Voice recorder stops when the screen locks — iPhone and Android
The screen lock is when the operating system applies its background rules, not a rule in itself. A recorder built for background audio, with background activity allowed, keeps running with the screen off. If yours stops at the lock, either the app doesn't support background recording, or a restriction is being applied at that moment.
Try this first
- Confirm the app supports background recording at all — many memo apps don't.
- Android: set battery usage to Unrestricted and allow notifications.
- iPhone: turn off Low Power Mode and don't swipe the app away.
- Watch for the microphone indicator — orange on iPhone, green on Android.
- Run a 15-minute locked-screen test before relying on it.
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Diagnose my recording issueThree explanations, in order of likelihood
1. The app only records on screen. Simple memo apps stop when they lose the foreground. No setting fixes this.
2. The OS applied a restriction at the lock. On Android that's battery optimisation, Doze or a manufacturer sleep list. On iPhone it's Low Power Mode throttling, or the app having been force-quit before the lock.
3. Something else coincided with the lock. A call arriving, an assistant trigger, or storage filling up at the same time.
The test that separates them
- Restart the phone.
- Start a 15-minute recording.
- Lock the screen immediately.
- No calls, no other apps, no assistant.
- Check the file after 15 minutes.
Passes? The lock isn't the problem. Re-test while taking a call or opening other apps — that's where your failure lives.
Fails on Android? Work through battery settings and manufacturer lists, then repeat.
Fails on iPhone? The app probably doesn't do background audio, or Low Power Mode is on, or it was force-quit. Try a recorder built for background capture and repeat.
The indicator tells you the truth
Both platforms show a microphone indicator while capture is live — an orange dot on iPhone, a green dot on Android. Wake the screen without unlocking during a test: the indicator's presence is a live status check, and it's more reliable than checking the file afterwards.
Do longer tests too
Some restrictions only apply after hours of inactivity. If 15 minutes passes, try one hour, then overnight. A recorder you're going to rely on for an all-day session should be proven for an all-day session.
Menu names vary by device and OS version, so treat the paths below as a guide and search your Settings app if one doesn't match.
Where BlackBox fits
BlackBox is designed to keep recording with the screen off, on both platforms, and shows its recording status while it runs. Reliability still depends on the operating-system permissions above — set them once and prove it with the test.
Frequently asked questions
Should locking my phone stop a voice recorder?
No, not for an app built for background audio with background activity allowed. If it does, either the app can't record in the background or a system restriction is being applied at that moment.
How do I check recording is still running without unlocking?
Look for the microphone indicator: an orange dot on iPhone, a green dot on Android. Many recorders also show an ongoing notification on the lock screen.
Why does a short test pass but a long one fail?
Doze, deep-sleep and adaptive-battery restrictions usually apply after a period of inactivity, so they only show up in hour-long or overnight tests.
Related fixes
Go deeper
Record with BlackBox
Designed for continuous and scheduled background recording, on-device and private. Operating-system restrictions still apply — test it on your device first.