Otter.ai for Students: Record Lectures for Free
We have all been in that one class where the professor talks faster than humanly possible. You try to scribble down everything, but you inevitably miss the most important part of the sentence.
It is stressful, and it makes studying for exams a nightmare.
Otter.ai is a tool that fixes this problem completely. It is an app that records your lectures and turns them into text in real-time.
Here is how you can use it to upgrade your note-taking for free.
What is Otter.ai?
Think of Otter as a smart voice recorder. Instead of just saving an audio file that you have to listen to later, it creates a searchable text transcript while it records.
This means you can sit in class, press a button, and watch the notes appear on your screen. You can focus on listening and understanding the material instead of just acting like a human typewriter.
How to Use It in Class
Using Otter is incredibly simple. You can use it on your laptop or download the mobile app for your phone.
Create a Free Account: Go to otter.ai and sign up with your email.
Press Record: When class starts, hit the blue microphone button.
Watch the Magic: You will see the words appearing on the screen as the professor speaks.
Add Visuals: If the professor draws a diagram on the whiteboard, you can take a photo within the app, and it will insert the image directly into your notes.
Why Students Love It
Otter does more than just type. It has features specifically designed to help you study more efficiently.
Search Your Notes: You do not have to listen to an hour-long recording to find one specific fact. You can just search for keywords like "midterm" or "homework" to find the exact moment those topics were discussed.
Speaker Identification: The AI is smart enough to know who is talking. It can tell the difference between your professor and a student asking a question, making the notes easier to read.
Auto-Summary: After class, Otter automatically generates a summary of the key points, so you can review the big ideas in seconds.
The "Free Plan" Catch
Otter.ai has a generous free plan, but it does have limits you need to know about.
300 Minutes Per Month: You get 300 minutes of free recording every month.
30-Minute Limit: On the free plan, each recording can only be 30 minutes long.
Pro Tip: If your lecture is an hour long, simply stop the recording at the 29-minute mark and start a new one. It takes two seconds and lets you keep using the free version without issues.
Conclusion
You do not need to be a stenographer to get good grades. Tools like Otter.ai take the pressure off note-taking so you can actually learn.
Give it a try during your next lecture. You might be surprised at how much more you hear when you are not busy writing.
