1. Ask before you record.
Tell your parent what you would like to do and why. For example, you might want to keep the story of their first job or hear how the family came to live where it does.
Explain where you plan to keep the recording and whether you hope to share it. They can say no, skip a question, or ask you to stop. You can still enjoy the conversation without recording it.
2. Choose a quiet place and make a short test.
Turn down the television and move away from background conversation. Put the iPhone on a stable surface near the person speaking, with the microphone uncovered.
Record a few seconds and play them back together. Check that the voice is easy to hear before you begin the story. If both of you will be speaking, test both voices.
3. Pick one question.
A specific question is easier to answer than “Tell me your life story.” Try “What was your first job like?” or “What did you and your friends do for fun?”
Have a couple of alternatives ready, but follow the answer rather than the list. If a photograph or a family recipe gets the conversation going, you can start there instead.
4. Start a recording in Full Days.
Open the Record tab. Choose Quick Memo if you already know what you want to ask, or Choose a Question to browse the guided prompts. Allow microphone access when requested.
An active Full Days trial or subscription is required to create new recordings. If a subscription screen appears, review the price and trial terms before continuing.
Start the recording, ask your question, and give them time to answer. A short session is enough. You can always return to the topic another day.
5. Save it with a name you will recognize.
When you have finished, stop and save the recording. Use a specific title such as “Dad’s first week at the shop.” Open Library and play it back to check that it saved as expected.
If you request a transcript, read it alongside the recording and correct words that need attention, especially names and places. Transcription availability varies by device and language. The original voice remains worth listening to.
6. Decide together what happens to the recording.
Full Days saves memories on your iPhone, with optional backup in your private iCloud account. Decide whether you want to enable that backup and whether you want to export a separate copy.
Ask before sharing. A story your parent is happy to tell you may still be something they want kept within a small part of the family. Sharing a copy means the recipient has that copy too.
If they prefer another language
Let them use the language that feels natural. You can keep the original recording even if you do not understand every word.
Full Days can translate supported transcripts into English on the iPhone. Translation requires iOS 18 or later and supported language downloads; availability varies by device and language. An active trial or subscription is required for new translations.
What if it feels awkward?
Make the first recording a few minutes long. You might ask about a funny memory or something they enjoy describing. Listen, rather than trying to get a perfect answer.
If recording changes the mood, put the phone away. You can ask whether they would like to try again another time.