Desktop Automatic Screenshots – Help Center

The Otter desktop app can automatically capture screenshots of shared content during live recordings in Zoom and Microsoft Teams. When you or another participant shares their screen during a meeting, Otter automatically captures screenshots of the shared content and adds them to your conversation alongside the transcript. If you started the recording using the Otter desktop app, you can also manually capture specific slides, visuals, or other important information during the meeting.

Availability: This feature is enabled by default for all plans except Otter Enterprise. If you're part of an Enterprise workspace, contact your Otter account manager to request enablement.

Enable automatic screenshots in the Otter desktop app

Turn on automatic screenshot capture in your Desktop App Settings to automatically save shared content during supported meetings.

Open the Otter desktop app.
Click your profile in the top-left corner and select Desktop App Settings.
Under Live recording behavior, turn on Capture screenshots of shared content during recordings.
Start recording a meeting using the Otter desktop app. Otter automatically captures screenshots of the shared content and adds them to your conversation.

Note: Automatic screenshot capture is supported for Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings when using the Otter desktop app. Make sure the screenshot capture setting is enabled before recording.

Capture screenshots during a live recording

During a live recording, Otter can automatically capture shared screens or allow you to manually capture specific content in Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings. Screenshots are added directly to the conversation so you can reference them alongside your meeting transcript.

Automatic screenshot capture

With automatic screenshot capture enabled, Otter detects shared content during supported meetings and automatically adds screenshots to your conversation. No additional action is required during the recording.

Manually capture a screenshot Capture specific slides, visuals, or shared content

Note: Manual screenshot capture is only available to the user who started the recording in the Otter desktop app. Other participants who access the live conversation will not see the Capture button and cannot manually add screenshots.

You can also manually capture shared content during a live recording:

Start a recording in the Otter desktop app.
Hover over the shared content you want to capture and click the Capture (camera) button.
The screenshot will be added to your conversation.

Tip: Use manual screenshots to capture specific slides, diagrams, or important information you want to reference later in your conversation.

Manage screenshots in your conversation

Screenshots captured during your recording are added directly to your conversation alongside the transcript. You can expand images for a closer look, download them to your device, or delete screenshots you no longer need.

View and expand screenshots Open captured images for a closer look

Click any image added to your conversation to expand it for a larger view. This makes it easier to review shared slides, presentations, and other visual content captured during your meeting.

Download or delete screenshots Save images to your device or remove them from your conversation

You can download or delete individual screenshots directly from your conversation.

Hover over the image to reveal the available actions.
Choose one of the following:
- Download image: Click the download icon to save the screenshot to your device.
- Delete image: Click the trash icon to remove the screenshot from your conversation.

Explore the Otter desktop app

Learn more about the Otter desktop app, including its features, recording capabilities, and settings, in our complete desktop app guide.

🖥️ Explore the Otter desktop app guide

FAQs

Is automatic screenshot capture available on all Otter plans?

Yes. Automatic screenshot capture is enabled by default for all Otter plans except Enterprise. If you're part of an Enterprise workspace, contact your Otter account manager to request enablement.

Which meeting platforms support automatic screenshots?

Automatic screenshot capture is supported when using the Otter desktop app for Zoom and Microsoft Teams platforms.

Enable the feature under Desktop App Settings → Live recording behavior → Capture screenshots of shared content during recordings. If content is shared during the recording, Otter will capture it automatically.

Can I turn off automatic screenshot capture?

Yes. Open the Otter desktop app and navigate to Profile → Desktop App Settings → Live recording behavior. Turn off Capture screenshots of shared content during recordings to disable automatic screenshot capture.

How often does Otter automatically capture screenshots?

During a supported meeting, Otter checks shared content approximately every 10 seconds. Otter processes these screenshots to identify relevant content and determines which images should be added to your conversation. Not every captured frame will appear in the transcript.

Does screenshot capture continue when I pause my recording?

No. Automatic screenshot capture pauses when you pause your desktop recording and resumes when recording continues.

Does the desktop screenshot setting affect Otter Notetaker?

No. The Capture screenshots of shared content during recordings setting only controls automatic screenshot capture in the Otter desktop app. It does not change your Otter Notetaker screenshot settings.

Does Otter capture my entire screen?

Otter is designed to capture shared meeting content from supported meeting applications, rather than continuously capturing your entire desktop. Screenshots are processed to identify relevant shared content before being added to your conversation.

Why are some shared screens or slides not captured?

Otter automatically selects relevant screenshots, so not every shared screen or slide will appear in your conversation. Screenshot capture may also be limited in certain situations, including when multiple application windows overlap while sharing an individual window.

If screenshots are missing, try sharing your entire screen instead of an individual application window, or resize overlapping windows so the shared content can be identified.

You can manually capture images by clicking on Capture in the conversation.

Where are captured screenshots saved?

Captured screenshots are added directly to your Otter conversation alongside the transcript. You can reference the captured images when reviewing your meeting.

Can I manually capture screenshots when automatic capture is enabled?

Yes. You can manually capture specific shared content during a live recording, even when automatic screenshot capture is enabled. Hover over the content and click the Capture (camera) button to add a screenshot to your conversation.

Why is Otter not automatically capturing screenshots?

If screenshots are not being captured automatically, check the following:

Confirm that you are using the Otter desktop app.
Verify that Capture screenshots of shared content during recordings is enabled in Desktop App Settings.
Confirm that content is being shared during the meeting.

If the issue continues, contact our Otter Support team for further assistance.