Make a recording in Voice Memos on iPad

With the Voice Memos app , you can use iPad as a portable recording device to record personal notes, classroom lectures, musical ideas, and more. You can fine-tune your recordings with editing tools like trim, replace, and resume.

Record voice memos using the built-in microphone, a supported headset, or an external microphone.

When Voice Memos is turned on in iCloud settings or preferences, your recordings appear and update automatically on all your devices where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID. You can use your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, or Mac to capture audio, then open recordings on your Mac to edit and share them, use them in other media, and so on.

The Voice Memos record screen with controls for starting, pausing, playing, and finishing a recording.

Make a basic recording

To begin recording, tap .
To adjust the recording level, move the microphone closer to or farther from what you’re recording. For better recording quality, the loudest level should be between –3 dB and 0 dB.
Tap Done to finish recording.

Your recording is saved with the name New Recording or the name of your location, if Location Services is turned on in Settings > Privacy. To change the name, tap the recording, then tap the name and type a new one.

To fine-tune your recording, see Edit a recording in Voice Memos.

Use the advanced recording features

You can make a recording in parts, pausing and resuming as you record.

To begin recording, tap .
To adjust the recording level, move the microphone closer to or farther away from what you’re recording.
To see more details while you’re recording, swipe up from the top of the waveform.
Tap to stop recording; tap Resume to continue.
To review your recording, tap .
To change where playback begins, drag the playhead right or left across the small waveform at the bottom of the screen before you tap .
To save the recording, tap Done.

To fine-tune your recording, see Edit a recording in Voice Memos.

Mute the start and stop tones

While recording, use the iPad volume down button to turn the volume all the way down.

Use another app while recording

While you’re recording, you can use another app, as long as it doesn’t play audio on your device. If the app starts playing or recording sound, Voice Memos stops recording.

While recording, you can go to the Home screen and open another app.
Note: During recording, Voice Memos will record any sounds produced by you or the movement of your device while you’re using the other app.
To return to Voice Memos, tap the red bar at the top of the screen.

If Voice Memos is turned on in iCloud settings or preferences, your recording is saved in iCloud and appears automatically on all your devices where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID.

Recordings using the built-in microphone are mono, but you can record stereo using an external stereo microphone that works with iPad. Look for accessories marked with the Apple “Made for iPad” or “Works with iPad” logo.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide

Make a recording in Voice Memos on iPad

Make a basic recording

Use the advanced recording features

Mute the start and stop tones

Use another app while recording