Liberate Your Google Meets: A Comprehensive Guide to Removing Otter.ai
Are you finding Otter.ai to be more of a persistent attendee than a helpful assistant in your Google Meet sessions? While Otter.ai can be an excellent tool for transcription, there are times when you might want to reclaim your meeting privacy or simply streamline your experience. Perhaps you're concerned about data privacy, or maybe you just don't need real-time transcription for every casual chat. Whatever your reason, this lengthy, step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of removing Otter.ai from your Google Meets, ensuring you have full control over your virtual interactions.
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| How To Remove Otter Ai From Gmeet |
Let's Get Started! Are You Ready to Take Back Control?
Before we dive into the technicalities, take a moment to consider why you want to remove Otter.ai. Understanding your motivation will help you decide which method is best for you, as there are a few different approaches, from temporary removal to a complete uninstallation. Ready to proceed? Excellent! Let's empower you with the knowledge to manage your Google Meet environment.
Step 1: Immediate Ejection – Removing Otter.ai from a Live Google Meet
Sometimes, you're in a meeting, and suddenly, there's Otter.ai, transcribing away. This is the quickest way to remove it from an ongoing session.
Sub-heading 1.1: The "Participant List" Method (For Meeting Hosts)
If you are the host or co-host of the Google Meet, you have the power to remove any participant, including Otter.ai.
Action: During your active Google Meet, look for the "People" icon (usually a silhouette of a person or a group of people) in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click on it to open the participant list.
Identify Otter: Scroll through the list of participants. You'll likely see "Otter.ai Notetaker" or a similar entry. It often has a robotic or AI-like profile picture.
The Eviction Notice: Hover over the Otter.ai entry. You should see a three-dot menu (⋮) appear next to its name. Click on these dots.
Click "Remove": From the dropdown menu, select the option that says "Remove" or "Remove from meeting."
Confirmation: Google Meet might ask for confirmation. Click "Remove" again to confirm.
Voila! Otter.ai should disappear from your live meeting. Keep in mind this only removes it from the current meeting.
Sub-heading 1.2: Stopping the Recording within Otter.ai (If you initiated it)
QuickTip: Focus on what feels most relevant.
If you were the one who invited Otter.ai to the meeting or have control over the Otter.ai account connected to it, you can stop the recording from within the Otter.ai platform itself.
Access Otter.ai: Open your web browser and go to
otter.ai. Log in to your account.Navigate to "My Conversations" or "Home Page Calendar": On the Otter.ai dashboard, look for a section like "My Conversations" or a "Home Page Calendar" view.
Locate the Live Recording: Find the current live recording that corresponds to your Google Meet. It might be highlighted or have a "Live" indicator.
Stop the Recording: Click on the recording. You should see a control bar, often with a "Stop Notetaker" or "Stop Recording" button. Click it.
Confirm Removal: A prompt will likely appear asking for confirmation. Click "Yes, turn it off" to confirm the removal.
This method will also remove Otter.ai from the live meeting and stop the transcription.
Step 2: Preventing Future Auto-Joins – Managing Otter.ai Settings
The most common reason for unwanted Otter.ai presence is its "auto-join" feature. Disabling this is crucial for long-term control.
Sub-heading 2.1: Through Your Otter.ai Account Settings
This is the primary way to control how Otter.ai interacts with your calendar and meetings.
Log In to Otter.ai: Open your web browser and navigate to
otter.ai. Sign in to your account.Access Account Settings: Look for your profile icon (often in the top-left or top-right corner) and click on it. From the dropdown menu, select "Account Settings."
Navigate to the "Meetings" Tab: Within Account Settings, you'll find various tabs. Click on the "Meetings" tab.
Locate OtterPilot Settings: Scroll down until you find the "OtterPilot" or "Notetaker" section.
Toggle Off "Auto-join all meetings": You'll see an option like "Auto-join all meetings" or "Enable AI Notetaker to auto-join all other meetings." Crucially, toggle this setting to OFF.
Review Calendar Events (Optional but Recommended): On this same page, or in the "Home" section with your calendar, you might be able to see upcoming meetings. Manually check if any individual events still have OtterPilot enabled and toggle them off if necessary.
By doing this, Otter.ai will no longer automatically join your scheduled Google Meets from your connected calendar.
Sub-heading 2.2: Managing Through the Otter.ai Chrome Extension
If you're using the Otter.ai Chrome Extension, it also has its own auto-join settings.
Click the Extension Icon: In your Chrome browser, click on the Otter.ai extension icon (usually a small Otter head) in your toolbar.
Access Extension Settings: A small pop-up window will appear. Look for a gear icon or "Settings" option within this pop-up.
Disable Auto-Join: Within the extension settings, you should find an option related to "Auto-join" or "Enable AI Notetaker to auto-join all other meetings." Make sure this is unchecked or toggled off.
Step 3: Revoking Google Account Permissions – Severing the Connection
QuickTip: Every section builds on the last.
For a more comprehensive removal, especially if you want to ensure Otter.ai has no lingering access to your Google account or calendar data, revoking its permissions is vital.
