Call Recording Access

Exotel automatically records calls when recording is enabled on your account or call flow. This guide covers how to access recordings through the dashboard and API, configure retention policies, and manage recording storage.

How Call Recording Works

When recording is enabled:

1. The call audio is captured from the moment the call is answered
2. Both parties' audio is recorded (or in dual-channel mode, each party on a separate channel)
3. The recording is processed and stored after the call ends
4. A recording URL is generated and associated with the Call SID
5. The URL is included in the call detail record and status callback

Call Answered → Audio Captured → Call Ends → Recording Processed → URL Available
                                              (typically 1-5 minutes)

info

Recording URLs are typically available within 1 -- 5 minutes after the call ends. For high-volume accounts during peak hours, processing may take up to 15 minutes.

Accessing Recordings via Dashboard

From Call Logs

1. Navigate to Reports > Call Logs
2. Locate the call record you want
3. Click the Play icon in the Recording column
4. The recording plays in an inline audio player

Recording Player Controls

Control	Function
Play / Pause	Start or pause playback
Seek	Click or drag the progress bar to jump to a specific point
Speed	Adjust playback speed (0.5x, 1x, 1.5x, 2x)
Volume	Adjust playback volume
Download	Download the recording file to your device

Searching for Recordings

Use the call log filters to find specific recordings:

Filter	How to Use
Date Range	Narrow to the date/time of the call
Phone Number	Search by the caller or recipient number
Call SID	If you have the Call SID, search directly
ExoPhone	Filter by the virtual number used
Has Recording	Toggle to show only calls with recordings

Accessing Recordings via API

Get Recording URL from Call Details

Use the Voice API Call Details endpoint to retrieve the recording URL:

curl -X GET \
  https://api.exotel.com/v1/Accounts/{account_sid}/Calls/{call_sid}.json \
  -u {api_key}:{api_token}

The response includes a RecordingUrl field:

{
  "Call": {
    "Sid": "abc123def456",
    "RecordingUrl": "https://s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/exotelrecordings/...",
    "Status": "completed",
    "Duration": 120
  }
}

Recording URL Format

Component	Description
Base URL	Exotel's cloud storage endpoint
Account path	Your account SID in the path
File name	Call SID-based unique file name
Format	.mp3 (default) or .wav (if configured)

warning

Recording URLs are time-limited for security. URLs retrieved via the API are valid for 24 hours by default. Request a fresh URL if the link has expired.

Downloading Recordings Programmatically

# Get the recording URL
RECORDING_URL=$(curl -s -u {api_key}:{api_token} \
  https://api.exotel.com/v1/Accounts/{account_sid}/Calls/{call_sid}.json \
  | jq -r '.Call.RecordingUrl')

# Download the recording
curl -o recording.mp3 "$RECORDING_URL"

Bulk Recording Download

For downloading multiple recordings:

1. Export call logs with recording URLs using Custom Reports
2. Use the exported CSV to script bulk downloads
3. Or use the API to iterate through calls and download recordings

tip

For large-scale recording access, consider setting up a webhook to receive recording URLs in real time as calls complete. This avoids the need to poll the API.

Recording Storage and Retention

Default Retention Periods

Plan	Default Retention	Maximum Retention
Starter	30 days	90 days
Growth	90 days	180 days
Enterprise	Custom (up to 365 days)	Custom (negotiate with account manager)

warning

Recordings are permanently deleted after the retention period expires. There is no recovery option. Download critical recordings before they expire or configure extended retention.

Configuring Retention Period

1. Navigate to Settings > Recording Settings
2. Select the desired retention period from the dropdown
3. Click Save

Changes apply to new recordings only. Existing recordings retain their original expiry date.

Storage Costs

Storage Tier	Monthly Cost (Indicative)
Included storage	Included in plan (varies by plan)
Extended storage (beyond plan limits)	INR 0.50 -- 1.00 per recording per month
Custom storage (enterprise)	Negotiated based on volume

Recording Formats

Format	Quality	File Size (per minute)	Use Case
MP3 (default)	Good (128 kbps)	~1 MB	General playback and storage
WAV	Lossless	~10 MB	Quality-critical analysis, compliance
Dual-channel WAV	Lossless, stereo	~20 MB	Agent and customer on separate channels

Dual-Channel Recording

Dual-channel recording captures each party on a separate audio channel:

• Left channel: Agent / first party
• Right channel: Customer / second party

This is useful for:

• Quality analysis tools that need to evaluate agent and customer separately
• Speech analytics where overlapping speech needs to be distinguished
• Compliance audits that need to verify each party's consent

See Call Recording Configuration for setup instructions.

Recording Security

Access Control

Security Feature	Description
Authenticated URLs	Recording URLs require valid API credentials to access
Time-limited URLs	URLs expire after 24 hours (configurable)
IP Whitelisting	Restrict recording access to specific IP addresses
Encryption at rest	Recordings are encrypted in cloud storage (AES-256)
Encryption in transit	All recording transfers use HTTPS/TLS

Compliance Considerations

Requirement	Exotel Feature
Consent notification	Use the Greeting applet to play a recording consent message
Selective recording	Enable/disable recording per call flow or per call via API
Data residency	Recordings stored in regional data centers (India, Singapore)
Right to deletion	Enterprise accounts can request early deletion of specific recordings
Audit trail	All recording access events are logged

info

In India, it is a best practice to inform callers that the call is being recorded. Use the Greeting applet at the start of your call flow to play a message such as "This call may be recorded for quality and training purposes."

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Resolution
No recording available	Recording not enabled for this flow	Enable recording in call flow settings
Recording URL returns 403	URL expired or invalid credentials	Request a fresh URL via the API
Recording is empty	Call was very short or disconnected immediately	Check call duration; very short calls may not generate recordings
Poor recording quality	Network issues during the call	Check call quality metrics in the CDR
Recording takes too long to appear	High volume processing delay	Wait up to 15 minutes; check again later

Related Topics

• Call Logs -- Find calls with recordings
• CDR Reports -- Detailed call records with recording metadata
• Call Recording Configuration -- Configure recording settings
• Webhooks -- Receive recording URLs via callbacks