Background Audio Recording

Why background audio matters

A survey form captures structured answers. But the real story is often in the conversation — the hesitation before an answer, the clarification a respondent gives, the context that explains an unusual response.

Background audio recording captures that conversation automatically while the surveyor fills the form. You get both the structured data and the full verbal context — without any additional equipment or effort from your field team.

How it works

• Enable background audio recording in the survey settings in the web builder
• When a surveyor opens the survey on the mobile app, recording starts automatically
• Recording continues in the background while the surveyor fills each question — no interaction needed
• When the survey is submitted, the audio file is attached to the response automatically
• The audio file syncs to the cloud along with the response when connectivity returns
• Audio recordings are accessible from the response detail view in the admin dashboard

One device. Full picture.

Previously, capturing both a filled form and an audio recording required two separate devices or manual switching between apps — creating friction for the surveyor and inconsistency in your data.

With onesurvey, one device handles both simultaneously. The surveyor focuses on the conversation and the form. The recording happens automatically.

Works offline too

Audio recordings are saved to the device along with the response data. When connectivity returns, the audio file is uploaded to cloud storage automatically — even if it's a large file. Nothing is lost if the surveyor is in a low-signal area.

Who uses this feature

• Political researchers capturing full voter conversations alongside structured survey data
• Market researchers who need verbatim feedback alongside quantitative scores
• NGOs running in-depth household interviews where context is as important as the answers
• Healthcare workers collecting patient histories where verbal nuance matters
• Academic researchers conducting structured interviews in the field

Consent and responsible use

Recording audio of conversations requires informed consent from respondents in most jurisdictions. It is the responsibility of the survey administrator to ensure that surveyors inform respondents that the conversation is being recorded, and to comply with applicable local laws regarding audio recording and data privacy.