How to record Discord audio and video calls

Discord is one of the most popular applications for casually and professionally chatting with others. The application is a great way to meet and talk with new people via audio and video calls. However, there is no way to record calls on Discord; there is no built-in option to do so directly within the app. So, how do you record Discord audio and video calls? We walk you through the steps below.

How to record Discord audio calls using Craig Bot

One of the easiest ways to record Discord audio calls is through Craig, a Discord Bot. To use Craig Bot, you must add the bot to your own Discord server. Of course, a requirement for this is to either be the creator or an admin of the server that you wish to record audio.

One important thing to note is that while Craig can also be used on the Discord mobile app, he will have to be invited via desktop first.

Here’s how to set up Craig to record Discord audio calls:

1. To add Craig, go to the Craig website and click the Invite Craig to Your Discord Server button.

1. Once you’ve invited Craig and it is active on your server, a warning will be displayed on your screen that the channel is being recorded. This is beneficial, as it means transparency for everyone on the server.

1. After inviting Craig to your Discord server, give it access. A screen will pop up asking you to confirm granting the bot permissions. Choose the server you’d like to add the bot and select Authorize.
2. After this, Craig will be added to your server of choice, and you’ll see a message stating that the bot has joined. All audio calls can now be recorded on your server. This will work across Windows PC, Mac, iOS, and Android.

1. Go to the audio channel you’d like to record and enter the command for Craig to begin recording. After Craig has the proper permissions, you can begin recording by entering the following command:
   • /join: This command will cause Craig to join your channel and begin recording audio.
   • /stop: This command will cause Craig to leave your channel and stop recording.

1. Once you finish recording the audio, Craig will send you a private message. This message will include a download link for the audio files you created. You will have the option to download the files in either AAC or FLAC format or save them directly to Google Drive.

And that’s it! Overall, recording audio on Discord is a straightforward process and only takes a few minutes to setup.

How to record Discord video calls using OBS Studio

While recording audio is a pretty easy process with Craig Bot, it’s only an option if you own or have server admin permissions. Those who need to record video or don’t have proper permissions will have to use exterior recording software. The process of doing this is slightly different. While many different software tools can be used for video recording, arguably one of the most popular is OBS Studio.

Primarily a tool used for live-streaming video content, OBS Studio also functions as a screen recorder. One of the biggest appeals of this program is that it’s completely free to use and has tons of great features included. Download it from the official website here. OBS works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Here’s how to set up OBS Studio to record Discord video calls:

1. First, you’ll want to download, install, and open OBS Studio. There will be a short, self-explanatory setup process for OBS, which is very simple.
2. Go to the Sources section and click on the + button. Click Audio Output Capture. This should be the second selection that pops up and is represented with a speaker icon. Here, you can configure your speaker as the output device you want to capture audio from. Give your audio source a name and select OK.
3. Select the correct audio device; if you’re listening through headphones instead of regular speakers, then be sure to select it.
   • If you stopped here, you could record all audio from your Discord call; however, we also want to record video.

1. Like the previous step, select the + button within the Sources panel. Then click on the Window Capture option. This should be the last option within the window. Next, a new window will pop up where you must select the correct one. Make sure Discord is open on your computer; select it and then select OK.
2. Feel free to crop the video to your liking or make any visual customizations. Remember that this can all be edited later via a video editing tool, such as Adobe Premiere, if you plan on sharing it on social media.

1. Double-check to make sure your settings are correct. Go to the audio mixer section to make sure the audio is being picked up. Test this by playing music on your computer and seeing if the audio slider moves. If it does, then you’ve set it up correctly!

1. Click Start Recording. You’ll now begin recording your Discord call’s audio and video. You may also want to do this before the Discord call for the sake of testing if everything is working correctly. Click Stop Recording once you’re done.
2. Go to File and select Show Recordings. This will bring up the folder where the recording has been saved.

Is it illegal to record a Discord call?

The short answer is no; it is not illegal to record a Discord call. However, the legality of recording another person varies, depending on the state or country in which you live. There are also several different forms of consent when it comes to getting approval to record others during calls or meetings.

Seeking consent for recording calls and online meetings generally breaks down into these four different types of consent:

One-Party Consent

Also known as single-party consent, one-party consent means that you can legally record a call as long as you have the expressed consent from at least one other meeting attendee and do not require the consent to record from every meeting attendee.

Two-Party Consent

Two-party consent essentially means that it is required for every meeting attendee to be informed that the call is recorded. Additionally, the member recording the meeting must obtain prior consent. The consent may also be given either actively or passively.

Active Consent

Active consent refers to sending some sort of cue (visual or audio) that tells others in the meeting that the meeting is being recorded. All other participants in the meeting must actively consent to be recorded through verbal or visual confirmation (stating they consent or giving a thumbs up).

Passive Consent

Passive Consent refers to sending a visual or audio cue to communicate to others that they are being recorded while in a meeting. However, no response from participants is necessary. If all party members continue with the meeting without objecting, they passively consent to be recorded.