How to automatically transcribe Zoom meetings with Notta on Windows 11

If you spend your day jumping from one video call to another, you know how difficult it is to actively participate in a Zoom meeting and, at the same time, take good notes . Between sharing your screen, responding in the chat, and attending to your colleagues, it's easy to miss important details.

That's where automatic transcription comes in. These days, you can transcribe everything said in a Zoom meeting on Windows 11 without typing a single line, thanks to both Zoom's native features and advanced tools like Notta and other third-party services.

Can Zoom meetings be automatically transcribed on Windows 11?

The short answer is yes: Zoom includes an automatic transcription feature based on cloud recordings , and there are also third-party services that greatly improve accuracy, formatting, and editing options. The combination of both allows you to cover everything from informal meetings to webinars or critical work sessions.

To take advantage of Zoom's built-in transcription, you need to meet certain requirements: a Business, Education, or Enterprise license and cloud recording enabled . If you use a free or basic Pro account, you can record, but you won't have access to automatic cloud transcription.

Third-party tools, such as Notta, Otter, Verbit, or Happy Scribe, are less dependent on your Zoom plan, as they can work with bots that join your meetings or with video recordings you upload afterward . This opens the door to using advanced transcription even if your organization doesn't pay for Zoom's business plan.

Who can activate and use transcription in Zoom

Not everyone within an organization has the same opportunities to transcribe. Your role in the meeting and the type of account directly influence what you can do with the transcriptions.

If you're a host and your account meets the requirements, you can activate cloud recording and enable both automatic captions and audio transcription . For Business, Education, or Enterprise accounts, this option appears in the Zoom settings, within the web portal, under the recording section.

However, participants cannot generate their own transcript directly from Zoom, but they can view live captions and review the transcript if the host shares it . In many teams, the host handles setting up the recording and then distributes the transcript to attendees via email or collaboration tools.

One important detail: If you meet the licensing and setup requirements, but the transcription option doesn't appear in your account , you can request that Zoom support activate it manually. Many companies do this centrally for their entire domain.

Best practices for improving the quality of transcripts

An advanced transcription tool is of little use if the meeting has constant background noise, poorly positioned microphones, and people talking over each other . AI works wonders, but it needs decent audio to function properly.

The first step is to take care of the environment: close doors and windows, turn off noisy appliances, and ask anyone who isn't speaking to be quiet . In rooms with several people connected from a single device, it's crucial to control echo and parallel conversations, because they get mixed up in the audio.

It also helps if participants speak clearly and directly into the microphone. Avoid shuffling papers, typing loudly, or speaking far from the microphone , as these noises confuse the system and reduce the accuracy of the transcription.

Another recommendation is to use external microphones or high-quality headphones with integrated microphones . Laptop microphones tend to pick up ambient noise and can overpower some voices, while a dedicated microphone greatly improves clarity.

If multiple people are sharing a device, place the microphone as close as possible to the main speakers. Proper microphone placement reduces the effort required for post-production editing , whether you're using Zoom's native software or services like Notta or Fireflies.

How to enable and use native Zoom transcription on Windows 11

Zoom's built-in transcription feature is a good starting point, especially if you want to quickly convert audio to text without relying on external services . However, keep in mind that its accuracy is around 70-80% and it doesn't always add punctuation or capitalization as you might like.

The process is divided into two parts: first you activate cloud recording and automatic transcriptions in the account, and then you record your Zoom meetings in the cloud so that the text file is generated.

Activate cloud recording and automatic transcription

From a Windows 11 PC, the adjustment is made in the browser. You must log in to the Zoom web portal with an account with administrator privileges if you want to apply the settings to the entire organization, or with your user account if it's only for you.

Once inside, go to the account settings section and enter the Recording tab . There you will see a switch to activate cloud recording ; activate it, because only recordings saved to the Zoom cloud can be automatically transcribed.

In the same settings area, you'll find the options for automatic subtitles and audio transcription . Activate them, and if you want to keep the subtitles and text after the meeting, also select the option to save subtitles.

If you wish, you can lock this setting with the padlock icon so that it applies to all users of the account and no one can accidentally disable it. This is very common in training, support, or consulting departments that record all their sessions.

Record the meeting and obtain the transcript.

Once configured, each time you start a meeting in Windows 11, you'll only need to click the "Record to the cloud" button to begin the process. It's essential to inform attendees that they are being recorded for transparency and legal compliance purposes.

During the session, you can activate live captions so participants can see the text on screen. The final transcript is generated once the meeting ends , so don't worry if the captions aren't perfect while you're speaking.

When the meeting ends, Zoom takes some time to process the recording. You will receive two emails: one with the link to the video recording and another with the transcript . Depending on the meeting's duration and server load, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to approximately twice the length of the meeting.

