Recording a conversation on push-button phones. How to record a telephone conversation - step-by-step instructions and recommendations
Sooner or later, every person may need to record conversations on their phone. For this option, of course, you can use your phone, but what if by default your phone does not have such a function? In this article we will look at options for recording telephone conversations.
To record a conversation you have three options:
- You have a phone with built-in call recording functionality. For example, old Nokia, some Android phone models. In this case, everything is simple - turn on the recording and you are the king. But there are fewer and fewer such phones. This is due to the fact that in most countries it is prohibited to record a conversation without properly notifying the interlocutor. In order not to violate this law, manufacturers for the most part have disabled this function from the standard firmware.
- The second way is to install the appropriate program on your phone. This is one of the best options, but in expensive phones, for example, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, this feature is blocked at the hardware level. Your voice during a conversation bypasses the operating system, so it is almost impossible to intercept and somehow record it. This was done to prevent large manufacturers from being sued. They already have a lot of problems related to patents, and now users will start dragging them to court because they did not provide for disabling such a function. In this regard, it was decided to transfer the recording of the conversation not to the operating system, as was the case before, but to a special chip - an “audio codec”. I already wrote more about this in the article ““.
- Buy special devices. If your phone does not support conversation recording, and you, as an advanced person, use one of the expensive flagships, then you can buy a special device that records conversations. We'll talk about them next.
What types of phones are there with call recording?
I previously worked in customer service for 5 years. One of the most popular questions that I faced was how to record conversations on iPhone and other devices. Having tried a bunch of programs, I realized that this would not work and closed the issue with the standard excuse “this function is blocked for your own good. Imagine that you installed a program, or turned to some specialist to install it for you. Yes, the program will perform its function, but in addition, when connected to Wi-Fi, it will leak your conversations to competitors or government officials. organizations. Agree, it’s better not to write down at all than to give such an opportunity.” Clients agreed and gave up on such a function. Of course, I periodically surfed the forums and raised the question again, made sure that no one had come up with anything new, and again closed the question for some period.
This all lasted until I really needed to record the conversations myself. Break again, the Internet found such a store. For readers from Ukraine, this link will be useful, and for residents of the CIS - try ordering from them, or at least ask for the delivery cost.
So, we are offered four options for the gadget, ranging from cheap to expensive.
Mynah phone with call recording
Mynah is a telephone-style headset with call recording functionality. The most expensive gadget. Of the shortcomings, only one can be noted - cost. Everything else is pure pluses.
- You just have a phone in your hand. People around you will not notice that you are trying to record the conversation.
- Unlike other devices, this phone can accommodate 360 hours of recording. This is enough to record all conversations for half a year. After all the memory is occupied, the gadget will automatically delete old entries if they were not marked as important.
- If you need a professional tool, this is it. In addition to the recording itself, the gadget stores the time of the call, the caller’s number, and the type of call. This information can be useful both to you for sorting records and to law enforcement agencies if you need to provide evidence.
- In addition, this is almost the only gadget that has a record protection function. For example, if you lost or had your device stolen, then attackers will have no chance of gaining access to the records, unlike cheaper gadgets. And safety, like us, is worth any money.
- You can add comments to a post to make it easier to find later.
In addition to the type of phone, Mynah has all its functions:
- Your own phone book
- Three conversation options: headphones, headset, speakerphone
- You can dial a person both from Mynah's address book and from their keyboard. Also, do not forget that this is just an advanced bluetooth headset, so we can dial a caller using your iPhone or Android. It is better to use the book built into the headset in public, when it is important for you that no one suspects you of recording, for example, at a meeting or an important meeting.
- Like any phone, you can set a ringtone or vibrate for the call.
Telephone with automatic call recording
I decided to focus on automatic recording, because this is really the feature of this headset. There are many different recording modes that will allow you not to miss any important calls.
