How to Scan Your Phone for Lost Audio: Finding Hidden Memories

"I don't think I have any recordings of him."

We hear this often. But in the age of smartphones, we are constantly recording. You likely have audio of your loved one hidden in apps and folders you rarely check.

Here is a guide to "digital archaeology"—how to scan your phone for precious lost audio.

1. The Obvious Places

Start with the basics:

Voice Memos (iPhone) / Recorder (Android): Check for accidental recordings or intentional interviews.
Voicemail: Scroll all the way down. Check the "Deleted Messages" folder (they often stay there for 30 days or more).
Photos/Videos: Scroll through your camera roll. Look for "Live Photos" on iPhone—they capture 3 seconds of audio and video!

2. Messaging Apps (The Goldmine)

This is where most people find hidden treasures. We send voice notes constantly.

WhatsApp: Go to the chat with your loved one. Tap their name > Media, Links, and Docs > Audio. You might find voice notes you forgot about.
iMessage: Scroll through the chat history. Check the "info" section of the conversation to see all attachments.
Facebook Messenger: Search the conversation for "sent a voice message."

3. Cloud Storage

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EchoAgain helps you preserve and reconnect with the voices that matter most.

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Did you auto-backup your photos years ago?

Google Photos / iCloud: Search by date or face. Look for videos from holidays or birthdays.
Dropbox / Google Drive: Search for file extensions like .mp3, .wav, .m4a, or .amr.

4. Old Devices

Do you have an old phone in a drawer? A dusty tablet?

Charge them up.
Check the SD cards.
Look for old voice recorder apps.

5. Social Media

Facebook: Check videos they were tagged in. Download your entire Facebook data archive to get high-quality copies.
Instagram: Check archived stories or saved posts.

How to Save What You Find

Once you find a file:

Export it immediately. Don't just leave it in the app. Save it to your "Files" app or email it to yourself.
Label it. Rename it with the date and context (e.g., "Dad_Birthday_2023.m4a").
Back it up. Put it in a dedicated folder on your computer and in the cloud.

Every Second Counts

Even a 3-second Live Photo of a laugh, or a 10-second voice note saying "I'm on my way," is valuable. These snippets can be stitched together to create a voice model, or simply cherished as they are.

Found some audio? Secure it forever with EchoAgain.