Go to Your Google Account: Open your web browser and go to
myaccount.google.com. Make sure you're logged into the Google account that Otter.ai was connected to.Navigate to Security: On the left-hand navigation pane, click on "Security."
Find "Third-party apps with account access": Scroll down to the section titled "Your connections to third-party apps and services." Click on "See all connections."
Locate Otter.ai: In the list of connected apps, find "Otter.ai" or "Otter."
Remove Access: Click on the Otter.ai entry. You'll see details about the permissions granted. There will be a button or link that says "Remove access" or "Delete all connection you have with Otter.ai." Click this.
Confirm Removal: A confirmation dialog will appear. Click "Confirm" to revoke all permissions.
This is a powerful step, as it prevents Otter.ai from accessing your Google Calendar and other connected services.
Step 4: Complete Account Deletion – The Final Farewell
If you no longer wish to use Otter.ai at all, you can delete your entire account. Be aware that this is a permanent action and will delete all your transcripts and data.
Log In to Otter.ai: Go to
otter.aiand sign in to your account.Access Account Settings: Click on your profile icon and select "Account Settings."
Find "Delete Account": Scroll to the very bottom of the "General" section (or a similar section within Account Settings). You should find a "Delete account" option.
Follow On-Screen Prompts: Click "Delete account." Otter.ai will likely ask you to re-authenticate for security purposes. Follow the prompts, which may include entering your password or verifying via Google.
Confirm Permanent Deletion: Read the warning message carefully, as it will explain what data will be deleted. Confirm that you want to permanently delete your account.
Once confirmed, your Otter.ai account and all associated data will be removed.
Important Considerations and Troubleshooting:
Workspace or Enterprise Accounts: If you are part of a Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) or an enterprise account, your organization's IT administrator might have policies in place regarding third-party app integrations. They might have blocked Otter.ai at an organizational level, or conversely, might have it configured to auto-join. In such cases, you may need to contact your IT department for assistance.
Other Users' Otter.ai: If someone else in the meeting has Otter.ai integrated with their account, it might still join the meeting. Your actions only control your Otter.ai instance.
Chrome Extension vs. Web App: Remember there are two main ways Otter.ai interacts with Google Meet: via its web application (connected to your calendar) and its Chrome Extension. Ensure you address both if you've used both.
Check Your Calendar: After making changes, double-check your Google Calendar to ensure that Otter.ai is no longer showing up as an attendee for future meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 related FAQ questions to help you further manage your Google Meet experience without Otter.ai:
How to stop Otter.ai from sending chat messages in Google Meet?
You can disable Otter.ai chat messages by going to your Otter.ai Account Settings > Meetings and toggling off "Send live transcript and summary" and "Send Otter Chat Q&A."
QuickTip: Reading twice makes retention stronger.
How to remove Otter.ai from a specific Google Meet event?
Even if auto-join is enabled, you can usually go to your Otter.ai home page calendar, find the specific event, and manually toggle off OtterPilot for that individual meeting.
How to check if Otter.ai is actively recording my Google Meet?
In a live Google Meet, look at the participant list. If "Otter.ai Notetaker" is present, it is likely recording. Also, Otter.ai often displays a small notification in the meeting window indicating it's transcribing.
How to manage privacy settings for my Otter.ai conversations?
In Otter.ai, for each conversation, you can access its sharing settings to control who has access (e.g., view-only, collaborator, or private). Go to "My Conversations," select a conversation, and look for sharing options.
How to delete specific Otter.ai transcripts?
In your Otter.ai account, navigate to "My Conversations," select the conversation you wish to delete, and look for a "Delete" option (often represented by a trash can icon). Deleted conversations go to the trash and are permanently removed after 30 days.
How to ensure Otter.ai doesn't access my Google Calendar anymore?
QuickTip: Pause after each section to reflect.
Go to your Google Account (myaccount.google.com) > Security > "Third-party apps with account access," find Otter.ai, and click "Remove access."
How to tell if a Google Meet is being recorded by any AI tool, not just Otter.ai?
Google Meet typically provides a clear visual indicator (a red recording icon or text notification) when a recording is in progress. Additionally, any third-party AI transcription bot will usually appear as a participant in the meeting's participant list.
How to find alternatives to Otter.ai for Google Meet transcription?
Many alternatives exist, such as Fireflies.ai, Fathom, Notta, and MeetGeek.ai. Search for "Google Meet transcription alternatives" to find tools that suit your needs and privacy preferences.
How to block Otter.ai at an organizational level for Google Workspace users?
If you are a Google Workspace administrator, you can block Otter.ai (and other third-party apps) via your Google Admin console by managing connected apps and permissions. This is typically done under "Security" or "Apps."
How to prevent any uninvited bot from joining my Google Meets?
For individual meetings, you can enable a "Waiting Room" in Google Meet settings, requiring hosts to explicitly admit each participant. For organizational control, IT administrators can configure Google Meet settings to restrict who can join or to disallow anonymous users.
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