- You can set the headset to not automatically record calls shorter than a certain duration. For example, if a conversation lasts less than 30 seconds, it will not be automatically recorded. This setting is important in order not to create a lot of short posts where you are asked how to get there, what to buy and other little things in life.
- You can also record all calls indiscriminately
- Ask at the end of the conversation whether to write it down or not.
- If you chose not to record or ask at all, but during the conversation you realized that you still need to record it, you can click on the record button, and the whole, not part of the conversation will be saved.
conclusions
Mynah is the most functional phone device that connects to your main phone via bluetooth. Its expensive price is fully compensated by its features and protection. It is worth buying for those people who really care about recording conversations.
Recording a conversation is a function that is rarely used in everyday life, but sometimes it can seriously make a person’s life easier. A business conversation, where there is a lot of information that is difficult to remember, but necessary for a person, such as telephone numbers, or an openly criminal situation with threats over the phone - there are thousands of reasons to use this function. Fortunately, in the era of smartphones, you can record a telephone conversation without the use of third-party devices; however, there are some difficulties here, and detailed instructions for Android will not hurt.
Why problems arise
The first thing you need to take for granted is that not all phones can easily and seamlessly record sound. This is due to the fact that in many countries secret recording of sound is a jurisdictional matter. When releasing a phone, the manufacturer cannot predict whether the buyer will use the ability to record sound for criminal purposes, so, just in case, it disables or limits this ability in advance at the level of the primary components of the operating system. This is why on some models not a single sound recording program will work at all or will work with significant limitations.
The list of such models (incomplete, since users did not test call recording on all phones) can be found in the table.
Table: list of devices that have problems recording sound
| Firm | Models |
| Alcatel | Alcatel OT-995 |
| Asus | Asus Garmin-Asus A10* |
| Dell | Dell Streak |
| Gigabyte | Gigabyte GSmart G1345 |
| Nexus 4 | |
| HTC |
|
| Huawei | Huawei Y 6 II |
| LG |
|
| Motorola |
|
| Samsung |
|
| Sony (Sony Ericsson) |
|
| ZTE |
|
* - the device works, but the conversation is recorded in very poor quality.
How to record a telephone conversation on Android - instructions
Built-in tools
The manufacturer does not always strive to limit the user’s ability to record a telephone conversation. Some, on the contrary, build such a function into the firmware so that calls can be recorded without installing third-party software. It’s easy to check whether this is possible on a specific device: just look at the call menu during a call.
If the call recording function is present in the firmware, among the “Speakerphone”, “Enter number” and other buttons there will be a button called “Record”, “Dictaphone”, Record or something similar. For example, in the picture below, the Record key will start recording the conversation.
To start recording a call, you need to click the Record button
In a number of firmwares, some of the call menu functions are removed under the “More” button, also known as More and “Additional features”. Sometimes there is also a sound recording hidden under it. Here, to check whether audio can be recorded, you must first click on this button. If the firmware has a recording capability, then it will most likely be found among the additional features. In the image, the button responsible for recording a conversation is called “Start recording”.
You can see what the button looks like and where to look for it in the photo instructions:
- After the conversation is over, you can listen to the recorded audio file. At this point, many users have a question: where to find it? The call menu itself does not provide this option, but there are several ways to find a lost entry.
- The very first and easiest way is to find an audio recording through a voice recorder. On some firmware, the built-in voice recorder allows you not only to record sound, but also to listen to the recordings. Sometimes the list of recorded materials may also include telephone conversations. True, not every version of the system provides such an opportunity.
- If the previous methods are not available for some reason, you can go the hard way and try to find the audio recording yourself. On “pure” Android, phone call records are located at sdcard/PhoneRecord by default, but if everything were that simple, the previous points would not be needed. The problem is that depending on the version of the system and firmware, the folder in which the records are located and the path to it can be named completely differently. For example, on Xiaomi devices, call recordings are stored in MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. However, you shouldn’t despair: the name of the folder in which the sound recordings are located usually contains the words record, recorder recording, and so on, so you can focus on them in your search.
