How to delete an Otter.ai recording, and when it is really gone
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
Deleting a recording in Otter is two steps, whether you notice the second one or not. Delete moves the conversation to Trash, where it stays for 30 days. Only after that, or when you empty the Trash yourself, is it removed from Otter's servers. This page covers both steps, restoring, and the cases where Delete is grayed out.
I built YapToText, a dictation app for the Mac, not a meeting recorder, so read what I say about Otter with that in mind. Every fact about Otter here comes from its own help center and website, read on October 11, 2026.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Delete a conversation
- Open the conversation.
- Click the three-dot menu and select Delete.
- Read the pop-up and click OK. The conversation moves to Trash.
As soon as you delete it, the conversation is unshared from every user and Channel. To delete several, tick the checkboxes in My Conversations or All Conversations and click Delete.
Delete it permanently, now
- Go to the Trash folder.
- Click Empty Trash Now.
- Read the pop-up and click Delete Forever.
A conversation deleted from Trash cannot be recovered. If you do nothing, Otter deletes it automatically 30 days after it went to Trash, and the Trash shows the time remaining. You can also pick individual conversations in Trash to delete or restore.
What deleting does and does not do
From Otter's help article Delete a conversation, read October 11, 2026.
| Question | Otter's answer |
|---|---|
| Does it stay on the server | No. Once permanently deleted from Trash, the conversation and its data are removed from Otter's servers |
| Can I get it back | From Trash, for up to 30 days. After that, no |
| Do I get the minutes back | No. Minutes are counted when a conversation is recorded or transcribed |
| Can I delete one shared with me | No. Only the owner can. Ask them to remove your access |
| Why is Delete grayed out | You selected a conversation that was shared with you |
Stopping a recording, and stopping future ones
Deleting removes what was recorded. To keep Otter out of meetings in the first place, the page on stopping Otter joining meetings has the settings, and to remove everything including your login, deleting your Otter account is the step after this one.
A recorder that keeps nothing on a server
If the reason you are deleting is that you would prefer your words not sit on someone else's server at all, that is a design choice some apps make differently. YapToText transcribes on your Mac and has no account, so there is no server copy and no Trash to empty. It is a dictation app and a file transcriber, not a meeting recorder, so it does not replace what Otter does in a call. The private dictation guide explains the difference.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The short version
- Delete. Three-dot menu, Delete, OK.
- Gone for good. Trash, Empty Trash Now, Delete Forever.
- Automatic. 30 days after it went to Trash.
- Restore. From Trash, within 30 days.
- Minutes. Not refunded.
If Otter changes how deletion works, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Related
Sources
- https://help.otter.ai/hc/en-us/articles/360047733414-Delete-a-conversation (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-11)
Questions
How do I delete a recording in Otter.ai?
Open the conversation, click the three-dot menu, select Delete and click OK. It moves to Trash for 30 days.
Does Otter keep deleted recordings?
For 30 days in Trash. Once permanently deleted, Otter says the conversation and its data are removed from its servers.
Can I recover a deleted Otter conversation?
Yes, from Trash, for up to 30 days. After it is permanently deleted it cannot be recovered.
Does deleting an Otter conversation give me minutes back?
No. Transcription minutes are counted when the conversation is recorded or transcribed.
Why can I not delete a conversation in Otter?
Only the owner can delete it. Conversations shared with you show Delete grayed out.