Not legal advice. This site is an editorial reference. Laws change — always confirm with a qualified attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before recording, and check each page’s last reviewed date.

How to Record a Skype Call

Skype includes a native recording feature available to all participants. A notification appears to everyone in the call when recording starts. Files are stored in the chat and on Microsoft cloud for 30 days.

Native option

  1. Start a Skype call.
  2. Click the + button (More) and choose Start recording.
  3. A banner appears in the call for everyone: “[Name] started recording.”
  4. Stop recording or end the call. The recording appears in the chat for 30 days.
  5. To save permanently, click More options on the recording and choose Save.

Workarounds

Native recording is the right path. If you need higher quality or are on an older Skype client, OBS or a Mac QuickTime screen recording with virtual audio routing works similarly to FaceTime.

Where the recording lives and how to export it

  • Skype chat: 30 days.
  • Local save: wherever the OS saves downloads.

Common failure modes

  • Recording missing after 30 days. Skype auto-deletes; save locally promptly.
  • Recording option missing. Update Skype; check that you are in a supported region.

Legal reminder

Whether you may record a call — with this platform or any other — depends on the law in every jurisdiction whose participants are on the call. See our jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction directory, the one-party vs. all-party explainer, and our consent script templates. Federal US law and most US states permit a participant to record, but thirteen US states and many countries require all-party consent.

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