Recording

Choosing an audio source, using Otonota with Zoom or Google Meet, input devices, and what happens if a recording is interrupted.

Audio source

Settings > Audio > Audio input > Audio source decides what gets recorded. Changes apply from the next recording.

Source	Records	Use it for
Microphone only	The Mac’s microphone, or the input device you chose	In-person meetings, interviews, lectures
System audio only	Whatever the Mac is playing	Recording only the other side of an online call, or the audio of a video
Microphone + system audio	Both of the above, mixed into one track	Keeping both sides of an online call

With “system audio only”, the input device is not used. To record a microphone or line input, choose “microphone only” or “microphone + system audio”.

Zoom, Google Meet, Teams

1. Set the audio source to “microphone + system audio” (or “system audio only” if you only need the other side)
2. Open the meeting app and start recording in Otonota. The first time, macOS asks for Screen & System Audio Recording permission (and microphone permission when the microphone is used). After granting it, relaunching the meeting app makes sure the permission takes
3. The other participants come in through system audio and your own voice through the microphone, as one transcript. The other side is captured even when you wear earphones

With “system audio only”, your own voice isn’t captured, because the meeting app doesn’t play it back.

System audio is captured with macOS’s ScreenCaptureKit. The screen itself is never recorded.

Input device

Settings > Audio > Input device lets you choose the built-in microphone, an external microphone, or an audio interface. “System default” follows the macOS Sound settings. Devices that aren’t connected show as “(not connected)”.

Level

The transcript pane has a level meter at the top. The dotted line is a guide to the threshold used to leave long silences out of recognition. “Auto gain” amplifies quiet voices.

Stopping and resuming

Press the record button (⌘R) again to stop. Recording again in the same session appends to it, with timestamps continuing from where they left off. Start a new session for a different meeting.

If a recording is interrupted

Recording files are saved every few seconds, so a crash doesn’t lose the audio and transcript so far. On next launch, Otonota asks whether to resume recording in the same session; if you do, a new recording block starts there.

If writing the recording file fails mid-session, Otonota switches to a new file and keeps going. If the transcript pane says the recording file couldn’t be saved, check your free disk space.