Xcribe Support

In Xcribe's private storage on your phone. They aren't uploaded anywhere, and Xcribe has no servers, so we can't see or recover them.

The recordings don't appear in file manager apps. To keep a copy outside Xcribe, share the recording and choose an app such as Google Drive. Settings ▸ Storage in the app shows how many recordings you have and how much space they use.

Yes. A recording keeps going when you lock the screen or switch to another app, and Xcribe shows a "Recording in progress" notification while it does. Tap it to return to the app.

Pressing Back doesn't stop the recording, and a paused recording stays paused until you resume or stop it. Swiping Xcribe away from the recent apps screen ends the recording; what it recorded is back in your library the next time you open Xcribe.

A phone call, or another app that starts playing or recording audio, pauses the recording; tap resume to carry on. If a recording has to stop, Xcribe saves what it recorded and you'll see a notice when you return to the app.

On Android 13 and later, apps need your permission to show notifications. Xcribe asks once, the first time you record, and uses it only for this notification. To turn it on later, go to Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Xcribe ▸ Notifications and turn notifications on (the names vary a little between phone makers).

Recording works in the background either way. Without the permission you just don't see the notification.

Xcribe writes recordings to storage as it goes, so a recording survives the app crashing, being force-stopped or being closed by the system. The next time you open Xcribe, the recording is back in your library with its start time, the title, category and tags you typed, and its waveform.

Tap the import button at the top of the Library (a folder with an arrow pointing into it), or the folder button on the Record screen. Pick one or more audio files in the system file picker.

Xcribe copies the files into its library and leaves the originals where they are. Common formats such as M4A, MP3, AAC and WAV work. If a file can't be imported, Xcribe tells you.

Touch and hold the recording and choose Share. You can also use Share in the recording's ⋮ menu or in the player. The system share sheet opens, and you can send the file with apps such as Gmail or Quick Share, or save it to Google Drive.

The shared file is named after the recording's title. Recordings are AAC (.aac), or WAV when you record with the Lossless preset. Imported files keep their original format.

Swipe a recording left in the Library, or touch and hold it and choose Delete. To remove every recording, use Settings ▸ Delete all recordings; your categories and tags are kept.

Deleting a recording removes it from your phone permanently, so share a copy first if you want to keep it. Uninstalling Xcribe removes all its recordings, labels and settings.

Xcribe needs microphone access to record. If you declined it, turn it on again in Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Xcribe ▸ Permissions ▸ Microphone on your phone (the names vary a little between phone makers).

You can also open Settings ▸ Privacy ▸ Microphone inside Xcribe, which shows the current status and takes you to the right place.

If recording still doesn't start, another app may be using the microphone. Close that app and try again.

Xcribe has no cloud service of its own, and it doesn't sync recordings between devices.

Xcribe is also left out of Google's cloud backup, so restoring a phone from that backup doesn't bring your recordings back. If your old phone runs Android 12 or later and you set up a new phone by copying data straight from it (with a cable or over Wi-Fi), your recordings can come across. If your old phone runs Android 11 or earlier, they don't.

For recordings you can't afford to lose, keep a copy outside Xcribe with Share, for example in Google Drive.

No. Xcribe records, organizes and plays back audio. It doesn't turn speech into text.

Go to Settings ▸ Recording, or tap the gear on the Record screen. Choose Voice (smallest files, good for speech), Standard, High, or Lossless (uncompressed WAV, about 5.8 MB per minute).

Both places also have switches for noise suppression, auto gain and echo cancellation. They work where your phone supports them.

No. There's nothing to sign up for, and recording, playback and organizing all work offline. You only need a connection to read this help page or the privacy policy, which open in your browser when you tap them in Xcribe's Settings.

It runs on Android 7.0 or later and is designed for phones.