Voice Memos stop unexpectedly during recording

Question

Level 1

11 points

Voice Memos stop unexpectedly during recording

Summary

Voice Memos on iPhone unexpectedly stop recording after a few seconds when initiated from the lock screen. This issue occurs despite the recording initially appearing active (e.g., visible progress in the Dynamic Island). The problem leads to loss of important audio recordings and undermines trust in the device's functionality.

Steps to Reproduce

From the lock screen, start a Voice Memo recording using the tool button (via Control Center).
Observe that the recording indicator and progress bar appear on the Dynamic Island, confirming the recording has started.
Leave the phone untouched while it is recording.
After some time, return to the phone.
Observe that the recording stopped unexpectedly after only a few seconds (e.g., 5-15 seconds) without user intervention.

Device and Software Information

Device: iPhone 16 Pro
iOS Version: 18.2.1
Available Storage: 176 GB

Additional Notes

The issue has occurred multiple times, resulting in the loss of valuable recordings.
The reliability of Voice Memos is critical for the user, and this issue significantly affects productivity and trust in the device.

iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on Jan 24, 2025 11:32 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Jan 24, 2025 11:54 PM in response to mario-s

Audio recording in Voice Memos on an iPhone may be interrupted due to several factors, including:

Notification Receipts: Incoming notifications, such as calls, messages, or alerts, can interfere with the recording process. For example, a notification sound or vibration might pause or stop the recording if settings allow.
Bluetooth Interference: When Bluetooth is enabled, the device might prioritize connected accessories like headphones, speakers, or microphones, causing interruptions or degraded recording quality.
Bluetooth Audio Triggered by an App: Specific apps might automatically route audio through Bluetooth devices, which could momentarily disrupt or reconfigure the recording setup, leading to interruptions.
Background App Refresh: If the Voice Memos app is forced to reload or prioritize other tasks in the background, it may pause or stop the recording. This could happen when switching to other apps or if the system reallocates memory.
Accidental Touch of the Stop Icon: Unintentional touches or gestures on the screen could accidentally press the stop or pause button, halting the recording process.

To minimize interruptions:

Enable "Do Not Disturb" or Focus Mode while recording.
Disconnect from unnecessary Bluetooth devices.
Disable Background App Refresh for non-essential apps.

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Answer 2

mario-s Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 25, 2025 03:02 AM in response to SravanKrA

Thank you for your response. I believe none of the scenarios you mentioned are applicable in this case. The issue has occurred too frequently for me, and I only noticed it after Apple replaced the tool button for opening Voice Memos with a button that immediately starts recording. I will, however, try enabling Do Not Disturb before recording as a potential workaround.

Oh, just tested it once again and noticed that tapping the tool button for starting a recording became active, but after ~3 seconds turned off without starting a recording at all. No words.

That being said, it’s remarkable how quickly trust in a device can shift from 90% to 10% due to such seemingly trivial yet frustrating bugs.

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Voice Memos stop unexpectedly during recording

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