Settings and reliability
Settings are where Fieldwork Recorder becomes your field tool rather than a generic recorder. Choose where files live, how audio is captured, how much location is stored, and how the app protects long sessions.
Storage and folders
Fieldwork Recorder keeps a local database for diary information and saves audio and attachment files in its managed storage or the recordings folder you select. On Android, choosing a shared folder can make copies accessible outside the app, such as in a Music folder or a project directory.
If an Android recording is visible inside Fieldwork Recorder but missing from the shared folder, use Export Missing Files to Folder. It scans entries and copies missing audio, metadata, and pictures without overwriting existing files. If a folder permission becomes invalid, use the folder browse, save, or repair action in Settings to choose a new location and repair the archive.
Recording controls
| Setting | What it changes | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Custom quality | Bitrate and sample rate used when the Record tab is set to Custom. | Balance clarity and file size for the expected session length. |
| Audio format | Shows the selected output label. | Current recording normally produces M4A; a different label does not promise audio conversion. |
| Microphone mode | Selects the Android microphone source when the device supports it. | Try Voice recognition, Voice performance, or Unprocessed for a particular environment; devices may fall back to System default. |
| Begin recording on launch | Starts recording when Fieldwork Recorder opens. | Repeated capture workflows where the first action should always be record. |
| Background recording | Keeps an active recording going when the app is minimized, subject to platform behavior. | Long interviews, field walks, or switching apps during capture. |
| GPS tracking | Enables or disables the app's own location capture for new recordings. | Choose Off for location-sensitive audio; imported photos may still have their own location data. |
| GPS capture mode | Sets Start/End or Track as the default. | Use Start/End for a small location footprint; Track for route context. |
GPS storage choices
Recording GPS storage offers Embed in audio or Separate GPS file. The first keeps accepted start/end points or a timed route in supported audio when an entry is saved; the second keeps the route in a .gps.json companion file. The separate file also continues to carry diary details and photo locations when embedding is selected. If an embed cannot be verified, Fieldwork Recorder keeps the route in the companion file instead.
Switching this setting affects recordings when they are saved or edited. It does not rewrite every recording already in your library. Read the dedicated guide for file compatibility, restoration, and location-sharing choices.
Long-recording reliability and recovery
Long field recordings put pressure on any phone. On Android, enable Background recording to continue when the app is minimized, then enable Safe long recording to preserve audio in durable parts while you record. The protected session is saved in roughly half-hour-sized parts, so an interruption affects a smaller portion of the session. After you stop, Fieldwork Recorder can return control quickly and finish joining the recording in the background.
For important long sessions, set Fieldwork Recorder battery usage to Unrestricted in Android’s system settings. This helps prevent the operating system from stopping a recording while the phone is in a pocket or another app is open.
Unrecovered recordings on Android
If Android closes Fieldwork Recorder before an entry is fully saved, the durable segments are kept in Settings under Unrecovered recordings. Choose Scan unrecovered, review the saved session and part count, then choose Recover to rebuild a diary entry. Recovered entries may need a final pass to add or correct the title, notes, and tags. Do not delete an unrecovered session unless you are certain the material is no longer needed.
Fieldwork Recorder also checks for finalized temporary recordings when it starts. If joining fails temporarily, leave the saved session in place and try recovery again. Deleting an unrecovered session permanently removes its saved parts.
Background behavior by platform
Android uses an ongoing foreground notification for background recording and can continue Track-mode GPS collection while the app is minimized. If Background recording is disabled, the app attempts to finish and save when it detects that it has gone into the background.
Native Apple builds support background audio according to the build’s capabilities and system permissions. Continuous background location is not equivalent to Android’s foreground service, so verify the prompts and device settings before relying on unattended GPS tracking.
Appearance, language, and date
Fieldwork Recorder can follow the system theme or use a chosen light or dark appearance. You can also select a date style and force 24-hour or 12-hour time instead of following the device.
The interface is translated into 19 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, Dutch, Indonesian, Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Turkish, Polish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Thai. Choose System to follow the device language, or choose one explicitly for consistent field-team devices.
Android home-screen widgets
Fieldwork Recorder includes Android home-screen widgets for quick access to your diary. Depending on the installed build, available widgets can include Quick Record, Open Last Entry, and Today’s Recordings. Add them from the Android launcher’s widget picker. Widgets are shortcuts into the app and do not create a second diary copy.
App information and support
Settings includes the installed app version, release information, privacy policy, terms, website, open-source notices, and support actions. Use the support action to prepare an email when reporting a problem; include the device, platform, app version, and a short description of what happened, but never send private recordings or credentials unless you intend to share them.