- When all else fails, you can use the tricky method. To view all the audio recordings on your phone, just connect the phone to your computer and search the device for files with the .mp3 extension (or another, depending on what extension the sound is saved in on a particular phone). But if there are a lot of audio files on your phone, finding the right one can be very difficult.
Applications for recording phone conversations
Does your phone not allow you to record calls through the call menu? - it's a pity. However, this is not a verdict: if the device is not included in the “black list” of phones on which conversations cannot be recorded, then this can easily be done using special applications that are presented in large quantities on the Play Market.
Call Recorder
A simple and unpretentious application, which is called “Call Recorder” (depending on the firmware and localization of Google Play, it may also be called Call Recorder).
It should be noted that there are hundreds of applications with this name in the Play Market, so it is better to clarify: now we are talking about “Call Recording” from C Mobile.
The functionality is appropriate: recording a conversation automatically, the ability to listen to and delete audio recordings made. In addition, depending on the version of the application, you can share the recordings made * and it is possible to choose which call to save and which not (if this function is disabled, all recordings are saved automatically; if enabled, after each conversation the application asks whether the user wants to save call). In the settings, you can also set a password for the application so that outsiders cannot gain access to the recordings, select the location where the recorded audio will be saved, its format (MP4 and 3GP are supported) and the recording source (telephone line, microphone, etc.). It is possible to listen to audio recordings using another application and synchronize data with the cloud.
The application interface is quite laconic: to enable call recording, you just need to toggle just one toggle switch in the main application window. The remaining features are configured in the corresponding menu items: “Memory” is responsible for the location where audio recordings are saved, “Synchronization” is for synchronization with cloud storage (Dropbox and Google Drive are supported), “Settings” is for settings of the entire application, from recording format to recording notifications sound.
Photo gallery: instructions for using the Call Recording application
* - please note that, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, recording conversations in itself is not illegal. However, cases when the owner of an audio recording shares it with third parties without the consent of the other participant in the dialogue is regarded as a violation of the right to privacy of correspondence:
Everyone has the right to privacy of correspondence, telephone conversations, postal, telegraph and other messages. Restriction of this right is permitted only on the basis of a court decision.
Constitution of the Russian Federation, Article 23
CallU
Like most such programs, it provides only a limited number of functions, but their list is wider: for example, there is a filter that allows you to select for which contacts calls will be recorded, as well as additional conveniences such as the ability to enable call recording by shaking the phone (shake sensitivity can be adjusted in the application settings). You can change the recording quality and add text notes. Supports MP3 and WAV formats.
The rest of the functionality is very similar to the previous application: the same password protection option, the same choice of recording source, the same synchronization with cloud storage (Dropbox and Google Drive are supported in the same way).
A nice bonus: when you click on any menu item, a drop-down help will appear explaining how to use this function.
For beginners, this feature can be very convenient.
Photo gallery: instructions for using the CallU application
Automatic Call Recorder
One of the most popular applications for recording telephone conversations, released by the manufacturer Appliquato. Its fame is associated with flexible settings, a convenient and concise interface, and also with the fact that, according to user reviews, it works smoothly on a large number of devices. It is worth noting that Google Play translates its name into Russian as “Call Recording”, that is, exactly the same as previous applications: you can get confused. The functionality is impressive: a relatively large selection of audio formats for saving, several standard recording configurations to choose from, the ability to increase the conversation volume at the time of recording in order to record sound in better quality, and mysterious “experimental functions” for playing audio...
True, what is really missing is the ability to choose the sound quality and protect information with a password.
A distinctive feature of this application is a large number of signal sources. It's worth noting that some of these are not supported on very many phones (for example, Voice UpLink and Voice DownLink). The most popular source is Voice Communications: it allows you to record both the voice of the phone owner and the voice of the interlocutor. Most of the additional sources were created to optimize work on devices where recording through standard sources does not work or works poorly.