You can also go directly to the Zoom portal, to the Cloud Recordings section , and locate the meeting there. You'll see the video and audio files, as well as the text file (usually in VTT format) corresponding to the transcript.

Edit and download the Zoom transcript

You can edit the recording directly from the Zoom portal or by downloading the file. If you choose the quick method, open the recording, press play, and review the transcript that appears on the right side of the screen.

To correct a specific sentence, place your cursor over that section and click the pencil icon . You can then edit the text, correct recognition errors, or add punctuation. When you're finished, click the check mark to save your changes.

If Zoom has tried to identify who is speaking, you'll see generic names or the names of the participants. You can also edit these: hover your mouse over the speaker's name, click the pencil icon, and change it . In many cases, Zoom allows you to apply the new name to all of that person's contributions.

Once you've finished reviewing, you have the option to download the transcript in VTT format to work on it in a text editor or import it into other programs. This is a good idea if you want to format a complete report or create training materials from the meeting.

Transcribe Zoom meetings with Notta on Windows 11

Although Zoom offers an integrated service, it falls short for those who need high precision, better formatting, clear participant identification, and automatic summaries . That's where Notta comes in, one of the most comprehensive tools for working with online meetings.

One of its strengths is Notta Bot, a bot that automatically joins your Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet meetings based on your calendar (primarily Google Calendar). This way, you don't have to remember to start recording or transcribing each time.

Notta's AI engine boasts an accuracy rate of nearly 98,86% under ideal audio conditions , significantly higher than the average for Zoom's native transcription. It also supports 58 different languages ​​(including native Spanish) and allows exporting the results in formats such as PDF, DOCX, TXT, and XLSX.

Using Notta with Zoom recordings

If you prefer to record with Zoom and then transcribe with Notta, the workflow is very simple from Windows 11. First, download the Zoom recording to your computer in MP4 format from the cloud recordings section or from the local recording (see how to convert MP4 to text if needed).

Then log into your Notta account and select the "Upload and transcribe file" option . There you can upload the MP4 of the meeting; Notta will extract the audio, transcribe it, and show you the text synchronized with the playback.

During the review, you'll see the transcript on the right and can correct words, add comments, insert images, or highlight key passages . Notta automatically highlights the text as the audio plays, which greatly speeds up the correction process.

Once your transcript is ready, simply download it in your preferred format (e.g., DOCX or PDF) or share it directly with your team. You can also send it to Notion, Slack, Google Drive, or Trello thanks to their integrations.

Live transcription with Notta Bot on Zoom

The most powerful way to use Notta with Zoom on Windows 11 is to enable the Notta Bot to automatically join calendar meetings . Once your Google Calendar is connected, you can choose which meetings you want the bot to attend.

When the meeting starts, the bot joins as a participant, registers, and begins generating a real-time transcript . From then on, anyone with access to Notta's workspace can follow the transcript almost instantly.

In addition to the raw transcript, Notta offers automatic meeting summaries, with key points and action items . This is very useful for quickly sending minutes or for catching up if you couldn't attend the call.

Once the session is processed, Notta sends the transcript via email or makes it accessible in your account. In some workflows, it can be configured to send a report or summary to project management tools , saving a lot of manual work.

It is important to note that download links or access to certain transcripts may expire (for example, 72 hours in some emails) , so it is advisable to check your inbox fairly quickly after each meeting.

Other notable services for transcribing Zoom

Notta isn't the only solution on the market. If you work in a specific environment or have very particular needs, there's a good list of alternatives that expand your options in terms of language, integration, security, or collaboration.

otter.ai

Otter offers an Otter Assistant that syncs with your calendar and automatically joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet meetings. It can also record in-person or hybrid meetings directly from its app.

Its AI progressively learns your team's vocabulary and conversation patterns, improving accuracy over time . It generates real-time notes, automatic summaries, and allows for collaborative editing and annotation of transcripts.

It also stands out for features such as speaker identification, export in different formats, and live subtitling . However, its primary focus is English, although it handles regional accents quite well.

Word

Verbit is geared more towards large organizations, higher education institutions, and companies that host live events with strict accessibility requirements . It offers real-time captioning and highly accurate transcription services.

It integrates with platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Vimeo, and YouTube , and complies with accessibility standards (for example, ADA guidelines in the United States). Its greatest strength is the combination of AI and human expertise to achieve professional-level accuracy.

The main limitation is that it currently only offers services in English and Spanish , fewer languages ​​than other competitors, but with a very strong focus on quality and legal compliance.

Grain

Grain can connect to your calendar and automatically record your Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams meetings according to predefined rules. It also allows you to capture one-off meetings by entering the ID or link.

Its standout feature is the ability to create and share "highlights"—short video and text clips of key moments from the meeting. These can be easily sent to Notion, Slack, email, or even social media.

