How to Transcribe Zoom Meetings Automatically: Best Tools and Settings Compared
If you run meetings on Zoom, you’ve probably wished for a reliable way to get everything in writing — automatically. Whether for note-taking, accessibility, or sharing with your team, meeting transcripts can save hours of work.
Zoom does offer a built-in transcription feature, but it comes with major limitations: it’s only available on paid plans, doesn’t support real-time captions, and lacks summary or export flexibility. That’s where AI tools like Notta, Otter.ai, and tl;dv come in.
For cleaner, instant transcripts (and summaries), Zoom alone won’t cut it. Tools like Notta are built for this job.
What Zoom’s Transcription Feature Can (and Can’t) Do
Zoom does offer a transcription feature — but it’s limited in several ways.
Before you rely on it for meeting notes, here’s what you should know:
☑ What Zoom Can Do
- Transcribe meetings if you use cloud recording
- Provide a text transcript after the meeting ends
- Show a time-stamped script that you can search
- Include a basic speaker label (not always accurate)
☒ What Zoom Can’t Do
- It doesn’t work in real time — there’s no live subtitle
- It’s not available on free plans
- It only works if you record to the cloud, not locally
- It lacks summarization or advanced AI features
In short: Zoom’s built-in transcription works — but only under the right conditions. If you’re using a free plan, or if you need live transcription, summaries, or translations, you’ll need a third-party tool.
Zoom can help with basic transcripts, but for serious meetings, try an AI tool like Notta.
How to Download Your Zoom Recording for Transcription
If you plan to transcribe your meeting after it’s over, you’ll need to download the Zoom recording first. Here’s how to do it:
Step-by-step: Download a Zoom Recording
- Go to zoom.us/recording and sign in to your account.
- Click on My Recordings in the navigation.
- Locate the meeting you want to transcribe and click on it.
- Click Download to save the files locally.
- You’ll typically see:
.mp4for video.m4afor audio-only
- You’ll typically see:
- Upload the file to your transcription tool (like Notta, Descript, or Sonix).
If you’re tight on storage or bandwidth, just upload the .m4a audio file — it’s lighter and still gives you clean transcripts.
Zoom Transcription Settings: Where to Find and Enable It
Zoom’s transcription feature isn’t enabled by default — and it only works if you’re using cloud recording on a paid Zoom plan (Pro or higher). Here’s how to find and turn it on:
☑ Step-by-step: How to Enable Transcription in Zoom
- Log in to your Zoom account on the web (not the desktop app).
Go to zoom.us and sign in. - Navigate to Settings > Recording in the left-hand menu.
- Scroll down to the “Cloud Recording” section.
Make sure it’s turned on. - Under that, find and check “Audio transcript”.
This will allow Zoom to generate a transcript after your meetings are recorded to the cloud. - Click Save to apply your changes.
Important Notes:
- This only works if you record the meeting to the cloud — local recordings won’t generate transcripts.
- The transcript is created after the meeting ends and may take a few minutes to appear.
- You’ll find the transcript in the “Recordings” tab of your Zoom account dashboard.
- It’s available to download as a .vtt or .txt file, and it’s searchable.
Zoom hides this setting like it’s a secret. But once it’s on, you’ll never want to go back to manual note-taking.
Which Zoom Transcription Tool Should You Choose?
Not sure which tool fits your workflow best? Here’s a quick breakdown by use case and strength:
| Tool | Best For | Ideal If You… |
|---|---|---|
| Notta | Solo creators, educators, multilingual users | Need real-time + uploaded transcription with summaries and translations |
| Otter.ai | Teams, remote collaboration | Want shared folders, live notes, and automatic speaker ID |
| tl;dv | Creators, analysts, product teams | Prefer tagged highlights synced with video for fast review |
| AppSumo Tools | Privacy-focused, one-time buyers | Want to avoid subscriptions, work offline, or keep data local |
Match the tool to your workflow first — not just the feature list. Real-time? Offline? Multilingual? There’s a tool for that.
Best AI Tools to Transcribe Zoom Meetings Automatically
If Zoom’s built-in transcription isn’t flexible enough, these third-party tools offer real-time transcription, speaker detection, summaries, and better export options. Below are the top AI transcription services that work with Zoom.
1. Notta — Best Overall for Real-Time, Multilingual Transcription
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription | ☒ | ☑ |
| Speaker identification | ☒ | ☑ |
| AI summary generation | ☒ | ☑ |
| Translation (30+ languages) | ☑ | ☑ |
| Export (TXT, DOCX, SRT) | ☒ | ☑ |
| Mobile + Web app | ☑ | ☑ |
Notta is a full-featured AI transcription tool that works seamlessly with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. You can either use the Chrome extension to record live meetings or invite the Notta Bot to join automatically. Notta provides real-time transcription, smart summaries, speaker labels, and translation into 30+ languages.
Need fast, clean transcripts in English or Japanese? Try Notta here — no credit card required.
2. Otter.ai — Best for Teams and Collaboration
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom integration | ☑ (with limitations) | ☑ |
| Live transcription | ☑ | ☑ |
| Speaker ID | ☑ | ☑ |
| Summary keywords | ☒ | ☑ |
| Team workspaces | ☒ | ☑ |
Otter.ai is popular for team-based transcription. It integrates directly with Zoom and offers features like shared folders, live notes, and automatic voice recognition to separate speakers. Otter is especially useful if you’re working with a distributed team and need collaboration tools around transcripts.
Otter is a solid choice for team meetings — but less flexible for non-English or solo creators.
