If you've tried using the Vinyl mobile app to record a phone call on the same device, even with the call on speaker, you've likely noticed the recording either goes silent or fails entirely. This isn't a bug in Vinyl. It's a restriction enforced by both Android and iOS at the operating system level.
When an active phone call is in progress on your device, Android and iOS block all other apps from accessing the microphone. This means Vinyl has no way to capture audio while a call is happening on the same phone, regardless of whether you're on speaker or not.
This limitation applies to all third-party apps, not just Vinyl.
Put it on speaker
You may have been told that putting your phone on speaker would allow Vinyl to record the call. This advice is correct, but it refers to a two-device setup, not a single device.
The way it works:
Device 1 (your phone) — make or receive the call, with the call on speaker so the audio plays out loud.
Device 2 (a second phone, tablet, or computer) — run Vinyl to capture the ambient audio through its microphone.
Because Vinyl is running on a separate device that has no active call, it has full microphone access and can record the conversation as it plays through the speaker on Device 1.
See How to record a phone call using two devices for step-by-step instructions.
What Vinyl does support for call recording?
While Vinyl doesn't support recording a cellular phone call on the same device, there are a few ways to capture calls reliably:
Two-device method — take the call on one device on speaker, run Vinyl on another. Works with any phone call.
Web-based calls (Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) — join the call through your computer browser or desktop app and let Vinyl join as a participant. This is the most seamless option for online meetings.
Native call recording (Samsung only, region-dependent) — some Samsung devices have a built-in call recording feature (Phone app → three-dot menu → Settings → Record calls). If available in your region, you can record the call natively and then upload the file to Vinyl at app.usevinyl.com/in-person-recording.
Scenario | Supported? | What to do |
Record a phone call with Vinyl on the same device | ❌ No | Use a second device to run Vinyl |
Record a phone call using two devices (speaker + Vinyl) | ✅ Yes | See the two-device guide |
Record a Teams / Zoom / Meet call via the web app | ✅ Yes | Use Vinyl on your computer as normal |
Upload a call recorded natively on Samsung | ✅ Yes | Upload at app.usevinyl.com/in-person-recording |