Transcribe a YouTube video with Otter.ai: import the file, or record it as it plays

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You cannot paste a YouTube link into Otter. Its help center says so directly. The two ways it offers are to download the video and import the file, which it recommends, or to play the video and record it with Otter. Either way the result is a transcript with a summary and Otter Chat, and the recording counts against your plan's limits.

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.

Import the downloaded video

  1. Download the video as an MP4 or MP3.
  2. In Otter, click Import in the upper corner.
  3. Browse to the file or drag it in.
  4. Wait for the upload, then for transcription, which can take up to the length of the video.

Otter does not recommend any tool for downloading from YouTube, and says to use your own judgment about third-party services. The Otter import page has the formats and the free plan's limit of 3 imports.

Record it as it plays

  1. Open the YouTube video in a browser. Do not press play yet.
  2. Open a second browser window and sign in to Otter.
  3. Click Record on the Otter home page.
  4. Play the video through.
  5. Stop the recording when it ends.

In a browser this records through your microphone and speakers, so you cannot wear headphones, and any noise in the room goes into the transcript. Otter's desktop app and its Chrome extension can capture the computer's audio directly, which avoids that.

Limits to expect

  • Length. Recording limits follow your plan. On Basic a conversation is capped at 30 minutes, and you have 300 minutes a month.
  • Imports. Basic allows 3 file imports per account in total.
  • Languages. Otter transcribes six. The languages page lists them.

Each from its maker's own pages, read October 5 to 11, 2026.

OptionTakes a YouTube linkWhere it transcribesCost
YouTube's own transcriptIt is on the video's pageYouTubeFree
MacParakeetYesOn the MacFree, open source
MacWhisper ProYesOn the Mac€64 once
OtterNo. Import the file or record itOtter's cloudPlan minutes
YapToTextNo. It takes a fileOn the MacFree

For a video that already has captions, the quickest route is YouTube's own Show transcript button. Transcribing a YouTube video to text covers all of these.

If the video is yours

YapToText, the free app I built, transcribes a file on the Mac. Drop any audio or video file macOS can decode onto its Transcribe a file card and you get plain text, in 29 languages, with no upload, no account and no minutes to count. It gives text only: no speaker names, no timestamps, no summaries and no subtitles, all of which Otter has. For your own upload, where you have the original file, that is the shortest path to the words.

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

  • A link. Otter does not accept one.
  • Recommended. Download the video, then Import.
  • Otherwise. Record it as it plays, without headphones in a browser.
  • Captions exist. Use YouTube's Show transcript.
  • Limits. Your Otter plan's minutes and imports.

If Otter starts accepting YouTube links, 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

Can I paste a YouTube link into Otter?

No. Otter's help center says it does not support pasting a YouTube link to be transcribed.

How do I transcribe a YouTube video with Otter?

Download the video and import the file, which Otter recommends, or play the video and record it with Otter.

Can I wear headphones while Otter records a YouTube video?

Not when recording in a web browser, which uses your microphone. Otter's desktop app and Chrome extension can capture the computer's audio.

Is there a free way to transcribe a YouTube video?

Yes. YouTube's own transcript is free for videos with captions, and MacParakeet is a free Mac app that takes a YouTube link.