The In-Person Recorder lets you capture spoken conversations outside of phone calls - meetings, interviews, brainstorming sessions, or voice notes. You get instant transcripts and AI summaries, all saved directly in Beside.
📌 Note: The In-Person Recorder is available on the Beside mobile app and Beside for macOS. It is not available on the web app at app.beside.com.
How to record
On the mobile app
Open the Beside mobile app
Go to Settings and toggle In-Person Recorder on
On the main screen, tap the red floating button labeled In-Person Recorder
Tap once to begin recording (a timer displays your progress)
Tap again to stop recording
Beside automatically transcribes and summarizes the recording
💡 Good to know: With Live Activity support, your recording continues even if you minimize the app or lock your screen. If a phone call interrupts your recording, it resumes automatically once the call ends.
On macOS
Open 📖 Beside for macOS
Click New Recording in the title bar
Record your meeting or notes
End the recording to generate a transcript and summary
⚠️ Heads up: Recordings created on macOS cannot be deleted from any platform today. If you need the ability to delete a recording, create it from the Beside mobile app instead.
Where to find your recordings
On the mobile app
All voice memos and meeting summaries appear directly in your Chats tab, alongside your other conversations. Tap any item in the list to open it and view its transcript and summary.
To share a memo, open it, tap Share, and choose from: copy link, copy text, email, Notes (iOS), Notion, Slack, Zapier, or other apps.
On macOS
Recordings are stored in the left sidebar, inside the Meetings list, alongside your recent and upcoming meetings.
FAQ
Can I record phone calls with the In-Person Recorder?
Can I record phone calls with the In-Person Recorder?
The In-Person Recorder is designed for in-person conversations, not phone calls. Phone calls through Beside are recorded and transcribed automatically as part of the 📖 AI call summaries and transcripts feature.
Is there a time limit for recordings?
Is there a time limit for recordings?
You can record long sessions, but transcription is reliable up to about 2.5 hours (150 minutes) per recording - this applies to both the Beside mobile app and Beside for macOS. Mobile doesn't cap how long you can record; on macOS you can capture up to 4 hours. Beyond the ~2.5-hour transcription window, processing takes much longer and the recording may degrade or fail to transcribe, so for very long sessions we recommend splitting them into separate recordings.
What happens if I get a phone call during a recording?
What happens if I get a phone call during a recording?
The recording pauses automatically and resumes once the call ends. You won't lose any of your notes.
Can I find recordings made on macOS from my phone?
Can I find recordings made on macOS from my phone?
Yes. Recordings created on Beside for macOS sync to your Beside mobile app and appear in your conversation list (the Chats tab), alongside your other conversations.
Can I delete a recording?
Can I delete a recording?
It depends on where the recording was created:
Recordings created on the Beside mobile app can be deleted. Open the memo on your iPhone or Android and use the delete option. Once deleted, the recording, transcript, and summary are permanently removed.
Recordings created on Beside for macOS cannot be deleted today - from macOS, mobile, or the web app. If deletion is important to you, create the recording from the mobile app instead.
Can I record in-person meetings from the web app?
Can I record in-person meetings from the web app?
Not currently. The In-Person Recorder is only available on the Beside mobile app and on Beside for macOS. It is not available on the web app at app.beside.com.