Otter.ai languages: the six it transcribes, how to change the setting, and what it does about translation

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Otter transcribes six languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese (Simplified). Its help center says German and Chinese are still in beta. It transcribes one language per conversation, so you set the language before you record. To change it, open Account Settings and use the Language menu. Translation is separate, and happens afterward through Otter Chat.

I built YapToText, a dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about Otter with that in mind. Every fact about Otter here comes from its own help center, read on October 11, 2026.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis 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.

Change the transcription language

  1. Click your profile in the upper left and choose Account Settings.
  2. Open the Language menu.
  3. Select the language for your next conversation.

On a phone it is under Account, Account Settings, Conversation Language. The setting applies across web and mobile. Only transcription changes. Otter's menus and settings stay in English.

What the setting affects

  • The transcript.
  • The summary, outline and action items.
  • Otter Chat.

Otter also adjusts spelling to your region, such as US or UK English, from the region setting on the device or browser you record with.

One language at a time, with one exception

Otter's help center says it can only transcribe in one language at a time, so for a meeting in another language you change the setting first. The exception it gives is French with English: set the default to French, and Otter switches to English when it detects it.

Languages it does not transcribe

Asked whether it supports other languages such as Portuguese, Otter's own FAQ answers no. For anything outside the six, the audio cannot be transcribed in Otter.

Otter from its help center, read October 11, 2026. MacWhisper from its site, October 3 and 5, 2026. YapToText from its own settings.

ToolTranscription languages
Otter6: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified)
YapToText29, plus auto-detect, on the Mac
MacWhisper100, by its site

Otter does much that the other two do not: it joins meetings, names speakers and writes summaries. Language coverage is the one place it is narrow.

Translation

Otter does not translate while it transcribes. Its help center says you can ask Otter Chat to translate a finished conversation into another language, and that you can ask Chat questions in other languages and get replies in them.

A recording in another language

If your recording is in Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Korean, Hindi or Arabic, to name some that Otter does not list, YapToText transcribes it on an Apple silicon Mac, free, as plain text. Set the Language to that language, or to Auto-detect. It does not label speakers or summarize. Transcribe an audio file on a Mac for free has the steps, and the Mac dictation languages page lists what Apple supports.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis 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

  • Languages. English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified).
  • Change it. Account Settings, Language.
  • Per conversation. One language, set before recording. French can switch to English.
  • Translate. Ask Otter Chat afterward.
  • Other languages. Not in Otter.

If Otter adds a language, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis 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.

About the author. Ryleigh Newman is a developer whose hands make typing difficult and who dictates every day with YapToText, the app this site describes. Facts about other apps come from their own sites, with the date they were read. More about the project.

Sources

Questions

What languages does Otter.ai support?

English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese (Simplified). Otter says German and Chinese are in beta.

How do I change the language in Otter?

Click your profile, open Account Settings, and choose a language in the Language menu. It applies to conversations from then on.

Can Otter transcribe two languages in one meeting?

Only French with English. Otherwise it transcribes one language at a time, set before the recording.

Can Otter translate Spanish to English?

Not while transcribing. You can ask Otter Chat to translate a finished conversation into another language.

Does Otter support Portuguese?

No. Otter's own FAQ says it does not, and lists only its six languages.