Having an advanced recording device in your pocket can be very handy. If you like to quickly capture ideas as they come to you, but don’t want to have to type them out, the built-in recording app is a lifesaver.
The same goes for poets, songwriters, or people practicing a speech or presentation. Being able to record a text in a matter of seconds can mean that the idea doesn’t disappear into the ether from whence it came. But how does this process actually work?
Here’s our quick guide to recording audio on Android.
How to Record Audio with Android Recorder App
All Android devices usually come with a dedicated recording app. The one you should be able to find on your phone is simply called Recorder. If you have a Samsung device, there may also be Samsung Voice Recorder, which does pretty much the same thing.
For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll be using Google’s Recorder app, but the instructions should work for just about any dedicated recording app.
Open the Recorder app
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
Open the apps list on your phone, then scroll down until you find the Recorder app. It has a red circular icon with a sound wave inside. Tap it to open the app.
Press the record button
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
The Recorder app interface is very simple. At the top of the screen you will see all the recordings you have made previously (which should be empty if this is your first time using the app), and then at the bottom there is a big red button to start recording.
When you are ready, press the red button to start the virtual tapes.
Record your audio
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
With the record button pressed, you should now see an audio wave on the screen that responds to things you say or play, as well as a time indicator to show how long you’ve recorded.
When you are ready to stop or want to pause, press the record button again.
Stop and save recording
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
Once the recording is paused, the record button will give you three options. On the left, there is Delete, which will delete the current recording. If you want to continue, the Resume option on the record button itself will let you do so.
If you are done, tap on the Save option and the recording will be complete.
Name your recording
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
If you’ve finished recording and tapped the Record button, you’ll now see a list of recordings currently in the app. The one you just captured will likely have today’s date but no name. To change this, tap on it, then select the three dots in the top right corner and from the drop-down menu, tap the Rename option.
Give the track a title and press the Save button. It should now appear with the appropriate name.
Edit Record
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
If you want to change the length of the recording, tap the scissors icon at the top of the screen and you’ll enter Edit mode. Here, you can drag the edges of the track to different locations. This allows you to trim the beginning and end or simply select a certain part of the track that you want to keep by highlighting those areas and then tapping the Trim option.
You can use the bottom line to quickly move around the entire track, then the larger line in the center of the screen for more precise adjustments. There is also the option to highlight certain areas and then use the Delete option to get rid of them.
Get a transcript of the recording
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
If the recording is mostly speech, then you can benefit from the useful transcription option, which will give you the audio as text.
This can be handy if you want to record a meeting or interview and then write up a report or write up the conversation. To access the transcript, simply tap the Transcribe option below the main audio wave. You will then see the text that the Recorder app has transcribed. It’s worth checking it of course, as it’s not always 100% correct, but it’s often close.
And that’s it. You are ready to use the Recorder app on Android.
How to Record Audio on Other Android Apps
Many Android apps give you the ability to record audio files, whether you’re sending messages or making voice notes. Here are some of the most popular ones.
How to Record Audio on Google Keep
Google’s Keep app is a great note-taking app for those times when you want to jot down quick notes. You can of course use keyboard input or handwriting, but there are also voice notes as an option.
There are actually two main methods of recording in Keep. The first is to open a regular note by tapping the “+” button, then tapping the microphone icon in the bottom-right corner to dictate a message that Keep will automatically transcribe into text.
If you only want to record audio, tap the microphone icon at the bottom left of the app’s main notes page (the one that appears when you open it) and you’ll be able to start recording. The audio message will then be stored with your other notes in Keep.
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
How to Record Audio on WhatsApp
WhatsApp is another app that lets you use your voice to create notes, which can be useful if you’re in a place where typing is difficult or if you simply prefer to respond with a voice message rather than a text message. You can also send messages to yourself if you like.
To do this, open the thread you want to send the message in (or start a new one), then tap and hold the microphone icon in the lower-right corner while you record your message.
Once you’re done, release the button and you should see the audio instantly post to the thread. It’s automatically sent, but you can tap and hold the message if you want to delete it again. Instead of tapping and holding the button, you can also tap the microphone icon and swipe up to record without having to hold your finger on the screen.
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
Martyn Casserly / Dominick Tomaszewski
And there you have it. A few different ways to record audio on Android.
There are many other apps that offer similar features, so don’t be afraid to search around to find the one that best suits your needs. In the meantime, Recorder and the other apps mentioned are a good start.
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