How to interview a parent who lives far away

You don't need to be in the same room to record a parent's stories. You can interview them by phone or video call and record the call, ask a relative who lives nearby to sit with them, or use an interviewer that calls them for you, like Dalia. Whatever you choose, keep the conversations short, ask for permission to record, and make sure the sound on their end is clear, because that's the voice you're saving.

Option 1: Record a phone or video call

A regular video call is the easiest way to interview a parent from far away. Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams can all record a call, and on a phone you can record the screen. For a phone call, use a recording app or put the call on speaker and record it with a second device.

Tips:

• Ask permission first, every time. In some places, everyone on a call must agree before it's recorded, and asking is simply respectful anyway.
• Schedule it like a visit. Pick the same day and time each week, when your parent is rested.
• Keep each call to twenty or thirty minutes. Several short calls work better than one long one.
• Send the questions or the topic ahead of time. "On Sunday, I'd love to hear about your first job."

Option 2: Get the sound right on their end

Calls compress audio, and your parent's voice is what you're saving, so it's worth a few minutes of setup:

• Ask them to sit in a quiet room, away from the TV, the kitchen and open windows.
• A phone or tablet held at chest height, or resting on a stand, sounds better than one on a table across the room.
• Wired earphones with a microphone help a lot. Bluetooth headphones often switch to a low-quality mode during calls and make voices sound muffled.
• Do a short test call first, and listen back to it.

If a relative visits them, ask them to also record with a phone placed close to your parent. That local recording will sound better than the call.

Option 3: Ask a relative who lives nearby

A sibling, cousin or grandchild who lives close can be the interviewer, while you join by call or send questions. Give them a short list of questions, ask them to record on their phone, and ask them to share the file the same day. Our list of questions to ask your grandparents is a good place to start.

Option 4: Use an interviewer that calls them

If you can't be there and nobody nearby has time, an AI interviewer can hold the conversations. With Dalia, you set up the topics, and your parent opens a link on their phone or tablet whenever it suits them, with no app or password. Dalia talks with them by voice, in Spanish or English, asks follow-up questions and remembers what they said last time. After each conversation, you get the recording, a transcript and a summary, wherever you live, so you can call your parent afterward and talk about what they shared.

Keep the family connected to the stories

Distance makes these recordings more valuable, not less. Share each one with siblings and grandchildren, and tell your parent which stories people loved. If your family is spread across countries and languages, our guide to recording family stories in Spanish has tips for bilingual families.

Frequently asked questions

How can I record my parents' stories if I live far away?

Interview them by video or phone call and record it, ask a relative who lives nearby to record a conversation, or use an AI interviewer like Dalia that talks with them by voice and sends the family the recording, transcript and summary.

Can I record a phone call with my parent?

Usually yes, with their permission. Recording laws vary by state and country, and some require everyone on the call to agree, so always ask first and say who will hear it.

What's the best way to record a video call for a family history interview?

Use the record button in Zoom, Google Meet or Teams, or your phone's screen recording. Make sure your parent is in a quiet room with the device close to them, and test the sound before the real interview.

How long should a remote interview be?

About twenty to thirty minutes. Video and phone calls are more tiring than talking in person, so plan several short conversations over a few weeks.