The Download
- You can record audio on an iPad with built-in apps like Voice Memos and Pages, but also third-party apps.
- To use Voice Memos, press Record, let the app record audio, and then tap Done.
- In Keynote, tap Record Audio from the menu.
This article explains how to record audio on iPad using built-in apps and third-party apps.
Information in this article applies to iPads running iOS 12 or later.
How to Record Audio on iPad Using Voice Memos App
All iPads come with a microphone and can record audio right out of the box. Apple includes a free app to get you started: Voice Memos. This is the easiest way to use an iPad to record audio. Follow these steps to make a new recording in the Voice Memos app:
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Tap the red Record button from the sidebar.
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Tap the Pause icon to pause the recording and Resume to continue recording. Use the play controls to listen, move forward or backward in the recording.
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Tap Done to finish.
How to Edit a Voice Memos App Recording
Voice Memos allows you to do a few things to the recording after you finish recording it. You can name it, record over a portion, shorten the recording, adjust the playback speed, and toggle options like Skip Silence and Enhance Recording.
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Select a recording and then tap Edit at the top.
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Tap the Crop icon in the corner of the screen.
To record over a section, move the slider to the area you want to replace and tap Replace at the bottom of the screen. Follow with the replacement audio.
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Tap and hold either the beginning or end of the recording and then drag the beginning or endpoint to the desired location to crop the recording.
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Tap Trim at the bottom of the screen.
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Tap Save and Done.
Now, you can send a completed recording to someone by tapping its name in the Voice Memos sidebar and selecting the three dots > Share.
Change the name of a recording by selecting its current name in the sidebar and tapping the name at the top of the recording screen. The options button holds some other customization toggles like Skip Silence and Enhance Recording.
How to Record Audio on iPad Using Pages, Numbers, or Keynote
In addition to using Voice Memos to record audio, other apps from Apple also enable you to record audio on iPad and then add it to a document or project you’re working on. Here’s how it works using Pages, Numbers, or Keynote.
These free apps are included with your iPad purchase, although you may need to download them from the App Store. These instructions cover the Keynote app but also apply to Pages and Numbers.
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Open a Keynote document, for example. Tap the + icon, which is located in the top right corner of the screen.
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Tap Record Audio in the drop-down menu. (In the Numbers app, tap the Photos icon first; then choose Record Audio).
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Tap the Record button at the bottom of the screen and begin recording.
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Press the Stop icon when you finish recording.
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Tap Insert to add a recording icon to your document. Anyone who receives the document can tap the icon to hear your voice if you are narrating the presentation or any other sound you record.
Third-Party App Options
The App Store is full of audio apps that offer more features than the free Apple apps. Here are some highly rated free apps that make it easy to record audio on an iPad:
About Audio Quality on the iPad
If you only use Voice Memos to make notes to yourself, the default audio quality setting of the iPad may be sufficient to meet your needs. However, you can change the default to improve the quality through Settings > Voice Memos > Audio Quality; change the setting from Compressed to Lossless.
If you need high-quality recordings, use an external iOS-compatible or wireless microphone with your iPad.
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