How to Take Notes on Interviews on iPhone: For Journalists, Researchers, and Podcasters

# How to Take Notes on Interviews on iPhone: For Journalists, Researchers, and Podcasters

Interviews generate two kinds of content that serve different purposes: the recording (for accuracy and quotation) and the notes (for context, impressions, follow-up questions, and observations you won't hear in the audio). Both matter, but most interviewers focus on the recording and let the notes disappear.

This guide covers practical methods for capturing interview notes on iPhone — before, during, and after the conversation.

Why Notes Matter Even When You're Recording

A recording captures what was said. Notes capture what it meant.

During an interview, you notice things that won't be audible in the recording: - The interviewee's hesitation before answering a specific question - The moment where their energy shifted - The topic they circled back to unprompted - The answer that contradicted something they said ten minutes earlier - The follow-up question you want to ask but can't interrupt to ask now

These observations are the journalist's or researcher's craft, and they evaporate within hours if not captured.

Pre-Interview Preparation Notes

Before any interview:

1. Open Nemos, voice note a quick briefing: "Interview with [name], [role], [date]. Key topics: X, Y, Z. Watch for: their position on [topic]. Questions I haven't seen answered elsewhere: [list]."

1. During background research, voice note any context that will shape your questions: "Their 2024 annual report shows revenue decline in the enterprise segment — ask why they're still bullish on that market."

1. Capture your hypothesis going in: "My working thesis is that the supply chain problems were foreseeable but ignored. I want to test whether they'll admit that or deflect."

This pre-interview brief sharpens your listening during the conversation.

During the Interview: Observation Notes

With the audio recording running (make sure you have consent), your note-taking can focus on observation rather than transcription:

On iPhone: Set iPhone Action Button to Nemos. During a pause or natural break, press Action Button and voice note an observation in 5 seconds. The recording keeps running.

On Apple Watch: Raise wrist, tap Nemos complication, speak observation quietly while the interview continues. Lowers the phone-visible signal to the interviewee.

On paper: If you prefer physical notes during the interview, photograph them with Nemos immediately after and add a voice processing note.

What to note during the interview: - "Paused 3 seconds before answering the funding question — first hesitation of the conversation" - "Unprompted mention of [topic] twice — they want to talk about this" - "Body language shifted when asked about the acquisition rumor — different from earlier answers" - "Didn't answer the question about X — pivoted to Y. Follow up on this." - "Quote this verbatim: [specific phrasing]" — exact language that's striking enough to quote

Post-Interview Processing

Immediately after the interview ends (before any other conversation):

1. Open Nemos
2. Voice note your overall impression: "Interview with [name] done. Central insight: they're more uncertain about the pivot than public statements suggest. Three strong quotes. The moment around minute 35 when they paused before the question about competition — that's the story."
3. Note follow-up questions: "Need to verify: the 2023 funding date they mentioned. Ask their PR team for the Q3 revenue breakdown they referenced."
4. Note anything you'll need for the story that you didn't get: "Didn't get a direct answer on the [topic]. Need a second source for that."

This 5-minute post-interview note is often more valuable than any individual observation you captured during the conversation.

For Podcast Interviewers

Podcast note-taking has different goals: you want to capture the conversation arc and identify the best moments, not transcribe quotes.

During recording: - Apple Watch note at any "this is gold" moment: "Minute 23 — the story about the failed launch is exactly what the audience needs to hear" - Note any technical issues or pickups needed: "Audio drop around minute 45, re-ask that question at the end"

Immediately after: - Voice note the three best moments and why - Note any follow-up you promised the guest - Capture episode title ideas while the conversation is fresh

Organizing Interview Notes

Nemos doesn't require manual filing — AI search handles retrieval. But two habits improve searchability:

• Start every interview note with the subject's name: "Interview [Full Name]..." — makes search reliable
• Tag follow-up items explicitly: "Follow up:" at the start of the sentence makes them easy to search

Before publishing or filing a story, search the subject's name and review everything you captured across the full interview process.

Privacy and Recording Consent

Always confirm recording consent before capturing audio. Note the consent explicitly: "Voice note: [Name] confirmed consent to record on [date]." This creates a timestamped record in Nemos alongside your interview notes.

Download Nemos free on the App Store.