How do I save a recorded audio file on Android?

Saving audio files on an Android device allows you to store recordings for playback later. With smartphone storage capacities steadily increasing, phones have become handy tools for recording audio memories. Whether it’s an interview, lecture, song idea, or other important audio, Android makes it easy to capture and keep these files.

There are a few ways to save recorded audio on an Android device. You can leave files in their default location, move them to internal storage folders, transfer them to removable SD card storage, or upload them to cloud services. Where and how you save an audio recording will depend on your needs for organizing, sharing, or transferring the file.

This guide will walk through the main methods for locating, renaming, moving, and sharing audio recordings made on an Android device. With options for both local and cloud storage, you can create an audio archive that is organized, accessible, and ready for long-term preservation.

Recording an Audio File

There are a few different ways to record an audio file on Android devices. The easiest method is to use the built-in recording app that comes pre-installed on most Android phones.

To access the default voice recorder app, open the app drawer and look for an app simply called “Voice Recorder”, “Sound Recorder”, “Voice Memo”, or something similar. The icon is usually a microphone image. This app allows you to record, play, rename, and share audio files.

To start a recording, open the app and tap the record button. Speak into the microphone to capture audio. Tap stop when finished recording. The new recording will be automatically saved to internal storage. The default app has basic recording features but may lack advanced settings.

Some popular third party recording apps for Android include Easy Voice Recorder, Voice Recorder, and RecForge II. These apps provide additional features like trimming, editing, transcribing recordings, and more customizable settings.

Third party apps can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. They may require a one-time purchase or subscription for full functionality. However, many offer free versions with basic recording capabilities. Advanced apps allow greater control over audio quality, file formats, and recording tools.

Locating the Recorded File

The default save location for audio files can vary depending on the recording app used. Here are some common default locations:

For the built-in Android Recorder app, files are usually saved in an app-specific folder that can be difficult to access directly. You’ll need to share or export the file to save it elsewhere (Source: Google Support).

With third party apps like Dolby On, the default save location is the Music folder on your device’s internal storage. You can change this in the app’s settings (Source: Dolby).

On Samsung devices, the Voice Recorder app saves files to internal storage in a folder called Voice Recorder. You can access these through the My Files app (Source: Samsung).

Knowing the default location for your recording app is the first step to easily finding your saved audio files on Android.

Renaming the Audio File

After recording an audio file on your Android device, you may want to rename it to something more descriptive or organized. Here are the steps to rename an audio file using the File Manager app:

1. Open the File Manager app on your device. This is usually pre-installed or can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

2. Navigate to the folder where your audio file is saved. This is usually in a folder like Music, Audio, or Recordings.

3. Long press on the audio file you want to rename.

4. Tap on the rename icon in the menu that appears. This looks like a pen or pencil icon.

5. Type in the new name you want for the file. Add a file extension like .mp3 or .m4a if you want to keep it.

6. Tap OK or Rename to confirm the name change.

The file name will now be changed. The original audio data remains intact – only the file name and display text is altered. This can help organize and locate audio files easier in File Manager.

Renaming files also helps avoid confusion or duplication when transferring files between devices or cloud storage. Descriptive names make files easier to identify versus default names like Recording001.mp3.

Moving the File to Internal Storage

Once you have recorded an audio file on your Android device, you may want to move it from its default location to the internal storage for easier access or organization. Here are the steps to move a recorded audio file to internal storage on Android:

First, open the File Manager or My Files app on your device. This is where you can navigate through the different storage locations.

Tap on the Internal Storage folder. On some devices this may be labeled Phone Storage or Device Storage.

Navigate to where you want to move the audio file. You can create a new folder here if needed, such as a Music folder within internal storage.

Now go back to the folder where your recorded audio file is currently saved. This is typically in a Voice Recordings or Audio Recordings folder on your device storage. Long press on the audio file you want to move.

Select Move from the options. Then navigate back to the folder you created in internal storage and select Paste or Move Here to move the file.

