Suggested New Feature: "Enable automatic call recording". Linphone 6.0.0 Stable Desktop Linux.

[Francewhoa]

Summary

Using Linphone Stable version 6.0.0-CallEdition-x86_64 Desktop AppImage for Linux, when Enable automatic call recording is activated, somehow, calls would be automatically recorded. This is the suggested new feature.

We understand that, per this April 17th, 2025, release notes, the Enable automatic call recording feature is not yet available for Linphone 6. This ticket is a suggested new feature and offer, as volunteers, to contribute beta testing and documentation. This ticket is not a bug report.

Suggested Steps

1. Using Debian 12 Bookworm, using GNOME 43.9, using this Linphone Desktop 6.0.0-CallEdition-x86_64 AppImage. Which is now in the Stable repository. Activate this Enable automatic call recording. The number 1 in this screenshot shows this.
2. Start an SIP call. Which includes both incoming and outgoing audio.
3. End this call
4. The needed end result is that all calls are automatically recorded. This is the suggested new feature.

# Temporary Workaround

If automated call recording is presently either not working or not yet available with Linphone 6, here are two suggested temporary workarounds options to choose from:

# Option 1. Jami.

For those not familiar with Jami, it is a free and open source (libre source) alternative to Linphone. Jami support either automatically record all calls or record per call. The final Jami recorded file is readable.

Steps to record calls with Jami:

1. Download and install this free and open source (libre source) Jami:
   • Android. Three options to choose from. The F-Droid option has much stronger security and stronger privacy.
   • Android TV
   • Linux Flatpak. Latest and most recent version. But the initial learning curve to install the Flatpak engine is harder.
   • Linux repository.. Might be older version. But easier and faster to install and update.
   • MacOS
   • Windows
2. Using Jami, either configure it to automatically record all calls to any folder to your liking or configure it to manually record per call.
3. After each call, Jami creates an audio and or video readable file. Which use Libre source formats. Most apps are able to read those files.

# Option 2. Reco by Ryo Nakano.

For those not familiar with Reco, it is a free and open source (libre source) audio recorder. Using both Linphone and Reco at the same time, you're able to manually start call recording. The final Reco file is readable.

Steps to record calls with Reco:

1. On Linux, install this free and libre source (open source) Reco. Which is able to quickly and easily record both incoming and outgoing audio. Assuming you configured Reco appropriately. Reco is able to record calls to six audio formats: ALAC, FLAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Opus, WAV. If not sure, I suggest Opus format. Recorded call is saved into any folder to your liking.
2. Using Reco, start the recording
3. Using either Jami or Linphone, start your SIP call
4. After the SIP call, stop Reco. Call was recorded.

Disclaimer. I do not have a financial conflict of interest with neither Jami nor Reco.

Contributing Testing

If needed, as volunteers, the https://ubertus.org team, including myself, would be happy to contribute beta testing and documentation for adding this new feature to Linphone.

Any volunteer for a patch to add this new feature for Linphone Desktop 6?

[Francewhoa]

I updated my original comment to clarify that Enable automatic call recording is not yet available for Linphone 6. This is normal. Per the release note below.

6.0.0 release is a complete rework of Linphone Desktop, with only the call and contact list features availables

Source: https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md#600-2025-04-17

[wzurborg]

I do not understand your option 2, as using Reco does not offer any advantage over starting the recording manually in Linphone itself. The manual recording feature is available in Linphone6, although I had a hard time finding it hidden in a per-call menu.

[edit] Ok, I now understand from your other posting that the current recording format is proprietary and that is where Reco comes in. But otherwise it would not have any advantage over manual call recording in Linphone itself.

[Francewhoa]

Thanks for your comment @wzurborg 🙂

Ok, I now understand from your other posting that the current recording format is proprietary and that is where Reco comes in.

Correct. Proprietary format means Lock-In . In the case of Linphone 6.0.0, it means that, yes Linphone is presently able to manually record calls to .smff Lock-In format. But the recording can't be playback in other apps. In turn, for most users interested in open source (libre source) apps, the Linphone .smff format has little or no value. Anyway, the market is already saturated with Lock-In audio formats.

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But otherwise it would not have any advantage over manual call recording in Linphone itself.

Per my original comment above: "If automated call recording is presently either not working or not yet available with Linphone 6, here are two suggested temporary workarounds options to choose from: [Option 1] or [Option 2]"

In other words, I'm not suggesting to replace Linphone internal recording with an external recording. I agree that this would not add any value to Linphone 6.0.0. I'm suggesting that if the automated recording of Linphone is somehow not working, to resolve this challenge, as a temporary workaround, Reco is able to temporary resolve this challenge.

Below is the list of options, listed top-down by my preference:

1. Automatically record within Linphone to a useful libre source format. For example, but not limited to, .opus
2. Automatically record within Linphone to a useless Lock-In format .smff.
3. Manually record within Linphone to a useless Lock-In format .smff.
4. Manually record outside Linphone using Reco to a useful libre source .opus format. This is the option 2 up above.