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How to avoid issues with call recording

Most problems with call recording come from two things: the app loses its recording access, or the phone stops the app in the background. This page covers both.

Recording access

On Android 9 and newer, a normal app cannot record the other side of a call. Call Recorder needs recording access for this. Open Settings > Recording > Standard API > Recording access to see its state. The setup wizard offers built-in ADB, the Shizuku app, or the accessibility service. With the accessibility service the app records through the microphone only, so the other side may be quiet or missing.

Access can be lost later — after a restart, or when Developer options or USB debugging is turned off. When this happens, Call Recorder shows a Setup required notification. Tap it and follow the wizard. After a restart, built-in ADB needs Wi-Fi to come back. Until then the app records through the microphone.

If a banking app complains about Developer options, use Pause access in the Call Recorder notification or in the three-dot menu of the navigation drawer, and Resume access afterwards.

Details: Settings for call recording and Built-in ADB setup and troubleshooting. If your phone has root access, none of this is needed.

Keep the app running

  1. Lock Call Recorder in recents and do not swipe it away from there. Disable battery optimization for it and allow auto-start. This is the most important step. See your device below.
  2. Make sure no other app uses the microphone during a call: voice assistants, other recorders, navigation apps.
  3. Keep the in-call button on, or at least the star button. A visible button keeps the app in the foreground for Android, so the system is less likely to stop it.

Some phones reset these settings after a system update or after a few days. If recordings stop again, check the settings again.

Device settings

Samsung

Settings > Apps > Call Recorder > Battery > Unrestricted. On older phones: Settings > Battery > Detail > Call Recorder.

Then Settings > Battery > Background usage limits (on some versions under Device care): add Call Recorder to Never sleeping apps, remove it from Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps, and turn off Put unused apps to sleep. Otherwise Samsung puts the app back to sleep after a few days. Also turn off Adaptive battery in Settings > Battery > More battery settings.

Huawei (EMUI)
  1. Lock the app in recents. Open the Recent tasks screen and swipe down on the Call Recorder card.
  2. Allow background work. Settings > Battery > App launch > Call Recorder: turn off Manage automatically, then allow Auto-launch, Secondary launch and Run in background. On older phones, add the app to the protected list instead.
  3. Turn off battery optimization. Open Settings, search for Battery optimization, tap Not allowed > All apps, find Call Recorder and set it to Don't allow.
  4. Turn off Power saving mode. Settings > Battery > Power saving mode.
  5. Keep the network on in sleep. Settings > Battery > More battery settings > Stay connected when device sleeps.
  6. Check Developer options, if they are on. Don't keep activities must be off. Background process limit must be Standard limit.
  7. Remove third-party cleaner and task manager apps. They can close Call Recorder in the background.
  8. Grant all permissions that Call Recorder asks for.

Huawei describes these steps in its own article: Unable to run background apps on my HUAWEI phone/tablet.

Xiaomi and POCO (MIUI/HyperOS)

Lock Call Recorder in recents (swipe down on it and press the lock icon). Allow Autostart in Settings > Apps > Manage apps > Call Recorder. Set "No restrictions" in the battery saver for the app. Grant all permissions.

OnePlus

Lock Call Recorder in recents. OnePlus sometimes resets battery settings on its own, so the lock matters here more than anywhere.

Settings > Battery > Battery optimization > Call Recorder > Don't optimize. Then open the three-dot menu on that screen > Advanced optimization and turn off Deep optimization (or Adaptive battery) and Sleep standby optimization. On newer versions look under Settings > Battery > More settings.

OPPO and Realme (ColorOS)

Open the app's info screen > Battery usage and allow Background activity and Auto launch.

On older versions: allow start-up for Call Recorder in Security Center > Privacy permission > Startup manager, and in System Settings > Battery > Call Recorder turn off "Freeze when in background" and "Automatically optimise when an anomaly is detected".

Some ColorOS versions turn off accessibility services when the screen goes off. If recording through the accessibility service stops, check that it is still enabled.

Vivo and iQOO (Funtouch/OriginOS)

Allow autostart in Settings > More settings > Applications > Autostart. Lock Call Recorder in recents. In Settings > Battery > Background power consumption management, allow high background power consumption for Call Recorder.

Blackview

Disable battery optimization for Call Recorder and allow it to run in the background:

Other

On stock Android and most other phones: Settings > Apps > Call Recorder > Battery > Unrestricted. Also look for autostart or background restrictions in your phone's settings.

Brand-specific problems with built-in ADB — Xiaomi, OPPO and OnePlus, Huawei, Meizu — are on the Built-in ADB page.

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