Introduction
You can record or upload audio directly in Evernote to capture ideas, conversations, or meetings without leaving your notes. This makes it easy to store, replay, and organize everything in one place — whether you're documenting a class, brainstorming, or taking meeting notes.
Record audio
You can start a recording in several ways, depending on your device.
On desktop and web
From the note editor: Open the Insert (+) menu and choose Audio recording, or type /audio. You'll then choose between two recording modes:
- Meeting recorder (for capturing in-person or remote meetings)
- Voice note (for quick personal recordings and memos).
On mobile
- From the Create screen: Tap Recorder to start recording with multiple speakers in a newly created note.
- From an existing note, you can choose between two recording modes:
- Meeting recorder (for capturing in-person or remote meetings)
-
Voice note (for quick personal recordings and memos).
Start a recording in one of these ways:
You can type and record at the same time. You can also pause, resume, or stop the recording anytime to save it into your note.
On desktop and web only, recordings continue even if you navigate away from the note, switch to a different section of the app, or resize the window. If you try to close the window, you'll be prompted to stop and save your recording before exiting.
Upload an existing audio
You can also add a pre-recorded audio file to your note.
- In a note, open the Insert (+) menu and choose Attachment/File to add your audio file.
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On desktop and web, you can also drag and drop the file into a note, or use the / command and type Audio.
Evernote supports common audio formats such as
.mp3,.m4a,.wav, and.aac.
Manage, replay, and save your recording
Whether you've recorded your audio in Evernote or uploaded an existing file, you can:
- Replay it directly in the note using the built-in player.
- Rename or download it at any time from the "…" menu that appears when you click or tap on an audio file.
-
Set it as your note thumbnail for quick access and visual context from the same "…" menu.
FAQ
I'm trying to record audio in the desktop app, but the recording doesn't start. Why?
If you're recording a remote meeting and nothing happens when you press record, check your system settings to ensure Evernote has screen recording permissions. Without them, your device can't capture internal audio.
If you're still having trouble, try quitting and reopening Evernote after adjusting the permissions.
Can I transcribe an audio file?
Yes. You can use AI Transcribe to automatically generate text from your audio and even summarize it. To learn more about these AI-powered options, visit AI Meeting Notes.
Are there any limits for audio recording?
The maximum recording length is limited by the total size of the note, which is currently set to 200MB per note for all existing plans.
Which file types are supported for audio attachments?
Evernote supports common audio formats such as .mp3, .m4a, .wav, and .aac.
You can upload or record files of any length. However, AI transcription currently supports audio up to 100 MB or 60 minutes per recording.
What format are my audio recordings saved as?
Some versions of the app save audio recordings as different file types. Refer to the table below.
| App | Recorded format |
|---|---|
| Evernote for Mac | .webm (Opus audio) |
| Evernote for Windows | .webm (Opus audio) |
| Evernote for iOS | .m4a (AAC audio) |
| Evernote for Android | .aac (AAC audio) |
Are there any limitations with audio recording playback?
Yes, there are a few limitations between operating systems. Audio recorded on Evernote for Mac or Windows (.webm) can be played back on iOS and Android, but you won't be able to jump to a specific point in the recording during playback.
Can I record a phone call on iPhone?
No. Apple restricts microphone access for third-party apps while a phone call is active. This is an iOS privacy protection that applies to all third-party apps, not just Evernote. If you try to start an audio recording during a call, you will see an error message indicating the microphone is not available.
Workaround: On iPhones running iOS 18.1 or later, you can use Apple's built-in call recording feature (tap the record button in the top-left corner during a call). The recording is saved to the Notes app. You can then share the audio file to Evernote, or upload it into any note using Insert (+) then Attachment/File, and use AI Transcribe to generate a transcript and summary.
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