You will now see the audio file moved and safely stored in your selected folder on internal device storage. From here you can play it back or share it much more easily.

Moving the File to SD Card

If you want to free up internal storage space on your Android device, you can move a recorded audio file to an external SD card (if your device supports external storage). Here are the steps to move an audio file to SD card:

1. Insert the SD card into your Android device if it’s not already inserted.
2. Open the File Manager app and navigate to where your audio file is saved, likely in a folder like Music, Recordings, Audio, etc.
3. Long press on the audio file you want to move. This will select it.
4. Tap on the menu icon in the upper right corner (three vertical dots) and select “Move to…”.
5. Navigate to and select your SD card location, it may be labelled “External Storage”, “SD Card”, or the name of the manufacturer.
6. Tap on the folder you want to move the file into, or create a new folder on your SD card.
7. Tap “Move” to complete transferring the audio file.

Once moved, the audio file will be located on your SD card rather than internal storage. You can navigate to the SD card in the File Manager app to access it.

Emailing the Audio File

Once you have saved the audio file, you can easily email it directly from your device’s file manager app. Here are the steps:

1. Open the file manager app and navigate to the location where you saved the audio file. This may be in internal storage or on your SD card.
2. Long press on the audio file to select it.
3. Tap on the share button, usually represented by 3 dots or lines.
4. Choose Gmail or your preferred email app from the share menu.
5. A new email composition window will open with your audio file attached.
6. Enter the recipient’s email address, a subject, and any text for the body of the email.
7. Tap send to email the audio file.

Most email providers allow attachments up to 25 MB. For larger audio files, you may need to use a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox to share via link instead of attaching directly. Just be mindful of the recipient’s email size limits.

Attaching audio files directly from your Android’s file manager makes it easy to email recordings without any file size limitations. Just select, tap share, choose your email app, and send.

Sharing via Messaging Apps

After recording an audio file on your Android device, you may want to share it with friends, family or colleagues. Two of the most popular messaging apps for sharing audio files are WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

To share an audio file via WhatsApp:

• Open the WhatsApp app and select the chat you want to share the file with.
• Tap the attach button (paperclip icon) and select “Audio”.
• Browse and select the audio file you want to share.
• Tap “Send” to share the audio file.

To share an audio file via Facebook Messenger:

• Open the Messenger app and select the chat you want to share with.
• Tap the plus (+) button and select “Audio”.
• Browse and select the audio file to share.
• Tap “Send” to share the audio.

WhatsApp and Messenger make sharing audio clips quick and easy. With just a few taps, you can send your recorded audio to friends and family worldwide.

Uploading to Cloud Storage

One convenient way to save an audio recording from your Android device is by uploading it to cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or Apple iCloud. Cloud storage allows you to access your files across devices and share them easily.

To upload a recording to Google Drive on Android:

1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Tap the + button in the bottom right.
3. Select Upload.
4. Browse and select the audio file to upload.
5. Tap Upload to save the file to Google Drive.

The audio recording will now be available in your Google Drive account online or through the mobile app on any device. You can share it by getting a shareable link or sending it directly via email or messaging apps connected to Google Drive.

Other popular cloud storage options like Dropbox, OneDrive and iCloud have similar capabilities to upload and share audio recordings through their mobile apps on Android devices. Using cloud storage is a convenient way to free up local storage space while keeping your files accessible across devices.

Conclusion

Saving recorded audio files on your Android device is easy once you know where to look. The files are automatically saved in the Recorder app, but can be renamed, moved, shared, or uploaded to the cloud for safekeeping and access across devices.

In summary, open the Recorder app to find your saved recordings. Tap the file name to rename it if desired. Use the Share menu to email the file or share via messaging apps. To save the file internally or to external SD card storage, open the Files app, go to Audio recordings, and use the menu to move the file. Lastly, uploading to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox allows access from anywhere.

Following these steps, you can successfully manage and retain important audio recordings on your Android phone or tablet. With the tools provided natively by Android, and various storage options, you have full control over organizing, sharing, and backing up audio memories and recordings.