Podcasting on your phone

Why a phone is enough to start

Phone microphones are designed to pick up voice at short range, which is exactly what a podcast needs. Their limitation isn't so much quality as placement and the automatic processing some apps apply. If you control those two things, the result may surprise you.

A phone is ideal for a single-voice podcast, a pilot episode or recording away from home. When you have several voices or want more control, you can move up to an external microphone without losing what you've learned.

Recording apps and format

The voice memo recorder built into the phone usually saves in compressed formats (like AAC or M4A) and may apply processing. For a podcast, use a recording app that lets you choose:

There are lots of recording apps for Android and iPhone, free and paid, and they change often. Look for one that records in WAV, shows a level meter and lets you adjust the input gain. Some video editing apps and microphone makers' apps do this too.

Airplane mode and preparation

A call, a notification or even the phone's own radio can ruin a take. Before recording:

1. Turn on airplane mode (or at least “do not disturb” with every exception turned off).
2. Close other apps and turn off alarms.
3. Charge the battery, or leave the phone plugged in if the cable doesn't make noise or move.
4. Check your free space.
5. Make a 20-second test recording and listen to it on headphones.

Note: if you're recording a remote interview from your phone, you can't use airplane mode; in that case, use “do not disturb” and silence everything else.

Placement: where the microphone is

The main microphone is usually on the bottom edge, next to the charging port. That's the side that has to point toward your mouth.

• Place it 4–8 inches (10–20 cm) from your mouth, with the bottom edge toward you and slightly off to one side to avoid plosives.
• Don't hold it in your hand while you talk: every finger movement gets recorded. Use a small tripod, a stand, or prop it up on books and a towel.
• Don't leave it flat on the table a couple of feet away: it'll pick up the table, the bumps and the room.
• Don't cover the holes with the case or your fingers.

Microphones for your phone

When you want to improve, an external microphone is the purchase with the biggest impact. Always check compatibility with your phone's connector (USB-C or Lightning) and with the app you use.

With two lavaliers on two different phones you can record an interview on separate tracks and sync them later with a clap, as you'll see in recording interviews.

Where to record

A phone doesn't change the rules of the room: an empty room sounds full of echo with any microphone. Look for the “softest” corner of your home, with curtains, a rug, a sofa or full bookshelves, or record inside an open clothes closet. Away from the fridge, the street-facing window and the computer. It's all explained in the room.

Common mistakes

• Recording with the voice memo app in a compressed format and with automatic processing.
• Talking with the phone in your hand and recording rubbing, bumps and changes in distance.
• Forgetting airplane mode and getting a call in the middle of the episode.
• Pointing the wrong part of the phone at your mouth.
• Recording outdoors without wind protection; with a lavalier, use its little furry windscreen.
• Not making a backup: move the files to your computer or the cloud as soon as you finish.

Your turn: your first pocket episode

Record a short three-minute episode using only your phone, applying everything in this lesson, and compare it with a normal voice memo.

1. Install an app that records in WAV, turn on airplane mode and find the quietest corner of your home.
2. Put the phone on a stand a hand span away, bottom edge toward you, and record after a level check.
3. Record the same thing with the voice memo app while holding the phone, and compare the two versions on headphones.