{"article":{"id":31672594631063,"url":"https://otterai.zendesk.com/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/31672594631063.json","html_url":"https://help.otter.ai/hc/en-us/articles/31672594631063-Getting-the-most-out-of-Otter-ai-Best-Practices-for-in-person-recordings","author_id":1902597107005,"comments_disabled":true,"draft":false,"promoted":false,"position":0,"vote_sum":57,"vote_count":127,"upvote_count":92,"downvote_count":35,"section_id":360008124593,"created_at":"2025-04-25T19:31:30Z","updated_at":"2026-10-12T14:58:18Z","name":"Getting the most out of Otter.ai: Best Practices for in-person recordings","title":"Getting the most out of Otter.ai: Best Practices for in-person recordings","source_locale":"en-us","locale":"en-us","outdated":false,"outdated_locales":[],"edited_at":"2025-04-25T19:57:57Z","user_segment_id":null,"permission_group_id":3069674,"content_tag_ids":["01GQGPAW8AXVCZWQT53BQJTKRM","01GXVNXW5KFQF90X3KN7EXREP9"],"label_names":["event recording","how to record in person","in-person recording","record in person","microphone recommendation","best practices"],"body":"

Otter.ai makes it easy to capture, transcribe, and share conversations. In this guide, we’ll provide some best practices for recording clear audio in person, so you can make the most of everything Otter has to offer.

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\nNote: Audio recorded to Otter is compressed. Playback audio quality may sound different, as the audio is compressed once uploaded to our server.
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🎙️ Recommended Microphone

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By default, Otter will pull from your device’s built-in microphone. The audio quality and what it captures will depend on your device’s audio input. (e.g. Recording on your iPhone will pull directly from your built-in phone’s microphone, while recording on the browser will pull from audio from your built-in computer’s microphone). You have two options to record using Otter for in-person meetings or conversations.

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\nTip: Any device running iOS or Android can download our mobile Otter app, including iPads, Galaxy tabs, or other devices running iOS or Android.
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If you are recording a specific event, scenario, or multiple speakers, we recommend the following types of microphones

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Microphone TypeDescriptionExample Scenario
Uni-directionalRecords audio coming from the direction the microphone is facing.You are recording a lecture by a professor. Using this type of microphone, you will want to point the microphone towards them to capture their audio.
Bi-directionalRecords audio coming from the front and back of the microphone.You are interviewing a speaker. Using this type of microphone, you’ll want to position it right between you and the speaker to capture both of your audio.
Omni-directionalRecords audio coming from all directions, regardless of placement.You are at an event booth and want to capture the conversations you’re having with multiple customers. An omnidirectional microphone will be able to capture audio from all angles. We recommend positioning the microphone in the center of all speakers.
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There are many types of microphones you can use. The table above highlights just a few; however, there are many more different types of microphones. We recommend researching microphones based on where the speakers may be.

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\nNote: Otter does not endorse or have recommendations for specific brands or products for microphones. It is up to the user to research, make an informed decision, and purchase an external microphone, if needed, at their own discretion.
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\"different-types-of-polar-pattern.jpg\"

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(image source: Polar Patterns in Microphones)

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⏺️ Before recording a conversation

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  1. \nEnsure your device, browser, and mobile app are up-to-date\n\n
    2. \n
  2. \nEnsure you have a good internet connection
    Otter requires a stable internet connection to provide real-time transcription. We recommend a minimum uplink bandwidth of 512kbps. We recommend using a direct Ethernet cable if possible, but WiFi or cellular data is supported.

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    3. \n
  3. \nMicrophone placement
    Place the microphone in the center of all speakers or near the speaker you are wanting to capture. Ensure the microphone is near the speakers.

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    4. \n
  4. \nCheck your device audio output settings
    Navigate to your microphone settings and select the microphone name as the input.\n\n
    5. \n
  5. \nDo a test recording before the event
    Log in to Otter.ai and click Record in the top right.
    \"image
    Your audio should be recording now and you’ll be able to see the live transcript in real-time produced on the screen (indicated by the live transcribing and audio waveform).
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    6. \n
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Network interruptions

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If you encounter any interruptions due to a sudden network outage or drop in bandwidth, we recommend keeping the recording going. Otter will continue to record and cache to your computer’s browser or mobile device. Once the network connection is established again, Otter will finish the upload.

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\nNote: If you experience an issue recording on mobile or are not seeing the transcript text show up after reconnecting to the network, the file may not have been fully uploaded to our server. The file should be cached on the device. Please send in the diagnostics to our Otter Support Team, so our team can try to recover the conversation.
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FAQs

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Can I use Bluetooth headphones?

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Can I use an external Bluetooth microphone?

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Why is the audio playback quality not the same as my microphone input?

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Why is the live transcription not showing?

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I am using an external microphone, but it’s still not capturing any audio. What should I do?

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View our Status Page and subscribe to be updated on any known outages or errors. If you experience any issues or have any questions while recording, please contact our Otter Support Team for further assistance.
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