How to record a FaceTime call on your iPhone or Mac

FaceTime calls are a great way to stay in touch with people you care about, whether on an iOS device or a Mac. But what do you do if you want to save those special moments? Luckily, using your Mac, you can record those calls to view later.

Here's how you can record FaceTime calls taken on both Mac and iPhone.

How to record a FaceTime call on your Mac

If you're looking to record a FaceTime call on your Mac, you can use QuickTime's screen recording feature to your advantage.

  1. Open QuickTime on your Mac from your dock or your Applications folder.

  2. Click File in the Menu bar.

    Open QuickTime, click File

  3. Click New Screen Recording.

  4. Click the arrow next to the record button in the QuickTime window.

    Click New Screen Recording, click arrow

  5. Choose Internal Microphone from the list of available microphones.

  6. Open FaceTime.

    Click Internal Microphone, open FaceTime

  7. Click the record button in QuickTime.

  8. Click the screen to record your whole screen, or click and drag over the FaceTime window to only record FaceTime.

    Click Record, click screen or drag

  9. Start your FaceTime call.

  10. Click the Stop Recording button in the Menu bar.

    Start FaceTime call, click Stop Recording

  11. Click File in the Menu bar.

  12. Click Save.

    Click File, click Save

  13. Give your recording a name.

  14. Choose where you want to save your recording.

    Name recording, choose save destination

  15. Click Save.

    Click Save

How to record a FaceTime call on your iPhone using your Mac

First things first: don't. Since you can't record your screen natively on your iPhone anyway, you need a Mac for this, and you can already record FaceTime calls on your Mac (I mean, you are reading this whole guide, right?).

However, if you insist on recording a FaceTime call on your iPhone using your Mac, here's how.

  1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac with a Lightning cable or 30-pin connector.
  2. Open QuickTime on your Mac from your dock or Applications folder.

  3. Click File in the Menu bar.

    Open QuickTime, click File

  4. Click New Movie Recording.

  5. Click the arrow next to the record button in the QuickTime window.

    Click New Movie Recording, click arrow

  6. Choose your iPhone from the list of available cameras.

  7. Unlock your iPhone. Its display should now appear in QuickTime on your Mac.

    Choose iPhone from menu, unlock your iPhone

  8. In QuickTime for Mac, make sure the volume bar is turned up. Otherwise, you won't be able to hear your call, and what would even be the point of having it?

  9. Open FaceTime on your iPhone.

    Turn up volume in QuickTime, open FaceTime

  10. Click the Record button in QuickTime on your Mac.

  11. Place your FaceTime call on your iPhone.

    Click Record, place FaceTime call

  12. Click the Stop button in QuickTime to stop recording when you've finished your call.

  13. Click File in the Menu bar.

    Click Stop, click File

  14. Click Save.

  15. Give your recording a name.

    Click Save, pick a name for recording

  16. Choose where you want to save your recording.

  17. Click Save.

    Choose save location, click Save

How to use third-party software to record a FaceTime call

If you want your recorded FaceTime calls to look a little more polished, Ecamm's Call Recorder for FaceTime not only lets you record your default FaceTime window — it also offers basic audio editing after you record, repositioning of the call window, and split-screen or side-by-side modes. It's often the better option if you're recording your FaceTime calls for professional use or YouTube uploads. iMore's Serenity Caldwell uses this software to record instructional video with faraway skaters to give how-to tips and advice.

Ecamm's Call Recorder for FaceTime

Questions?

Let us know if you have any questions about recording FaceTime calls in the comments below.

FaceTime: The Ultimate Guide

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