Ever found yourself frantically trying to jot down notes during a Zoom meeting, only to realize you missed a crucial point? Or perhaps you're tired of endlessly rewatching recordings to find that one specific detail? Well, what if I told you there's a way to automate your meeting notes, capture every word, and even get AI-powered summaries?
That's where Otter.ai comes in! Integrating Otter.ai with your Zoom meetings can be a game-changer for productivity, accessibility, and collaboration. It acts like your personal AI meeting assistant, ensuring no valuable information slips through the cracks.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various ways to add Otter.ai to Zoom, from setting up automatic transcription to leveraging its advanced features. Let's dive in!
Setting Up Otter.ai for Seamless Zoom Integration: A Step-by-Step Guide
There are a few ways to integrate Otter.ai with Zoom, each offering different levels of functionality. We'll cover the most common and powerful methods.
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| How To Add Otter Ai To Zoom |
Step 1: Laying the Groundwork - Otter.ai and Zoom Account Preparation
Before we connect the two powerful platforms, ensure you have your accounts set up correctly.
Sub-heading: Create Your Otter.ai Account (If You Haven't Already!)
Go to the
Otter.ai website Click on "Sign Up" or "Get Started for Free."
You can conveniently sign up using your Google or Microsoft account, or with your email address. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the registration.
Sub-heading: Understand Otter.ai Plan Requirements
It's important to note that while Otter.ai offers a free plan, some advanced Zoom integrations like Otter Live Notes (real-time transcription during meetings for participants to view) and Zoom Sync (automatic syncing of cloud recordings) usually require a paid Otter Business or Enterprise plan. Otter Notetaker, which automatically joins your meetings, is available on all Otter plans. Similarly, your Zoom account generally needs to be a Pro, Business, or Enterprise plan for full integration capabilities.
Step 2: Enabling Core Zoom Settings for Otter.ai Interaction
For Otter.ai to work effectively with Zoom, certain settings within your Zoom account need to be enabled. This usually applies to the Zoom meeting host.
Tip: Break long posts into short reading sessions.
Sub-heading: Admin-Level Zoom Settings (If You're a Zoom Administrator)
If you manage your organization's Zoom account, these steps are crucial and often a one-time setup.
Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator.
Navigate to Account Management > Account Settings in the left menu.
Click on the Recording tab.
Ensure "Cloud recording" is enabled.
Check "Record an audio only file" (this is important for Otter's transcription).
Verify "Cloud recording downloads" is enabled.
Make sure "Prevent hosts from accessing their cloud recordings" and "Only the host can download cloud recordings" are disabled (or set to allow Otter access).
Navigate to the Meeting tab, then In Meeting (Advanced).
Scroll down to the "Allow live streaming of meetings" section.
Toggle this setting ON.
Select the checkbox for "Custom Live Streaming Service." (You can optionally type "Managed by Otter.ai" in the host instructions box for clarity).
Sub-heading: Personal Zoom Settings (For All Meeting Hosts)
Even if you're not an administrator, these personal settings are essential for Otter.ai to function correctly for your meetings.
Sign in to your Zoom web portal (your personal Zoom account).
Click Settings on the left menu.
Click on the Recording tab.
Ensure "Cloud recording" is toggled On.
Check "Record an audio only file".
Make sure "Allow cloud recording sharing" is toggled On.
(Recommended) "Automatic recording" can be toggled On with "Record in the cloud" selected for maximum convenience.
Click on the Meeting tab, then In Meeting (Advanced).
Scroll to "Allow live streaming of meetings".
Toggle this ON.
Check the box for "Custom Live Streaming Service."
Step 3: Connecting Otter.ai Directly to Your Zoom Account
Now that your Zoom settings are primed, it's time to create the direct link from Otter.ai.
Sub-heading: Connect via Otter.ai Apps Section
This is the most common and recommended method for a robust integration.
Log in to your Otter.ai account.
On the left navigation panel, click on "Apps".
