FreePBX call recording controls

Follow the recording decision through the call

Recording behavior can be set at several points in a FreePBX call flow. The Call Recording application changes or carries forward that behavior before sending the call to another destination. A setting on one extension is not a complete description of a transferred call.

Document which calls should be recorded, who may start or stop recording, where the files live and how long they remain. Obtain the organization’s required consent and policy decisions before enabling the feature; this guide does not determine legal permission.

Use the modes deliberately

The documented modes include Force, Yes, Don’t Care, No and Never. Don’t Care preserves the prior decision. Yes and No do not simply overwrite each other; Force and Never provide stronger overrides, and a later opposing override can change the result.

Trace the actual route order instead of treating Never as an immutable global prohibition. Use a test route and verify the installed module’s behavior after Submit and Apply Config.

Inspect the output, not just the indicator

Record a test call with speech in both directions, hold and an attended transfer. Find the resulting files and play them with an authorized account. Confirm both audio directions, duration, filenames and which segment belongs to which call leg.

A recording icon proves less than the file itself. Check disk space, process permissions and errors when the interface suggests recording but no usable file exists. A network codec does not automatically equal the recording file format.

Budget and protect retention

Model storage from recorded hours and output format, then include backups and operational headroom. Restrict playback and download access. Test deletion and restore behavior so a retention policy is not contradicted by forgotten backup copies.