We've all been there – you're in a sensitive meeting, discussing confidential information, and then you see it: "Otter.ai Notetaker has joined the meeting." While Otter.ai can be an incredibly useful tool for productivity, its automatic note-taking capabilities can raise significant privacy concerns, especially in professional or highly personal contexts.
So, how do you regain control and stop Otter.ai from taking notes when you don't want it to? This comprehensive guide will walk you through various strategies, from adjusting your own settings to taking proactive measures as a meeting host. Let's dive in!
Understanding Otter.ai's Functionality
Before we delve into prevention, it's crucial to understand how Otter.ai typically operates. Otter.ai primarily works by integrating with your calendar and video conferencing platforms (like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams). When connected, its "Otter Notetaker" or "OtterPilot" can automatically join scheduled meetings, transcribe the audio in real-time, and often even summarize the conversation and create action items.
While this automation is a key feature for many users, it's also where the privacy concerns arise. If you or a colleague have Otter.ai connected to a shared calendar, it might join meetings you didn't intend for it to record.
 |
| How To Stop Otter Ai From Taking Notes |
Step 1: Taking Immediate Action During a Live Meeting (The "Panic Button" Approach)
Let's start with the most urgent scenario: Otter.ai has already joined your live meeting, and you need it to stop now. Don't worry, there are ways to remove it.
Sub-heading: Removing Otter.ai as a Participant
Just like any other participant, Otter.ai's Notetaker appears in the participant list of your video conferencing software. If you have the necessary host or co-host permissions, you can remove it directly.
For Zoom:
Click on the "Participants" icon in your Zoom meeting controls.
Locate "Otter.ai Notetaker" or a similar name in the participant list.
Hover over the name and click "More" or the three dots (...).
Select "Remove."
Confirm your decision. Otter.ai will be immediately disconnected from the meeting.
For Google Meet:
Click on the "People" icon (usually a silhouette of people) in your Google Meet interface.
Find "Otter.ai Notetaker" or a similar entry in the participant list.
Click the three dots (...) next to its name.
Select "Remove" or "Remove from meeting."
Confirm your choice.
For Microsoft Teams:
In your Teams meeting, click on the "People" icon to view the participant list.
Locate "Otter.ai Notetaker" or a similar participant.
Click the three dots (...) next to its name.
Select "Remove participant."
Confirm the removal.
Sub-heading: Stopping the Recording from Otter.ai's Interface
If you are the Otter.ai account owner who initiated the recording, you can also stop it directly from your Otter.ai interface.
Go to your Otter.ai homepage or the live conversation: If Otter.ai is actively recording, you'll see the live transcript on your Otter.ai dashboard.
Locate the "Stop Recording" button: This is usually a prominent red button or a "Stop Notetaker" option in the control playback bar.
Click it and confirm: This will immediately stop Otter.ai from transcribing the current meeting.
Step 2: Preventing Otter.ai from Auto-Joining Future Meetings (Proactive Measures)
Tip: Read carefully — skimming skips meaning.
The best defense is a good offense! To truly stop Otter.ai from taking unwanted notes, you need to adjust its settings to prevent it from joining your meetings automatically.
Sub-heading: Disabling Auto-Join in Otter.ai Account Settings
This is the most crucial step for Otter.ai users who want to prevent automatic note-taking.
Sign in to your Otter.ai account: Go to the Otter.ai website and log in.
Navigate to Account Settings:
Click on your profile icon (usually in the top right corner).
Select "Account Settings" from the dropdown menu.
Go to the "Meetings" tab: Within Account Settings, you'll see various tabs. Click on the "Meetings" tab.
Locate "Otter Assistant" or "OtterPilot" section: This section controls how Otter.ai interacts with your calendar and meetings.
Toggle off "Auto-join all meetings": This is the key setting. Make sure this toggle is in the "OFF" position. This will prevent Otter.ai from automatically joining any future meetings synced to your calendar.
Sub-heading: Managing Calendar Integrations
Otter.ai's ability to auto-join often stems from its integration with your Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook Calendar.
Check your connected apps in Otter.ai:
In your Otter.ai account settings, you might find an "Apps" or "Integrations" section.
Review the connected calendars. If you want to completely sever the automatic link, you can disconnect your calendar. Be aware that this might impact other Otter.ai features you use.
Review permissions within your calendar service:
For Google Calendar: Go to your Google account security settings (
myaccount.google.com/security For Microsoft Outlook/Teams: In your Microsoft account settings or directly in Outlook, look for connected apps or permissions granted to third-party services. Revoke access for Otter.ai if it's listed.
Sub-heading: Adjusting Default Sharing Permissions
Even if Otter.ai joins a meeting, you can control whether the notes are automatically shared.
In Otter.ai, go to Account Settings > Meetings.
Look for "Default audience for shared notes" or similar.
Change the setting to "Don't Share - keep my notes private" or "Only me." This ensures that even if Otter.ai records, the transcript won't be automatically distributed to other meeting participants. You can always choose to share it manually later if needed.
 |
Step 3: Controlling Otter.ai as a Meeting Host (For the Organizer)
If you are the meeting host, you have the most control over who joins and what tools are used.