You'll see various integration options. Look for "Zoom" or "Otter Live Notes" or "Sync cloud recordings" (the naming might vary slightly but serves the same purpose). Click "Add" or the relevant connection button next to it.
You will be prompted to sign in to your Zoom account (if you aren't already).
Review the permissions that Otter.ai is requesting (e.g., access to your meetings, recordings). Read these carefully and if you agree, click "Authorize" or "Allow" to connect Otter.ai to your Zoom account.
You might be directed back to Otter.ai, possibly with a configuration guide or a "Test configuration" option. It's a good idea to click "Test configuration" to ensure everything is set up correctly.
Sub-heading: Using Otter.ai Notetaker (Highly Recommended!)
Otter Notetaker is an excellent feature that automatically joins your meetings as a participant, transcribes in real-time, and can even capture slides.
Connect your Calendar to Otter.ai:
In your Otter.ai account, navigate to "Account Settings" (often found by clicking your profile icon).
Go to the "Meetings" or "Calendar" tab.
Click "Connect" next to your Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar.
Follow the prompts to authorize Otter.ai to access your calendar events. This allows OtterPilot (Otter's AI bot) to see your scheduled Zoom meetings.
Configure Otter Notetaker Settings:
In Account Settings > Meetings, you can manage Otter Notetaker's behavior.
You can set it to auto-join all meetings or manually select which meetings it joins.
You can also configure auto-sharing settings for meeting notes with calendar event guests.
Ensure "Send live transcript and summary" and "Send Otter Chat Q&A" are toggled on in the "OtterPilot chat messages" section if you want these features to appear in Zoom chat.
Tip: Don’t skip the details — they matter.
Step 4: Activating Otter.ai During a Zoom Meeting
Once the integration is set up, here's how Otter.ai will come to life during your Zoom sessions.
Sub-heading: For Meetings Where You are the Host (Otter Live Notes/Notetaker)
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If you've properly set up Otter Live Notes or Otter Notetaker, Otter should automatically join your scheduled Zoom meetings.
Start your Zoom meeting as usual.
You should see a red "LIVE" indicator at the top of your Zoom window, indicating that Otter.ai has started live transcribing.
To access the live transcript:
Click the "LIVE" dropdown next to the red indicator in Zoom.
Select "View Stream on Otter.ai Live Notes" (or similar wording). This will open the live transcript in a new browser window, where you can follow along, highlight, and add comments.
Otter Notetaker will appear as a participant in your meeting (e.g., "Otter.ai Notetaker"). If you didn't enable auto-approval in Zoom settings, you might get a pop-up to admit it.
Sub-heading: Manually Adding Otter.ai to a Live Meeting
If you prefer not to have Otter.ai auto-join, or for ad-hoc meetings, you can manually invite it.
On Otter.ai's home feed, look for an option like "Paste Meeting URL to record" or "Record" then "Join a meeting."
Paste the Zoom meeting URL (from your Zoom invite) into the provided field.
Click "Join," and OtterPilot will enter your Zoom session as a participant and begin transcribing.
Step 5: Post-Meeting Productivity with Otter.ai Transcripts
The real magic happens after the meeting, with Otter.ai's powerful post-meeting features.
Sub-heading: Accessing and Reviewing Your Transcripts
Sign in to your Otter.ai account.
Your conversations (transcribed meetings) will appear on your "My Conversations" or "Home" feed.
Click on the desired conversation to open the transcript.
You can play back the audio while the corresponding text is highlighted, allowing for easy review.
Edit the transcript: Click the "Edit" button (often a pencil icon) to correct any transcription errors. Otter.ai's AI is good, but sometimes names or specific jargon might need slight adjustments.
Sub-heading: Leveraging Otter.ai's AI Capabilities
AI Summaries: Otter.ai automatically generates summaries and key takeaways, saving you time from reviewing the entire transcript.
Action Items: Otter can often identify action items from the conversation, which you can then assign and track.
Otter AI Chat: This powerful feature (available on some plans) allows you to ask questions about your meeting within the Otter.ai interface. For example, "What were the main decisions made?" or "What was discussed about the marketing budget?" Otter.ai will instantly provide answers based on the transcript.
