How to Record Two People on One Phone

Recording two people on one phone depends on the mics each person wears, how the audio reaches your phone, and whether you record both voices as one mixed track or as two separate tracks. This guide covers what you need, how to choose between a mixed or split setup, and the steps to connect, place, and test your mics before you record.

• A phone. USB-C models, including iPhone 15 and later and most Android phones, are the easiest to connect external mics to.
• A mic setup. The options are compared below.
• A camera or recording app that lets you choose the audio input. Not every app does, and some always use the built-in mic.
• Headphones for checking your test recording. If the mic receiver is using your phone’s only port, check the recording after you unplug.

Every two-person phone setup records audio in one of two ways:

• Mixed track: both voices are combined into a single track. It’s ready to post with no editing, but the balance between the two voices is locked in when you record.
• Separate tracks: one person is recorded on the left channel of a stereo file and the other on the right. You can level, EQ, and clean up each voice later, but every part of the chain has to keep the two channels apart.

Here’s how common two-person setups compare, from your phone’s built-in mic to a wireless kit with a split output:

Built-in mics handle a face-to-face conversation in a quiet room. Set the phone on a table between both people at an equal distance, keep it close, and make sure a case or hand isn’t covering the mic openings. Rooms with soft furnishings sound better than empty or echoey ones.

On iPhone, you can change how the Camera app records sound under Settings > Camera > Record Sound. iPhone 16 and later records Spatial Audio by default, with Stereo and Mono as alternatives. Stereo from built-in mics captures left and right space, not a separate track per person, so you can’t rebalance the two voices later.

How to Record Better Audio on Your Phone

A clip-on mic stays close to each speaker and moves with them. With a mixed-output wireless kit, both transmitters send audio to one receiver plugged into your phone, and the phone records both voices as one track.

This is how Wave Go works:

• Clip-on or handheld: it works as a clip-on mic, or as a handheld mic when attached to its Smart Handle.
• Connection: its USB-C receiver plugs directly into your phone. Lightning iPhones aren't supported.
• Second person: pair a Wave Go TX (sold separately) to the same receiver. How to Add a Second Mic to Wave Go
• Processing before your phone:
  • Automatic gain control (AGC), shown as Auto Gain in the app, adjusts levels as people speak.
  • A limiter and low-cut filter run automatically.
  • Noise cancellation can be adjusted to suit the room.
  • EQ Shift adjusts the sound automatically when you switch between clip-on and handheld.

With two transmitters, Wave Go mixes both voices into a single mono track. It doesn’t have a split mode, so the two voices can’t be separated in editing, and the balance between them needs to be right before you record. Wave Go also doesn’t record onboard, so the file on your phone is your only copy.

For separate tracks, look for a wireless kit with a split or stereo output mode. Each transmitter is then sent to its own channel. Three things have to line up for that separation to survive:

1. The receiver is set to split or stereo. Mixed or mono modes combine both voices. Safety-channel modes, which record a quieter backup copy, also use the second channel, so you lose the split.
2. The connection keeps both channels. USB-C is the most reliable option. Lightning adapters and 3.5 mm headphone-style connections often reduce the signal to mono.
3. Your app records in stereo. Android only guarantees mono recording for apps, so check your app’s audio settings. Blackmagic Camera (iPhone and Android) and Final Cut Camera (iPhone) both let you choose the input and record in stereo.

1. Connect the receiver. Plug it into your phone’s USB-C port, turn on both transmitters, and confirm they’re linked. With Wave Go, both mics appear in the free Wave Go app as Microphone (TX1) and Microphone (TX2). The app needs Bluetooth turned on, though audio travels through the receiver.
2. Select the external mic in your app. Open your camera or recording app’s audio settings and choose the receiver as the input. Important: If a phone doesn’t recognize the receiver, it can switch back to its built-in mic without warning. Watch the level meter while each person speaks, and don’t start the real take until both voices move it.
3. Clip on the mics. Place each mic on the upper chest, centered, about a hand’s width below the chin, so the level stays steady when someone turns their head. Keep mics clear of collars, necklaces, and zippers that can rustle. Outdoors, use windscreens. Wave Go includes one for the clip-on mic and one for the Smart Handle. How to Reduce Wind Noise When Filming Outdoors
4. Set gain. Auto Gain suits recording on the move. Manual gain gives more predictable results in seated setups and noisy rooms. With manual gain, keep the level low enough that the loudest laugh doesn’t clip, since you can raise the volume later. Automatic Gain vs Manual Gain
5. Match noise cancellation to the room. With Wave Go, noise cancellation is on at Medium out of the box and applies to both mics. In a quiet room, set it to Low or Off in the Wave Go app for the most natural sound. The highest setting removes the most background noise but can add artifacts to voices, so save it for loud environments.
6. Record a test. Record 20 seconds of both people talking, then play it back on headphones. Both voices should be clear and at a similar level. For a split recording, each voice should sit on its own side.
7. Record room tone. Capture 15 to 30 seconds of the room with nobody talking. Noise reduction tools use it to learn what to remove.

Before you roll, switch your phone to Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb so calls and notifications don’t interrupt the recording.

On a mixed track, balance happens while you record:

• Match mic placement on both people.
• Compare their levels during the test recording.
• If one person speaks noticeably quieter, move their mic slightly closer to their mouth.
• With Wave Go, gain and noise cancellation apply to both mics at once, so mic placement is how you balance two voices.

On separate tracks, you can fix the balance in editing, but a similar starting level still saves time.

1. Import the recording into your editor.
2. Separate the stereo audio into two tracks. Most editors call this splitting channels or dual mono.
3. Keep the left channel on one track and the right on the other.
4. Pan both tracks to the center so each voice plays in both ears.
5. Adjust each track’s level on its own.
6. Apply noise reduction using the room tone you recorded.

For more ways to shape a voice after recording, see our tips on making your microphone sound better.

• The recording sounds like the phone’s built-in mic: the app didn’t switch to the receiver. Reconnect it and select it as the input again.
• A split recording plays both voices on both sides: check the receiver’s output mode, then the connection (Lightning and 3.5 mm often carry mono), then the app’s stereo setting.
• One voice is much louder: check mic placement on both people. On a mixed track this can only be fixed by re-recording.
• Laughter or loud moments distort: lower manual gain or switch to Auto Gain.
• Wind rumble outdoors: add windscreens. Noise cancellation alone rarely removes wind.

A 20-second test with both people talking catches most problems before they reach your final cut. For a clip-on and handheld setup that plugs straight into your phone, see What Is Elgato Wave Go.