In addition, users complain about annoying ads, which are disabled only when purchasing the full version. It must be said that this problem also occurs in other free applications, as well as the limitation of some functions in the free version of the program. Luckily, audio recording apps are inexpensive.
There is something like a filter. Simply put, there are three main recording modes: recording all calls, recording calls only from pre-marked contacts, recording all calls from contacts that are not in the address book.
You can synchronize data with cloud storage, connect an external playback source, change the storage location of files and attach a text note to the recording. In addition, there is an unusual feature: you can allow or disable recording sound when connected via Bluetooth.
Supported formats: AMR, 3GP, AAC, AAC2, WAV.
Photo gallery: how to record audio in Automatic Call Recorder
Total Call Recorder
Another application, similar to the previous one in its unobtrusiveness and brevity. There are fewer supported formats here, there are no interesting features like shaking recording or standard configurations, but there is a call filter, implemented more fully than in the previous application, and here you can also change the audio sampling rate. The list of signal sources is almost the same as in the previous application; the options for increasing the volume, connecting a third-party music player, and setting up recording with Bluetooth have also migrated from there.
Recording works according to the already familiar principle: just switch a single toggle switch, which is located in “Settings”, and all calls that have passed the filter will be automatically recorded and shown in the application.
It is possible to change the maximum number of conversations stored in memory. For owners of the free version, the upper level of this number is limited to 500 calls; in the Pro version it can be increased indefinitely.
You can set a password for the application, but this function is only available in the paid version of the application. Advertising is also present here.
Supported extensions: WAV, AMR, 3GPP.
Photo gallery: instructions for using the Total Call Recorder application
Call Recorder by skvalex
This little-known application compared to others is included here for a reason. It has one feature that makes this program stand out from the mass of analogues. This is an opportunity (in some cases) to bypass the manufacturer's restriction on recording calls. In all other respects, Call Recorder is simply a very high-quality paid application that will allow you to record a telephone conversation. True, with a wide functionality that is not understandable to everyone, which would not hurt to understand before use.
As for the main functions, everything is clear at first glance: recording, listening, saving, deleting, protecting recordings and synchronizing with the cloud. Since the application is paid, the service here is excellent: you can independently set a template for the names of saved audio, there are extensive audio player settings (even built-in decoders!) and advanced password settings. Instead of shaking, there is an additional “Start Recording” button, which appears in the call menu during a conversation (the user can set the position of the button on the screen independently).
In addition, the filter here is really powerful: separate filter settings for incoming and outgoing calls and the ability to add “exceptions” that will not be affected by standard filter rules.
In addition, the application provides extensive settings for notifications, actions “before” and “after” the call, as well as several design options and recording sources to choose from.
Supported recording formats: WAV, MP3, AAC, AMR, FLAC. There are additional settings for each format.
Photo gallery: instructions for the Call Recorder application
When you first launch the application, it displays help, explaining that the Main Menu of the application will be displayed here, from here you can access all functions The application supports five formats for recording audio
Setting up a filter for incoming calls: who to record and who not Setting up a filter for outgoing calls: you can select what type of calls will be recorded Here you can set up a filter, exceptions, delay, etc.
Here you can configure the location where records are saved, auto-delete, storage time, etc. Ability to set a name template for saved records Here you can set the language and theme of the application
Key and password management, encryption. The functionality is very wide compared to analogues. Here you can define the parameters of the built-in audio player. Here you can read information about the application
Conversation records are stored here and can be sorted as you wish.
Well, the main functions seem to be covered. What about additional ones?
How to change the recording source - photo instructions
If this doesn’t help... then it’s time for additional methods!
The main difference between this application and its peers is the additional ability to record telephone conversations through the operating system kernel. The vast majority of such programs on the market record the call through the built-in Android system tools (API), so if the manufacturer does not want anything to be recorded from the device, they usually simply block the ability to use these tools. However, fortunately for the user, built-in APIs are not the only way to record a telephone conversation.