Tip: Focus on sections most relevant to you.
Sub-heading: Sharing and Exporting Transcripts
Share the transcript: Click the "Share" button within the conversation. You can share with specific individuals via email or create a public link. You can also set permissions (view-only, comment, edit).
Export the file: Click the three dots (More options) at the top-right of the transcript. You can export the transcript in various formats:
TEXT
DOCX (Word)
PDF
SRT (for captions/subtitles)
You can also export the audio as an MP3.
Troubleshooting and Best Practices
Consent is Key: Always inform participants that the meeting is being transcribed and/or recorded. Depending on your region, you may need explicit consent from all participants.
Clear Audio: The quality of the transcription heavily depends on the audio quality. Encourage participants to use good microphones and minimize background noise.
Speaker Identification: For best results, ask participants to state their names when speaking, especially if their voices are similar. You can also manually tag speakers in Otter.ai after the transcription.
Check Zoom Marketplace: Ensure Otter.ai is pre-approved in your Zoom Marketplace if you're a Zoom administrator for your organization.
Firewall/Network Issues: If Otter.ai isn't joining, check if any network firewalls are blocking its access.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to allow Otter.ai to join my Zoom meetings automatically?
To allow Otter.ai to join your Zoom meetings automatically, connect your calendar (Google or Outlook) to your Otter.ai account, and then enable OtterPilot's auto-join feature in your Otter.ai account settings under "Meetings." Ensure your Zoom settings allow for cloud recording and live streaming.
How to view the live transcript from Otter.ai during a Zoom meeting?
During a Zoom meeting, if Otter.ai is live transcribing, click the red "LIVE" indicator at the top of your Zoom window, then select "View Stream on Otter.ai Live Notes" (or similar) to open the live transcript in a new browser tab.
How to stop Otter.ai from transcribing a specific Zoom meeting?
If Otter.ai is set to auto-join, you can usually stop it by either removing "Otter.ai Notetaker" from the participants list in Zoom, or by going to your Otter.ai dashboard, finding the live recording, and clicking "Stop" to end the transcription.
How to share an Otter.ai transcript after a Zoom meeting?
QuickTip: Skim the first line of each paragraph.
After a Zoom meeting, log in to Otter.ai, go to "My Conversations," select the desired transcript, and click the "Share" button. You can then enter email addresses or generate a shareable link with customizable permissions.
How to get an AI summary of my Zoom meeting from Otter.ai?
Once your Zoom meeting is transcribed by Otter.ai, an AI-generated summary, along with key takeaways and action items, will often be automatically created and accessible within the conversation in your Otter.ai account.
How to export a Zoom meeting transcript from Otter.ai?
Open the desired conversation in your Otter.ai account, click the three dots (More options) at the top-right, and select "Export Text." You can choose from various formats like TEXT, DOCX, PDF, or SRT.
How to enable live captioning in Zoom using Otter.ai?
First, ensure Otter Live Notes is set up in Otter.ai. During the meeting, in Zoom, you might need to enable "Show Captions" and potentially copy an API token from Zoom to paste into the Otter conversation settings to link the live captions.
How to troubleshoot if Otter.ai is not joining my Zoom meeting?
Check your Zoom account settings (both administrator and personal) to ensure "Cloud recording," "Record an audio only file," and "Allow live streaming of meetings" are enabled. Also, verify your calendar is properly synced in Otter.ai and that Otter has the necessary permissions from Zoom.
How to use Otter.ai to get answers from my Zoom meeting conversation?
With the Otter AI Chat feature (available on certain plans), open the transcribed conversation in Otter.ai and use the chat interface to ask questions about the meeting content. Otter.ai will provide instant answers based on the transcript.
How to distinguish between different speakers in an Otter.ai transcript?
Otter.ai attempts to identify speakers automatically. After the meeting, you can go into the transcript, click the "Edit" button, and manually assign names to "Speaker 1," "Speaker 2," etc., by clicking on their respective sections.
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