Another very interesting feature is the ability to summarize long conversations into very short videos , for example turning a 60-minute meeting into a 3-minute summary, which is ideal for managers or colleagues who were unable to attend.

Fathom

Fathom is an AI-powered meeting assistant that initially focused on Zoom, though it now also works with Google Meet and Microsoft Teams (in this case via a desktop app). Its main goal is to simplify note-taking.

During the call, you can mark important points with a single click to later generate organized notes. It also integrates with Google Docs and Gmail, making it easy to send summaries or follow-ups right after each meeting.

From within Zoom, users can quickly download transcripts and subtitles . Individuals have a fairly generous free plan, while teams have access to paid options with more features.

Fireflies.ai

Fireflies presents itself as a conversation tracking platform rather than a simple transcriber. It records, transcribes, and analyzes meetings and video calls, making it very useful for sales or customer service teams.

You can configure Fireflies to automatically join your calls and generate a detailed transcript . One of its biggest advantages is its powerful built-in search engine, which lets you find a specific topic within an hour-long meeting in seconds.

Its collaborative features allow you to highlight parts of a call, share them with colleagues, and leave comments . It also offers a wide range of integrations and complies with security standards such as SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR.

happy scribe

Happy Scribe offers both automatic and human transcription and subtitling services . Automatic transcription has an accuracy rate of around 85%, while human transcription boasts a guaranteed 99% accuracy rate.

It's very useful if you work with multiple languages ​​(over 60 are available) or if you need professional subtitles for videos. However, it doesn't have a real-time bot for Zoom: you have to record the session, save it, and upload the file to the platform.

It allows for easy collaboration with other users through shared spaces and integrates with tools like Zapier and YouTube . It's a solid option when near-perfect accuracy is the priority.

Go Transcribe, 3PlayMedia and Temi

Go Transcribe focuses on simplifying the process of converting video and audio recordings to text . It doesn't have a Zoom bot, but it accepts a wide range of formats (AVI, FLV, M4V, MPEG, WMA, etc.) and offers an editor with timestamps and comments.

3PlayMedia focuses on transcription and subtitling with a strong emphasis on security and compliance , particularly for sectors like legal and healthcare, offering manual review processes and compatibility with regulations such as HIPAA. It integrates with Zoom, Vimeo, JWPlayer, and many other platforms.

Temi, on the other hand, is a fast and affordable voice-to-text service designed for short recordings: in less than five minutes it provides a draft with approximately 90-95% accuracy. It doesn't integrate directly with Zoom, so you'll have to record and upload the file manually.

Why use external services instead of Zoom's native transcription?

Zoom's feature is fine for getting by, but when you need polished transcripts, ready to share or turn into reports , specialized tools make all the difference.

One of the clear advantages is advanced editing: services like Notta or Fireflies highlight what's being said in real time and allow you to correct the text on the fly . This reduces the time spent cleaning up afterward and leaves the notes almost ready as soon as the meeting ends.

Flexibility is another major advantage: you can edit from your Windows 11 laptop, mobile phone, or tablet , with adapted interfaces and without relying on the Zoom portal. They also typically offer collaborative modes so multiple colleagues can review and complete the same transcript.

Regarding languages, Zoom currently supports a limited number of languages , while many third-party tools easily exceed 50 or even 100 languages ​​and variants. If you work with international teams, this difference is very noticeable.

Don't forget the collaboration and organization features: folder creation, tagging, image insertion, summary generation, export to multiple formats, and integration with tools like Notion or Slack . All of this transforms a simple transcription into a truly useful work resource.

Finally, security. Services like Notta make it clear that they don't share your data with third parties and encrypt information both in transit and at rest . Others, such as Fireflies or 3PlayMedia, have certifications and comply with specific regulations, which is crucial in regulated environments.

How to easily convert Zoom recordings to text

If you already have old recordings or prefer not to use bots, the general process for any third-party service is quite similar: you download the video from Zoom on Windows 11, upload it to the chosen platform, and let the system generate the text.

From there, most tools allow you to edit the text, correct errors, add punctuation, format, and export the transcript in various formats. Some, like Notta, even automatically generate reports or memos from the meeting.

In Microsoft environments, you can complement this workflow with OneNote's transcription features in conjunction with OneDrive . OneNote saves the audio file to the "Transcribed Files" folder in OneDrive, and you can play it back from the transcription panel, change the speed, rename speakers, and edit sections.

From OneNote, you can also insert the entire transcript or just specific parts into your notes , and rename audio files directly in OneDrive to keep your library organized. It's a great way to centralize your knowledge if you frequently use the Microsoft ecosystem on Windows 11.

Ultimately, the key is choosing the workflow that best suits you: native Zoom for the basics and Notta or other third-party services when accuracy, collaboration, and advanced editing are priorities . By combining both options, you can transform your Zoom meetings into a reliable, searchable, and actionable repository of information without the hassle of taking notes by hand.