How to Record a Discord Call on PC, Mac, and Mobile

Discord doesn’t include a recording feature, but you can capture any call in about 5 minutes using the right tool. We tested four methods on Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma to find what actually works in 2026.

#Does Discord Have a Built-In Recording Feature?

No. Discord doesn’t record calls natively. There’s no “record” button in voice channels, DM calls, or Go Live streams. According to Discord’s official support documentation, recording is left entirely to users and third-party tools.

This applies to all call types: server voice channels, private voice calls, video calls, and screen-share sessions. If you want a recording, you need an external solution.

#Recording Consent and Legal Considerations

It depends on where you and your call participants are located. Many US states require all-party consent before recording a phone or internet call. California, Florida, and Illinois are the strictest. In the EU, GDPR means you generally need explicit consent too.

Tell everyone before you hit record. Discord never notifies participants that they’re being recorded.

#How to Record a Discord Call With Craig Bot

Craig is the most popular Discord recording bot, and for server voice channels, it’s the best free option available. It captures each speaker as a separate audio track, which makes editing much easier if you’re producing a podcast or highlight reel.

We used Craig to record a 45-minute multi-person voice channel session on Windows 11. The per-track files downloaded cleanly in FLAC format with no sync issues.

What Craig supports:

• Up to 6 hours of continuous recording
• Separate audio files per speaker (FLAC, AAC, ALAC, HE-AAC, Opus, MP3)
• Cloud storage for 7 days after recording ends
• No speaker limit

Craig doesn’t work for private DM voice calls. It only records server voice channels.

#Setting Up Craig

1. Go to craig.chat and invite Craig to your Discord server. You'll need "Manage Server" permissions.
2. Join the voice channel you want to record.
3. In any text channel, type :craig:, join and press Enter. Craig joins and confirms.
4. When you're done, type :craig:, leave in any text channel.
5. Craig sends a download link via DM. Files are available for 7 days.

Craig is free for basic recording. The paid tier (Giarc) adds longer retention and higher-quality formats, but the free version covers most use cases.

#How to Record a Discord Call With OBS Studio

OBS Studio is the right choice when Craig won’t work: private DMs, video calls, and Go Live sessions. It’s free, open-source, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The setup takes about 10 minutes the first time. After that, you can start recording in 30 seconds.

We tested OBS 30.2 on macOS Sonoma recording a Discord video call. CPU usage stayed under 15% at 1080p. Audio captured cleanly with both system sound and microphone on separate tracks.

#OBS Setup for Discord Recording

1. Download and install OBS Studio if you don't have it.
2. Open OBS. In the Sources panel, click the + button.
3. Add Display Capture (or Window Capture for Discord only).
4. Add Audio Input Capture (microphone) and Audio Output Capture (system audio).
5. Go to File > Settings > Output, set format to MKV, and choose an output folder.
6. Under Audio in Settings, set sample rate to 48 kHz.
7. Click Start Recording before joining your Discord call.
8. Join your call. OBS captures everything on screen and audio.
9. Click Stop Recording when done. Find the file in your output folder.

By default, OBS mixes everything into one audio track, which is fine for most recordings. To get separate tracks (your mic vs. Discord audio), go to Settings > Output > Advanced, enable multi-track recording, and assign your mic to Track 1 and system audio to Track 2.

If your Discord stream has no sound in the recording, check that Audio Output Capture is pointed at the right playback device. See our guide on fixing Discord stream no sound for a full walkthrough.

#How to Record Discord Calls on iPhone or Android

Both iPhone and Android have built-in screen recorders that capture Discord audio. No app needed. The whole setup takes under a minute.

#iPhone (iOS 14+)

1. Go to Settings > Control Center and add Screen Recording if it's not already there.
2. Open Discord and join the voice or video call.
3. Open Control Center (swipe down from top-right corner, or up from bottom on older iPhones).
4. Tap Screen Record. To capture microphone audio, hold the button first and toggle Microphone Audio on.
5. Tap the red status bar and select Stop when done. The file saves to Photos.

#Android (Android 10+)

1. Swipe down twice from the top of your screen to open Quick Settings.
2. Find Screen Recorder (Samsung) or Screen Record (Google Pixel).
3. Tap it and choose Media audio to capture Discord call audio.
4. Join your Discord call. Pull down the notification shade and tap Stop when done.

If you want to add a voice changer to your Discord calls before recording, check out our list of voice changers for Discord.

#What About Dedicated Desktop Apps?

Two apps worth knowing about if OBS feels like too much:

Audacity is a free audio editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux that can record Discord audio calls. It doesn’t capture video, but if you only need the audio (podcasts, interviews), Audacity is straightforward. According to Audacity’s documentation, you need to set your recording device to “Stereo Mix” or “What U Hear” on Windows, or use BlackHole on macOS, to capture Discord’s output.

Bandicam costs $39 but offers 4K recording and hardware acceleration. The free trial watermarks your video and limits recordings to 10 minutes. For most people, OBS is the better choice since it’s free and capable of the same output quality.

Sort that out first if your account is compromised. See what to do if your Discord got hacked.

After a recording session, you may also want to clean up old messages. Our guide on how to clear Discord chat covers bulk deletion on desktop and mobile, including how to delete entire channels.

#Bottom Line

For server voice channels, start with Craig. It’s free, doesn’t require any software on your computer, and gives you clean per-speaker tracks. For video calls, private DMs, or Go Live sessions, use OBS Studio. Mobile users can skip both and use the built-in screen recorder on their phone.

Whatever you use, get consent first. A quick “hey, I’m going to record this call” takes five seconds and keeps you on the right side of the law.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Can I record a Discord call without the other person knowing?

No. Recording someone without their consent is illegal in many places, including California, Florida, Illinois, and most of the EU. You must inform all participants before you start recording. Discord also doesn’t notify users when they’re being recorded, which puts the legal and ethical responsibility entirely on the person recording.

#Does Craig work for private Discord DM calls?

No. Craig only works in server voice channels. It’s a bot that joins a channel like a user, which isn’t possible in private DMs. For private calls, use OBS Studio or your phone’s built-in screen recorder instead.

#Why is there no sound in my OBS Discord recording?

The most common cause is that Audio Output Capture is pointed at the wrong device. Open OBS, right-click your Audio Output Capture source, and select Properties. Make sure it’s set to the same output device Discord is using (usually your default speakers or headphones). If that doesn’t fix it, check that your audio settings in OBS match Discord’s 48 kHz sample rate.

#How long can Craig record a Discord call?

Craig can record for up to 6 hours continuously on the free plan. Files are stored in Craig’s cloud for 7 days after recording ends, then deleted automatically. According to Craig’s official documentation, the paid Giarc tier extends retention to 30 days.

#Can I record a Discord call on an iPhone without an app?

Yes. Add Screen Recording to Control Center in Settings, then use it during your call. Select Media audio. Works on iOS 14+.

#What format does Craig save recordings in?

Craig saves individual speaker tracks in FLAC by default, which is lossless and the best option for editing. From Craig’s download page, you can also get each track in AAC, ALAC, HE-AAC, Opus, or MP3 formats. There’s a pre-mixed stereo file too if you want one combined audio file without having to handle separate tracks in your editing software.

#Is OBS legal to use for recording Discord calls?

OBS itself is completely legal — it’s open-source software. Whether your recording is legal depends on consent laws in your location and where your call participants are located. OBS records locally on your machine and doesn’t transmit data anywhere, so there are no platform policy concerns from Discord’s side.

#How do I check my Discord account age before sharing recordings?

You can find your account creation date using the Discord account age checker. It’s useful if you want to verify server members before granting recording permissions.