WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of its standout features is the ability to make video calls to other WhatsApp users for free. This provides a convenient way to stay in touch with friends and family through face-to-face video chats.
A common question that arises is where are these WhatsApp video call recordings stored? When you make a video call on WhatsApp, the app does not automatically record or save the video call. However, there are a few different ways you can record and save your WhatsApp video calls if you choose.
Recording WhatsApp Video Calls
If you want to record a WhatsApp video call, you need to use third-party apps or tools. WhatsApp does not have a built-in call recording feature. Here are some of the main options for recording WhatsApp calls:
- Screen recording apps – You can use a screen recording app on your smartphone to record the video and audio of WhatsApp calls. Popular options include AZ Screen Recorder on Android and QuickTime Player on iOS.
- Third-party WhatsApp call recorder apps – There are some apps specifically designed to record WhatsApp video calls, such as Call Recorder for WhatsApp. Be aware that WhatsApp does not allow third-party call recording apps and may block them.
- Computer software – You can use screen recording software on a computer to record WhatsApp video calls through WhatsApp Web or desktop apps. Software like OBS Studio, Bandicam and Apowersoft Screen Recorder can record calls.
The easiest and most accessible option for many is to use a screen recording app on your smartphone. Just be sure to get consent from the other call participant before recording any WhatsApp video calls.
Where WhatsApp Call Recordings Are Saved
When you use one of these recording methods, the WhatsApp video call recordings will be saved locally on your device storage or a connected cloud storage service.
Here is where you can find your saved WhatsApp call recording files based on the recording method:
- Smartphone screen recorder app – Recordings are typically saved to your phone’s local storage. You can find them in your phone’s Files or Gallery app.
- WhatsApp call recorder app – The recordings may be saved to a folder within the call recorder app itself or to your phone’s storage.
- Computer screen recording software – Recordings are saved to your computer hard drive or an external drive. The location depends on the software used.
- Cloud storage – Some apps give you the option to save recordings directly to a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox.
WhatsApp Call Recording Settings
Depending on the screen recording app or software you use, there may be settings to adjust the save location for recordings. For example:
- AZ Screen Recorder lets you choose to save files to internal storage, SD card or Google Drive.
- QuickTime Player saves recordings to your Mac hard drive by default.
- OBS Studio lets you specify a custom recording save folder.
Make sure to check the settings in your recording app to select your preferred storage location for the WhatsApp call recordings.
Managing & Sharing WhatsApp Call Recordings
Once you’ve recorded a WhatsApp video call, you can manage the recording files like any other video or audio files on your device.
Here are some things you can do with your recordings:
- Import – Transfer the recordings from your device to your computer to store them safely.
- Organize – Create folders or albums to store your WhatsApp call recordings.
- Edit – Use video editing apps to trim or enhance the recordings.
- Share – Send the recordings through apps, email, cloud links or social media.
- Backup – Copy the recordings to external drives or cloud storage to prevent losing them.
- Delete – Safely discard recordings you no longer need by emptying your device’s trash or recycle bin.
Treat your WhatsApp call recordings like sensitive, personal data and take precautions to store and share them securely. It’s best to get the consent of all call participants before recording or distributing video call recordings.
Transferring WhatsApp Call Recordings
If you want to transfer WhatsApp video call recordings from your smartphone to your computer, you have a couple options:
- Connect with a USB cable – Plug your Android phone or iPhone into your computer using a USB cable. You can then access the phone’s storage like a removable drive and copy the video files to your computer.
- Upload to cloud storage – Upload the recordings from your phone to a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud. You can then access and download the files on your computer from the cloud storage platform.
- Share via email – Email the recordings directly from your phone to your computer using the share menu in your device’s gallery app.
- Use file transfer apps – Apps like Pushbullet (Android/iOS/PC) and AirDrop (Mac/iOS) let you wirelessly transfer files between devices.
To save recordings on your computer long-term, importing them to your local hard drive storage is recommended. Cloud services and apps make it convenient to quickly transfer files from mobile to desktop.