3. tl;dv — Best for Meeting Highlights and Video + Transcript Sync
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom & Meet support | ☑ | ☑ |
| Video + transcript capture | ☑ | ☑ |
| Highlight tagging | ☑ | ☑ |
| AI-generated summaries | ☒ | ☑ |
| Integrations (CRM, Notion, etc.) | ☒ | ☑ |
tl;dv (Too Long; Didn’t View) is designed for capturing and organizing Zoom or Google Meet conversations. It offers automatic video recording, AI-powered summaries, and highlight tagging — ideal for busy professionals who need to revisit key points rather than read entire transcripts.
tl;dv is great if you want meeting takeaways with video context — not just raw text.
4. AppSumo — Best for One-Time Purchase and Privacy-Friendly Tools
| Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| File upload | ✅ (varies by tool) |
| Works offline | ✅ (some tools) |
| AI summaries / transcripts | ✅ (depends on tool) |
| Multilingual support | ✅ (varies) |
| One-time payment (lifetime deal) | ✅ |
AppSumo features a rotating lineup of AI transcription tools — many with lifetime access and offline functionality. It’s a go-to platform for privacy-conscious users or those who want to avoid recurring fees.
Since tools on AppSumo change frequently, you won’t always find the same options available.
Still, it’s worth checking — you might discover a hidden gem that fits your workflow perfectly.
If you’re tired of subscriptions and want full control over your files, AppSumo might have exactly what you need. Just make sure to grab the deal before it disappears.
Zoom Transcription Tool Comparison Table
| Feature | Notta | Otter.ai | tl;dv |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ |
| Zoom integration | Chrome extension / Bot | Native (Zoom Pro required) | Extension |
| Speaker identification | ☑ (Pro only) | ☑ | ☒ |
| AI-generated summaries | ☑ (Pro only) | ☑ | ☑ (Pro only) |
| Multilingual support | ☑ (30+ languages) | ☒ | ☒ |
| Export formats | TXT, DOCX, SRT | TXT, PDF | TXT, video timestamps |
| Mobile app | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ (limited) |
| Best for | Freelancers, educators, content creators | Teams, business meetings | Creators, analysts, marketers |
Which Tool Should You Choose?
- Choose Notta if you want multilingual transcription, clean AI summaries, or real-time meeting capture in Zoom, Meet, or Teams.
👉 Start Notta for free - Choose Otter.ai if you work in a team environment, need collaboration tools, and mostly transcribe in English.
- Choose tl;dv if you want to record meetings with synced video, extract highlights, and review content visually.
Use Notta if you’re a solo creator or work across languages. Use Otter for team sync. Use tl;dv if you’re always short on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Does Zoom have a built-in transcription feature?
Yes — Zoom offers a cloud-based transcription feature, but it’s only available on Pro or higher plans, and it works after the meeting ends (not live). You must enable it in your Zoom settings and use cloud recording for it to work.
Q2: Can I transcribe Zoom meetings in real time?
Zoom doesn’t support live transcription for free users. If you need real-time transcripts, consider using a tool like Notta or Otter.ai, which can provide live notes, speaker ID, and AI summaries while you’re still in the meeting.
Q3: What’s the easiest way to transcribe Zoom meetings for free?
The easiest option is to try Notta’s free plan, which includes 120 minutes/month, Chrome extension access, and multi-language support. It works well even if you’re not on a Zoom Pro account.
Q4: Which Zoom transcription tool is best for teams?
If you’re working in a team or sharing transcripts with colleagues, Otter.ai is built for collaboration. For solo creators, educators, or multilingual use cases, Notta is often a better fit.
Q5: Can I transcribe Zoom meetings manually without any tool?
Yes, but it takes time — and a lot of patience.
You can play your Zoom recording and type what you hear using a text editor like Google Docs or Word. Some people use Google Docs Voice Typing by playing the audio aloud and letting their microphone pick it up.
However, accuracy is hit-or-miss, and the process is slow.
Manual transcription is fine for short clips or personal notes. But if you’re dealing with full meetings or multiple speakers, AI tools like Notta or Descript can save hours and reduce errors.
Tool Recap: Choose Based on Your Workflow
| If you… | Use this tool |
|---|---|
| Want real-time transcription + summaries in multiple languages | Notta |
| Need collaboration tools for a remote or hybrid team | Otter.ai |
| Prefer to revisit meetings by watching highlights + video sync | tl;dv |
| Want a one-time purchase or offline solution | AppSumo Transcription Tools |
You don’t need to try them all — just start with the one that fits your daily routine and meeting style.
Final Summary: The Smartest Way to Transcribe Zoom Meetings
Zoom does offer a transcription feature — but it’s limited.
It only works on paid plans, it’s not live, and it lacks summaries, multilingual support, and flexibility.
If you want reliable, real-time, and shareable transcripts, an AI-powered tool is the smarter choice.
Here’s the recap:
- Zoom’s built-in transcription only works with cloud recording and is available after the meeting ends.
- Notta is the most flexible option for real-time capture, summaries, translations, and clean export formats.
- Otter.ai is built for teams that need shared access, folders, and collaborative features.
- tl;dv is ideal for creators who want synced video, AI-powered highlights, and time-stamped reviews.
- AppSumo offers one-time purchase tools, including offline options for those who prioritize privacy or want to avoid subscriptions.
Manual note-taking is over. Transcribe smarter, not harder — and let AI handle the details.
👉 Ready to get started?
- Try Notta for free – Includes 120 minutes/month, real-time capture, and multilingual support
- Explore Otter.ai – Great for teams and shared meeting notes
- Use tl;dv – Auto-record meetings with synced highlights
- Browse AppSumo Deals – Find lifetime transcription tools that fit your workflow