If APIs are blocked, a program can bypass them and directly access the system kernel to perform its function. But for her to be able to do this, the owner must have superuser (root) rights on his device.
Only then will the application be able to access the kernel in order to write through it. So, to use Call Recorder's advanced features to record calls on a device where APIs are blocked, you first need to gain root access and grant superuser rights to the application.
You can obtain superuser rights using special programs for obtaining root access (different programs have been developed for different devices, so you need to select them based on the parameters of your phone or tablet) or according to the instructions in the thread for a specific device on the 4pda forum thread. There is no general and uniform way for all devices to obtain root rights. There are many nuances, and ultimately, obtaining root access is different for each model, so it is impossible to write general instructions for obtaining superuser rights.
However, that's not all. It is worth immediately noting that among the Call Recorder settings along the “Settings -> Recording” path there is a “Device” item. The program is optimized differently for different devices (this applies specifically to additional features!), so it is recommended to immediately select from the list the one on which the application is running. If the model you need is not in the list, you can select a model with the same processor (which processor is on a particular phone, you need to find out on the manufacturer’s website or through special applications, for example, CPU-Z).
How to do this, you can look at the photo instructions:
Once the device is selected, you can move on to the next step. In the same settings section there is a “Recording method” item, which includes both standard APIs and alternative methods, which are named in the application as CAF, ALSA and MSM. It is for these methods to work correctly that root access is required, because they involve accessing directly the kernel of the Android operating system.
It is impossible to determine which of these methods will work without knowing the configuration of a specific device. That is why the creators of the application recommend testing all of them (and using manual, rather than automatic call recording during testing) and, based on the test results, decide which methods work better (and whether they work at all).
Selecting a sound recording method: through standard APIs or additional methods
Important! Chances are that none of the additional recording tools on the device will work! This is due to the fact that sometimes manufacturers disable the ability to record a conversation at the hardware level, and in this case, no software method will help. The only way out in this situation is to buy a new phone (or special equipment for wiretapping). According to the application developers, most often phones with a chipset from MediaTek or HiSilicon suffer from such restrictions.
If everything works and telephone conversations finally begin to be recorded, you can relax and breathe out. We can only hope that the opportunities received will be used for good and will help someone. After all, not every reason can make a person work so hard to record a couple of dialogues...
More apps!
If none of the applications presented in the article are suitable, but you want to record calls, you can check out video reviews of other popular programs for recording conversations. After all, there are hundreds and thousands of such applications: you will definitely like one.
On top of that, in the video you can see the application settings and the recording process “in motion” and evaluate whether a particular interface is suitable for the given purposes.
Video: instructions for recording phone calls on Android
Other ways to record telephone conversations
Even if none of the possible programs works, if the manufacturer has disabled the ability to record calls at the hardware level, but you still need to record the conversation, there is a way out. True, such a solution will cost significantly more even compared to the most expensive application in the Play Market, and its availability within the CIS countries is in question. We are talking about special equipment that allows you to listen to conversations and record them.
Today it is not at all necessary to design something yourself and get into the depths of the phone. Current call recording devices are lightweight, connect to your phone via a 3.5mm headphone jack, have built-in memory, and are sold on Amazon. Another thing is that for the cost of such a thing you can buy a full-fledged smartphone... However, the solution, although not “for everyone,” is real.
This toy is called Cell Phone Recorder, and it is quite difficult to buy it in Russia. But, if you really want it, you can try it.
Finally, it’s worth saying one thing: there are many ways to record a telephone conversation on Android, but using this function, despite its usefulness, is not allowed everywhere and not always. The fact is that some unscrupulous people use this opportunity for criminal purposes, and its abuse is a direct violation of human rights. Therefore, it is not recommended to get too carried away with recording telephone conversations with your friends and business partners. Especially when it comes to people living in a country where recording calls is illegal.