WhatsApp Call Recording File Formats
WhatsApp call recordings will be saved as standard video file formats, typically MP4 or MOV files, depending on your recording device and app used. The video recordings include both audio and video from the WhatsApp call.
Some call recorder apps may save the audio and video separately, like in an M4A and MP4 file. The majority will save everything together as one video file.
You can convert the recordings to other formats using video converter software if needed. But MP4 and MOV formats are widely compatible across devices and applications.
Backing up WhatsApp Call Recordings
It’s important to maintain backups of your WhatsApp call recordings to avoid losing these potentially important memories and conversations if your phone is damaged, lost or upgraded.
Here are some ways to securely backup your WhatsApp call recording files:
- Cloud storage services – Save copies of your recordings in cloud platforms like Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox or OneDrive.
- External drives – Use a USB flash drive or external hard drive to store backup copies of recordings.
- Computer or laptop – Manually transfer copies of recordings to your computer hard drive for safe keeping.
- NAS (Network Attached Storage) – Use a NAS system to create networked backups of your WhatsApp call recordings.
Backing up to at least two different locations, like cloud and external drive, provides redundancy. Be sure to backup recordings regularly or set up automatic backups so they are always up to date.
WhatsApp Backup Settings
WhatsApp has built-in chat backups, but these do not include your call recordings. You need to separately backup any saved WhatsApp call recording files.
On Android, enable WhatsApp’s chat backup to Google Drive in WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. On iPhone, enable chat backups to iCloud in WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
Sharing WhatsApp Call Recordings
In many cases, you’ll want to share your saved WhatsApp call recordings with other people. Here are some safe ways to share the recordings:
- Messaging apps – WhatsApp and other messaging apps like Telegram or Signal allow you to directly send media files like video recordings.
- Email – Attach and email the recordings to contacts as a file attachment.
- Social media – Post shorter recordings on platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
- Cloud links – Generate sharable links to cloud-hosted recordings on services like Google Drive or Dropbox.
- AirDrop – Wirelessly share files locally between Apple devices using AirDrop.
Always get the consent of other call participants before further sharing WhatsApp call recordings. And only share via secure channels to maintain privacy.
Sharing WhatsApp Call Recordings on Social Media
All major social platforms support posting video clips in some capacity. For example:
- Facebook – Upload videos up to 240 minutes (4 hours).
- Instagram – Share video clips up to 60 seconds.
- Twitter – Tweet videos up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
- YouTube – Upload videos up to 15 minutes for free users.
So you can easily share shorter WhatsApp call recordings. But longer videos may need to be trimmed before posting. And always get permission before sharing others’ personal call recordings publicly.
Playing WhatsApp Call Recordings
WhatsApp call recordings are standard video files that can be played back in any video player application. Here are some options for playing WhatsApp recordings on different devices:
- Smartphone – Use your device’s built-in Gallery or Photos app to watch the recordings.
- Computer (Windows) – Open the recordings in apps like Windows Media Player, VLC media player or Movies & TV.
- Computer (Mac) – Use QuickTime Player, VLC or other media apps to play the video files.
- TV screens – Cast or stream the recordings from your phone to TVs using Chromecast, Apple TV or smart TV link sharing.
You may need to transfer the recordings from your phone to another device first in order to watch them on a bigger screen. But the MP4 and MOV formats used for WhatsApp call recordings are designed to be compatible with most modern media applications.
Conclusion
WhatsApp call recordings can serve as helpful records of special conversations and let you revisit memorable video chats. With the right tools and apps, you can record, save, manage, share and rewatch WhatsApp video call recordings.
The key steps are:
- Use a third-party app to record WhatsApp video calls.
- Save and organize the recordings on your local device storage.
- Transfer files to computer or backup to external drives and cloud storage.
- Carefully share recordings through secure channels as needed.
- Watch recordings on various devices using compatible media players.
Just remember to always respect the privacy of others when recording and distributing WhatsApp call recordings. With the convenience of call recording comes responsibility. But used properly, it can let you hold onto special memories from WhatsApp video chats with loved ones.