How To Record and Save a FaceTime Audio or Video Call

FaceTime is Apple’s video and audio calling app. It allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to connect with each other for free. While FaceTime itself does not have a built-in recording capability, you can record FaceTime calls using the screen recording features built into iOS and macOS.

Is It Legal to Record a FaceTime Call?

Before learning how to record FaceTime calls, it’s important to understand the legal implications. In the United States, some states require consent from both parties before recording any phone call, including video calls. These states have “two-party consent” laws. Other states only require one party to consent.

You should check your local laws to understand if you can legally record a FaceTime call without permission. If you don’t get consent from the other person, you likely cannot use the recording as evidence in court. It’s best to inform them and get verbal agreement before recording any call.

Recording Video and Audio on an iPhone or iPad

The easiest way to record a FaceTime call on an iPhone or iPad is to use Control Center’s screen recording feature. Here are the steps:

1. Before starting the FaceTime call, open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen (on devices with a home button swipe up from bottom).
2. Tap the Screen Recording icon. It looks like a circle inside a square.
3. Initiate the FaceTime call with the other person.
4. Tap the red record button to begin capturing video. This will record video but not audio from the call by default.
5. To enable audio recording, you need to long press the red button. A menu will appear asking if you want to include microphone audio.
6. Tap the Microphone Audio option to enable it. The screen recording will now include audio from your microphone and the FaceTime call.
7. To stop recording, tap the red bar at the top and then tap Stop. The video will be saved to your Photos app.

The resulting video will include footage of you, the other person, and audio from both sides of the conversation. You can then share or save the video like any other clip.

Recording FaceTime Calls on a Mac

To record FaceTime video and audio calls on a Mac, you can use the QuickTime Player app:

1. First, initiate the FaceTime video call with the other participant before starting the recording.
2. Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
3. Click File > New Screen Recording from the menu bar.
4. In the simple recording window, click the down arrow icon to enable the microphone for audio recording.
5. Click the Record button and select the FaceTime app window to begin capturing video and audio.
6. To end recording, click the Stop button in the menu bar. The video will be saved to your desktop automatically.

The QuickTime recording will be saved as a MOV file containing both audio tracks and video from the FaceTime call.

Using Third-Party Apps to Record FaceTime

There are also third-party iOS and Mac apps that can record FaceTime calls with audio:

• Notta: This app makes it easy to capture FaceTime calls with just one tap. It’s designed specifically for call recording and works well.
• Riverside.fm: A web app that records FaceTime calls through the browser. Allows you to capture remote interviews or calls in high quality.
• Call Recorder: A Mac app that routes all audio through it, allowing you to record from any app including FaceTime. Works via macOS’s audio input feature.

These third-party options may provide an easier way to capture FaceTime calls. However, the built-in screen recording capabilities work fairly well too.

Saving and Sharing Your Recorded FaceTime Calls

Once you record a FaceTime session, the resulting video is saved like any other video or movie clip:

• On iPhone/iPad: Go to the Photos app. The video will be saved to the Media Types > Videos tab, organized by date. You can then share or save the video to files.
• On Mac: By default, QuickTime Player saves your screen recordings to the desktop. You’ll find them as MOV files that can be shared or edited.

Recorded FaceTime calls can take up storage space quickly, especially longer calls. You may want to save them to cloud storage like iCloud or Dropbox after recording.

Tips for Recording Better Quality FaceTime Calls

Here are some tips to help you record better quality FaceTime call videos:

• Position your camera properly so your face is centered and lit evenly. Avoid backlighting from bright windows or lights.
• Speak clearly and closer to the microphone so audio is captured cleanly without echo or background noise. Use headphones with a built-in mic for best clarity.
• Close other apps during recording so you don’t get unnecessary system alerts or notifications. These can clutter the screen capture.
• If internet bandwidth is limited, reduce FaceTime video quality in Settings to conserve data usage. This prevents pixelation and freezing.
• On iPhone or iPad, enable Do Not Disturb mode before recording so you don’t get interrupted by calls or messages during the FaceTime conversation.

Can You Record FaceTime Calls with Audio on iPhone/iPad/Mac?

In summary – yes, you can record FaceTime video calls with audio on iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. However, built-in screen recording alone only captures video. To also save audio, you need to enable the microphone via Control Center on iOS or QuickTime Player on Mac. Third party call recording apps provide an alternative method as well.

Before you record any FaceTime call, be sure to check local laws and get consent from the other person first. Inform them you are recording video and audio for your own purposes before starting the call. This avoids potential disputes and ensures better quality recordings.