Sub-heading: Utilizing Waiting Rooms
For platforms like Zoom, enabling a Waiting Room can be a powerful way to vet participants before they enter your meeting.
Tip: Use the structure of the text to guide you.
Enable Waiting Room in your meeting settings: Before the meeting starts, go into your Zoom meeting settings and turn on the Waiting Room feature.
Manually admit participants: As people try to join, you'll see a list of attendees in the Waiting Room. You can then individually admit only the legitimate participants, preventing Otter.ai from automatically joining.
Sub-heading: Educating Participants and Setting Expectations
Sometimes, the simplest solution is communication.
Communicate your policy: Before sensitive meetings, inform participants that you do not wish to have the meeting recorded or transcribed by AI tools. You can include this in the meeting invitation or verbally at the start of the meeting.
Request participants to disable their Otter.ai: Politely ask attendees to ensure their personal Otter.ai instances are not set to auto-join.
Sub-heading: Blocking Otter.ai at an Organizational Level (For IT Admins)
For organizations with strict privacy policies, IT administrators can implement more robust blocking measures.
Block the Otter.ai application in your admin console:
For Google Workspace Admins: Navigate to the Google Workspace Marketplace apps in your admin console and remove or block Otter.ai. You can also enable "block new apps" to prevent unauthorized installations.
For Microsoft 365 Admins (Entra ID): Go to the Entra ID portal > Applications > Enterprise applications. Search for the Otter.ai app and disable it for users to sign in. You can also restrict it to specific users if needed.
For Zoom Admins: In the Zoom App Marketplace, administrators can uninstall or revoke permissions for the Otter.ai integration.
Network-level blocking: In some highly secure environments, IT departments might be able to block Otter.ai's domain or IP addresses at the network firewall level, preventing its access altogether. This is a more advanced and less common solution for individual users.
Step 4: Verifying and Confirming Otter.ai is Gone (Peace of Mind)
After implementing the steps above, it's a good idea to confirm that Otter.ai is no longer taking notes.
Sub-heading: Check During a Test Meeting
Schedule a brief test meeting: Invite yourself or a trusted colleague to a quick, unimportant meeting.
Monitor the participant list: Observe if "Otter.ai Notetaker" or a similar entry appears in the participant list.
Check your Otter.ai dashboard: After the test meeting, log into your Otter.ai account and verify that no new conversation or transcript from that meeting was generated.
Sub-heading: Reviewing Connected Apps Regularly
It's good practice to periodically review the applications connected to your calendar and video conferencing accounts, especially if you use many third-party services. This helps ensure that no unwanted apps have regained access.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the chances of Otter.ai taking notes in your meetings without your explicit consent. Remember, proactive management of your settings and clear communication with meeting participants are key to maintaining your privacy.
Tip: Focus more on ideas, less on words.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to remove Otter.ai from a live Zoom meeting?
To remove Otter.ai from a live Zoom meeting, click the "Participants" icon, find "Otter.ai Notetaker" in the list, hover over it, click "More," and then select "Remove."
How to stop Otter.ai from automatically joining my Google Meet calls?
To stop Otter.ai from auto-joining Google Meet calls, sign in to your Otter.ai account, go to "Account Settings" > "Meetings," and toggle off the "Auto-join all meetings" option under "Otter Assistant."
How to disable Otter.ai from taking notes on Microsoft Teams meetings?
Similar to Zoom and Google Meet, you can remove "Otter.ai Notetaker" from the participant list during a live Teams meeting. To prevent future auto-joins, turn off "Auto-join all meetings" in your Otter.ai account settings.
How to turn off Otter.ai's default sharing of notes?
In your Otter.ai account, go to "Account Settings" > "Meetings," and change the "Default audience for shared notes" to "Don't Share - keep my notes private" or "Only me."
How to disconnect my Google Calendar from Otter.ai?
Log in to your Otter.ai account, navigate to "Account Settings," then look for an "Apps" or "Integrations" section, and you should find an option to disconnect your Google Calendar.
QuickTip: Pause when something feels important.
How to tell if someone is using Otter.ai in a meeting?
Otter.ai typically appears as a participant named "Otter.ai Notetaker," "OtterPilot," or similar in the participant list of the video conferencing platform.
How to prevent Otter.ai from being installed by other users in my organization?
For IT administrators, block the Otter.ai application through your organization's admin console (e.g., Google Workspace Marketplace, Microsoft Entra ID, or Zoom App Marketplace) and consider enabling settings that block new app installations.
How to revoke Otter.ai's access to my Zoom account?
Log in to your Zoom account, go to the "App Marketplace," find the Otter.ai integration, and select "Uninstall" or "Revoke permissions" to remove its access.
How to ensure my meeting conversations are not used to train Otter.ai's AI models?
According to Otter.ai's privacy policy, they use a proprietary method to de-identify user data before training their models. While you can't directly opt out of all data usage for training, you have control over sharing your specific conversations.
How to manually remove Otter.ai from a meeting if I don't have host permissions?
If you don't have host permissions, you cannot directly remove Otter.ai as a participant. You would need to ask the meeting host to remove it, or if you are the Otter.ai account owner, stop the recording from your own Otter.ai dashboard.
 |
