How to record a WhatsApp video call on Android

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Authored by: Rahul Srinivas Jun 3, 2021

stickers dan gold unsplash — © Dan Gold/Unsplash

Wondering how to record a WhatsApp video call? Well, you, my friend, have come to the right place! Before we even start discussing the various methods we currently have to record WhatsApp video calls, let me inform you that this procedure is no longer as straightforward as it once used to be.

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Is it possible to record WhatsApp video calls in 2021?
How to record WhatsApp video calls
- On stock Android/any Android phone
- On phones running MIUI
WhatsApp video calls and privacy
Legality of recording a WhatsApp video call on Android

Is it possible to record WhatsApp video calls in 2021?

The quick answer to this question is a resounding yes. You will, in 2021, be able to record WhatsApp video calls on any Android phone. However, what this 'Yes' does not reveal are some of the issues that you may encounter when you actually try to do this.

The only way to record a WhatsApp video call is with the help of a screen recorder app. Several manufacturers bundle their phones with a native screen recorder app. In case you own one of these devices, you can simply activate the screen recorder, and your WhatsApp video call will be easily recorded.

If your smartphone runs stock Android, rest assured, your phone does not have a screen recorder app built-in. On such devices, you will be required to download and install third-party screen recording apps like MNML screen recorder or AZ Screen recorder.

All that said, no matter which route you tread (native app or third-party app), you will almost certainly encounter one of these three scenarios.

The call will be recorded normally, and you will be able to clearly listen to what both parties are saying.(Yay!)
The call will be recorded - but you will only be able to hear your voice and not the voice of the other party. (Duh)
The call will be recorded without any sound from either party. (Meh)

From our research, it has come to our notice that the second scenario is the most common issue that users face when recording WhatsApp calls, and as of now, unfortunately, there is no fix in sight.

For the purpose of this article, we tried recording WhatsApp video calls on three devices - one running Xiaomi's MIUI, another running Realme's RealmeUI, and a third smartphone running stock Android. Only one device - the one running MIUI was able to record the call with the sound of both parties audible. On the phone running stock Android, we were unable to get any sound at all no matter what app we used.

How to record WhatsApp video calls

Record WhatsApp calls on stock Android (or any Android phone)

You will need to install a third-party screen-recording app to record WhatsApp calls on a phone running stock Android. We tried two apps - AZ Screen recorder and MNML Screen recorder. You can install either of these apps from the Google Play Store and install it on your phone. Below, we outline the steps we had to do for MNML Screen recorder.

After installing MNML Screen recorder, clock on the icon to open the app.
Grant all necessary permissions and start screen recording.
Open WhatsApp and make the video call as you normally would.
You can stop the recording mid-way at any time you choose.
To view the recorded file, open MNML again, and you will see the file listed. Tap on it to begin playback.

MNML Screen Recorder — You can use MNML screen recorder on devices running stock Android. You will not be able to record sound, though. / © NextPit

Note: You may notice that the video will be devoid of audio from both parties if you're running Android 11 or Android 12. This is because Google no longer allows internal audio to be recorded.

Record WhatsApp Calls on MIUI

Xiaomi devices running MIUI come with a very capable screen recording app. It can be accessed from the drop-down menu. However, before you start using it to record WhatsApp video calls, you need to make sure of a few things so that you will be able to hear the voice of both parties in the final recording.

Swipe down to reveal the quick setting menu
Long press Screen recorder to open the app (If you don't see the app here, swipe right or left)
Tap the icon on the top right corner to open the Settings page
Scroll to the option that says Sound source and make sure you have selected Mic instead of System sounds.
Before you make the call, swipe down to initiate the screen recorder
Open WhatsApp and make a normal video call.
End the recording using the on-screen toggle at any point during the call (or after).
You will see the recorded video call in the Gallery.

record whatsapp calls MIUI — With these settings enabled, we were able to hear both parties on WhatsApp video call recordings / © NextPit

WhatsApp video calls and privacy

While we understand that you were here to quickly learn how to record a WhatsApp video call, it is essential that you be made aware of why it has become increasingly difficult to do this with desired results. The very fact that you ended up on this article is probably because you know that WhatsApp does not natively support the call recording feature – and you happened to be looking for an alternative method.

With Google doubling down on various privacy aspects of Android, we may be looking at a future where existing methods of recording WhatsApp video calls may cease to work. Over the past two odd years, Google has made major privacy-oriented changes to Android, making it inherently more secure. As a part of this, Google made several changes to the call recording feature on Android phones.

While some local firmware versions do not even give users the option to record voice calls, in regions where this feature is still available, (like India, where I live), it is no longer possible for anyone to discreetly record a phone call. The basic idea behind this is to ensure that all the parties in the call are aware of the fact that a call recording is in progress. It is this very implementation (Google disallowing recording of internal audio) that creates issues with recording WhatsApp video calls with voice on several new smartphones. And by the looks of it, this "problem" is here to stay.

Is it legal to record video conversations?

While at the topic of recording WhatsApp video calls, it is also important you take into account local laws regarding privacy. If the local laws in your country prohibit you from recording video calls, you might find yourself in trouble if you illegally record video calls. Since WhatsApp is widely used across the world, we cannot, in this article, guide you on how to check the legality of recording WhatsApp video calls in your country. What we can say, however, is to record WhatsApp calls only when necessary and make use of this feature only when necessary.