How to Save Important Voice Messages for IPhone and Android
It is almost inevitable that at some point we will all need to securely and securely store our voicemail. Whether it’s a message from a loved one who has since died, or just an important recording you want to keep, there are several ways to keep important voice messages indefinitely.
You can technically store your voicemail in your voicemail box, but that’s not a viable long-term option. Voicemail boxes fill up, at which point some services and applications automatically delete old messages. And if you buy a new phone, upgrade to a new app, change carrier, or make any number of similar small changes, it can result in the loss of the voice messages you want to keep. Fortunately, there are several ways to keep your cherished voicemail safe.
Saving and Backing Up Voicemail on iPhone
Instead of storing the file in voicemail, iPhone users can save and save voice messages across a variety of apps and services using the sharing function .
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap Voicemail
- Tap the message you want to save, then tap the Share icon (Sharing your voicemail this way will not delete it from your voicemail storage)
- From here, you have several possible ways to save the file:
- “Notes” allows you to save the file as a new note or add to an existing one.
- Voice Memo saves the audio file to your phone, which can be edited in the Voice Memo app and automatically backed up to iTunes.
- “Message” and “Mail” will send the MP3 file by SMS or email.
- Airdrop allows you to wirelessly transfer your MP3 file to other devices within reach.
Tap the option you want to use, then finish uploading the file.
After you have shared and / or saved the file, you should also back up another copy. Sync your iPhone with iTunes to automatically back up your voice memos to your iTunes library (requires syncing enabled). Likewise, you can share files with cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, etc., or with other iOS devices via AirDrop.
How to save voicemail on Android
Most Android users can save their voice messages as well, but the process will be slightly different depending on your service provider, voicemail application and / or smartphone model.
Standard phone or voicemail apps from most major providers include the ability to save copies of your messages. Open the voicemail application on your phone, then tap (or, in some cases, press and hold) the message you want to save. You should be presented with a list of options; save option is usually referred to as “save”, “save to phone”, “archive” or something similar. Tap the appropriate option for your app, then choose a storage location and save the file. Back up your saved voice messages to your cloud storage of choice, and upload the copy to physical storage such as a hard drive, SD card, or USB flash drive for additional secure storage.
Unfortunately, not all providers offer voicemail apps that are compatible with all Android phones. There are some third-party apps that will let you save your voicemail, but some of them are paid, and many only allow you to save your voicemails after you’ve installed the app. Google Voice has the ability to send MP3 voice messages to your inbox, but as with third-party apps, this will only work for voice messages received after you signed up for the service and enabled the setting – previously received messages will need to be stored in another way.
Saving Voicemail on Your PC
If you are unable to save your voicemail via your smartphone’s voicemail or phone apps, there is another option for backing up your voice messages: recording and storing them via your computer.
This works for both iPhone and Android, but requires additional hardware and software. You will need a PC with the free audio recording software Audacity installed (other programs such as Adobe Audition and Garageband work as well), and a 3.5mm male to male audio cable or microphone connected to your PC. Those who do not have headphone jacks in smartphones also need to use an adapter or opt for an external microphone.
- Connect one end of the audio cable to your PC’s microphone jack and the other to your phone’s audio jack (if you’re using a computer microphone instead, make sure it is plugged in and recognizes your computer)
- Open Audacity and change the recording source to Linear Microphone from the drop-down menu next to the microphone icon.
- Then go to Edit> Preferences> Recording and check the box next to Software Walkthrough. (those using an external microphone can skip this step)
- Open or call the voicemail service on your phone and prepare your voicemail. In Audacity, click the red Record button when the message starts. If you are recording through a microphone, make sure your phone is in speakerphone mode and pointed at the microphone. You should see the audio being recorded in the Audacity timeline.
- When the message is ready and successfully recorded, click the yellow Stop button in Audacity to stop recording.
- If you feel comfortable, you can use Audacity’s editing tools to crop or modify the file. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
- Go to File> Export , point to where you want to save the file, then name and save the file. Audacity will then export and save the file, which can then be copied to various other storage devices or services if desired.