Start, pause, and resume a recording

Tap the microphone button on the home screen to start recording, Pause to hold it, Resume to continue, and End (iOS) or Stop (Android, web) to finish. Stopping starts the upload and transcription automatically; pausing keeps one continuous recording with the paused time left out.

How do I start a recording?

1. Tap the large microphone button at the bottom of the home screen (the Record button on the web).
2. Allow microphone access the first time.
3. The recorder opens with a timer running. You can type a title in the Recording title field and notes in Notes while it records — see Add bookmarks and notes while recording

Two other starting points do the same thing with context attached:

• From a space — the microphone on a space's screen records straight into it, so the recording is filed without a later move.
• From a meeting — with a calendar connected, today's meetings appear on the home screen and you can start a recording from one; the meeting's title is preset. See Meetings and series

You can also start from outside the app entirely — see Record from iOS widgets and Control Center and Record from the Android widget and tile.

How do pause and resume work?

Tap Pause; the timer stops and nothing is captured until you tap Resume. The result is a single recording — the pause leaves no gap or marker in the audio or the transcript, the skipped time is not there.

iOS can also pause on its own: if a phone call or another app takes the microphone, the recorder shows "Paused by another app — will resume automatically" and picks back up when the microphone is free. See Does Canto record in the background?

How do I stop or discard?

• Stop — tap End (iOS) or Stop (Android, web). The recording lands in your library and moves through Uploading, Processing, and Transcribing to Ready — see How does Canto process recordings?
• Discard — tap Discard and confirm. The audio is permanently deleted, nothing is uploaded or transcribed, and no free minutes are used. There is no undo for discard.

FAQ

Is there a maximum length?

No practical one — recordings can run for hours. Transcription minutes on the free plan are the real limit; see How long can a recording be?

Can I keep using my phone while recording?

Yes on iOS and Android — the recording continues with the app in the background or the screen locked. On the web, keep the tab open.

I stopped by accident — can I resume a finished recording?

No. Once stopped, a recording uploads and transcribes. Start a new recording; both stay in your library.