How to record a family history interview with a relative

The short answer

To record a family history interview, ask permission ahead of time and say what you’ll do with the recording [1]. Meet somewhere quiet and indoors, turn off the radio and TV, and make a short test recording first [2][1]. Start by saying who’s talking, the date and the place [1].

Ask open questions one at a time, listen without interrupting, and stop if they get tired [1]. Afterwards, label the file with their name and the date, keep copies, and give them one too [1][2].

How do you ask a relative for an interview?

Ask in advance, agree on a time and place that suits them, and explain what will happen to the recording and your notes [1]. StoryCorps suggests sharing a few questions beforehand, starting with easy ones [3].

Make it clear they’re in charge. They can skip any question, take a break or stop at any time, and they can later ask to keep parts private [4].

Where should you record?

Somewhere quiet and indoors [2], where they’re comfortable, such as their own kitchen table. Cut background noise like the radio and TV [1]. Have water and tissues nearby [2]: talking for an hour is thirsty work, and old memories can be moving.

What do you need to record it?

A phone’s voice-recorder app works, and so does a separate recorder. Whatever you use, make a short test recording and play it back before you start [1], so you know the sound is clear. Bring a notebook as well, for names and dates to check later.

Old photos are a good thing to bring. They help bring back memories [1], and a single photo makes a natural first question.

How do you start the recording?

Say the basics out loud at the start: your names, the date, the place and what you’ll talk about [1]. For example: “It’s Sunday, March 8, 2026. I’m Claire, and I’m talking with my mother, Ruth Anders, at her house, about growing up by Pine Lake.” Anyone who finds the file later will know what it is.

Then begin with an easy, warm question [3], such as where they grew up or what their house was like.

What questions should you ask?

Questions that invite a story, not a yes or no [3]. “Tell me about your first job” works better than “Did you like your first job?” Ask for details you can almost see and hear: what a place looked like, what people said [3].

• Ask one question at a time, and follow up on what they say [1].
• Listen closely and don’t interrupt. Pauses and silence are fine; they’re often thinking [1].
• “What happened next?” is a follow-up that works almost everywhere.

For a full list by theme, see questions to ask your grandparents.

What if they get tired or upset?

Stop, and plan another visit [1]. An hour is plenty for one sitting, and shorter is fine. If a hard memory comes up, follow their lead: they don’t have to talk about anything they’d rather not [4].

For some veterans, looking back can bring unwanted memories to the surface. The Veterans Crisis Line is 988, then press 1 [5]. More on asking about war and hard times.

What do you do with the recording afterwards?

• Name the file with the storyteller’s name and the date [1], without spaces, for example 2026-03-08_Ruth-Anders [6].
• Keep three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one somewhere else [6].
• Give them a copy, and copies to the family [2], with a thank-you note [1].
• Write down the best parts. A recording is easy to keep and hard to browse. Turning a story into a short written page, in their own words, makes it something the family will read.

Sources

Official guidance this page follows. Each link was checked on the date shown.

1. The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide (revised edition). Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, © 2016. Checked October 8, 2026.
2. Veterans History Project Field Kit. Library of Congress, American Folklife Center, September 2021. Checked October 8, 2026.
3. Tips for a Great Conversation. StoryCorps, updated 2021. Checked October 8, 2026.
4. For Participants in Oral History Interviews. Oral History Association, updated 2025. Checked October 8, 2026.
5. Older Adults and PTSD. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD, updated September 25, 2026. Checked October 8, 2026.
6. Digitizing Family Papers and Photographs. U.S. National Archives, reviewed May 26, 2021. Checked October 8, 2026.