With a combo of free Mac applications, you can record and save voicemails from your mobile phone.
You’ll need to install the following Mac applications:
Skype. You’ll use Skype to make a call to your mobile phone and listen to your voicemail. Though the app is free, you’ll need to buy Skype Credit to make a “Skype Out” call to your mobile phone.
Audacity. You’ll use this free application to record your phone call.
Soundflower and Soundflowerbed. This free system extension will connect Skype to Audacity. It’s like a laundry chute for audio; you can direct audio from any application to another. It does this by adding a pseudo “device” to your list of audio devices in System Preferences.
Instructions:
- Open Audacity, then Audacity Preferences. In the Audio I/O section, change the Recording device to Core Audio: Soundflower (2ch).
- Open Skype, then Skype Preferences. Under the Audio tab, change Audio Output to Soundflower (2ch).
- Open Soundflowerbed in your menu bar, then under Soundflower (2ch), select Built-in Output. Soundflowerbed allows you to monitor the audio passing through Soundflower, like having a window into the laundry shoot to watch clothes that fall past.
- Back in Audacity, click the Record button to begin recording.
- In Skype, make a call to your cell phone. When your greeting begins playing, press the sequence of keys that accesses your voicemail (probably the asterisk key followed by your password.) Listen to your voicemail as you normally would. Then hang up.
- Switch back to Audacity and click the Stop button. You should see the zig-zaggy waveform of the message you just recorded.
- Click the Audacity cursor directly before your message. (You can find out where this is by using the Play and Stop buttons.) From the Edit menu, choose Select then Track Start to Cursor. Push the Delete key on your keyboard. This will remove extraneous audio before your message.
- Click the Audacity cursor directly after your message. From the Edit menu, choose Select then Cursor to Track End. Push the Delete key. This will remove extraneous audio after your message.
- Choose Export from the File menu and save your voicemail. You can email it to a friend or save it in iTunes.
Thank you for putting these instructions together. This is a great tip for that occasional important voicemail that needs to be saved.
I have question. I feel I followed your instructions however the export stage (#9) for me appears unsuccessful. I went to file then my only choices where to “export wav” or “export mp3″. I saved it twice (once in wav and mp3) in to Itunes. I created a folder in ‘music’ and ‘pressed save’ for each voice mail (one in wav and one in Mp3 form). However I can not retrieve this folder. I did a search as well but it appears undetectable. I must admit I am a novice Macbook user but able to follow the instructions that you provided. Please help me. I would like to save my voice mails from audacity to Itune then unto a CD for playability.
Thank you in advance for your help.
my Father has passed away, and i have a message on a cell carrier’s voicemail storage…desperately trying to copy the only recording i have of his voice…a wonderful last message to me.
what do i do next?
thanks for making this option available!
I tried doing this as well. In Audacity I am unable to change my preferences to the soundflower, as well as in my skype preferences. I only have the first 2 drop down options available. Please help! I only have 2 days before I lose these messages and they are harrassment messages that need to be kept!
Thank you!