However, if you are not planning any illegal actions, go for it! And convenient modern methods of recording sound will help you with this.
The appearance of the first voice recorders created a real sensation among lovers of unique portable equipment. Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who has not heard anything about recording devices. The scope of use of these devices is extensive. Where can it be useful?
Journalism became the most widespread. It's hard to imagine paparazzi going to work without a voice recorder. The most popular devices are those that guarantee high-quality and long-term operation in various conditions. Another example is writing a school essay. Modern portable recording technology allows you to save useful information in a timely manner and, if necessary, reproduce it again. This technique can also be used when creating new articles. When different thoughts appear, it is not always immediately possible to collect them into a competent, high-quality and unique text. Way out buy a mini voice recorder to make writing articles easier.
And then listen to the recorded material and make a number of corrections. This way you can save time that would otherwise have been spent writing documents without any available tools. It turns out that a five-minute recording allows you to write an article corresponding in size to a standard A4 sheet or two notebook pages. And this is already approximately 3,000 characters. Before purchasing, you should find out where to buy a voice recorder possible cheaper and with a guarantee. Any store that sells audio equipment offers a wide range of similar products depending on the purpose, quality and popularity of the manufacturer.
In everyday life, a voice recorder plays an important role. It is great for recording stories, fairy tales, and poems. It turns out to be a kind of home audiobook. This is a great way to keep your kids busy for a while. This is also a great way to help your child remember the verse. Repeated verbal repetition is quite difficult and quickly tires. Many people have encountered this problem. It’s much easier to read the text aloud a couple of times, record it on a voice recorder and turn it on in repeat mode the required number of times. While the equipment is working, you can rest a little.
Let's look at the most common voice recorder options.
Telephone
The first option is the built-in voice recorder in your mobile phone. Almost all modern mobile phone models have the ability to record conversations and melodies. Unfortunately, phone with call recording Can’t please you with its long duration. Most often the recording is about 5-10 minutes. But even these few minutes allow you to reproduce a full article in the future.
One of the advantages that immediately catches your eye is the mobility of the device. Light weight loud noise, using a phone regardless of the need to record adds value to this type of recording device. Samsung has proven itself to be an excellent company. Cell phones of this company occupy leading positions in the global sales market and have many positive reviews.
Every phone with call recording There is a significant disadvantage of quiet recording due to the low sensitivity of the built-in microphone. Therefore, for comfortable listening, loud pronunciation is necessary. Otherwise you will have to use headphones. In addition, to transfer information to a desktop computer, in most cases USB cables are used, which is not always convenient. For modern laptops and netbooks everything is simpler. They are equipped with Bluetooth technology, which eliminates this problem.
Professional voice recorders
The second group of voice recorders has a specialized area of work. Typically the price for such models starts at 2,500 rubles. Standard rechargeable batteries are used as a power source. The operating time is about seven hours of continuous recording.
The advantages of such models:
Higher recording quality compared to a telephone;
Light weight and compact dimensions;
All kinds of design options.
The main disadvantage is the rapid discharge of the battery charge with frequent and prolonged use of the device. The kit comes with a standard charger, but the extra wires turn the recorder into a stationary device. Where to buy a voice recorder with similar characteristics? It's simple! In any store that sells portable audio equipment.
Computer technology
The last, but no less popular option for recording sound is a voice recorder installed on the computer itself. For stationary samples, you need to purchase a microphone and install a special recording program. Portable computers boast an integrated microphone and standard recording software. Recording programs allow you to correct audio tracks immediately after recording: add effects, cut out individual sections and combine various fragments into a single whole. It turns out to be a kind of sound editing option. Loud noise guarantees the best quality of recording and playback of recorded sounds, leaving phones and standard voice recorders behind. Unfortunately, the dimensions and weight make it difficult to use such a voice recorder for a long time.
Voice recorders have confidently entered our lives, making it easier and more interesting! There's just a little bit left to do buy a mini voice recorder, which will meet all user requirements.