# Bat Detector — Listen to and record bats

> Ultrasonic bat sound detection and recording for mobile devices. (iPhone/iPad app by Phil Atkin.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bat-detector/id6504186190 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Phil Atkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751268739)
- Category: Education, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 5 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 15 · 136 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2024-06-13
- Data updated: 2026-08-20
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bat-detector/id6504186190/reviews.md

## What is Bat Detector?

Simply connect an inexpensive ultrasonic USB microphone to your iPhone or iPad and open your ears up to the extraordinary world of bat acoustics. 

Build a dedicated USB microphone for under £10 : https://shorturl.at/e2A3U - : or buy one pre-assembled and tested for about £65 that also operates as a standalone bat detector https://www.apodemus.eu/nl/Apodemus-Pipistrelle-Mini/00126

All European bats and most of the world's "microbats" navigate, hunt and communicate using ultrasonic sounds, too high-pitched for human hearing. Bat Detector reveals those sounds to human ears, and has two different methods to make ultrasonic bat sounds audible. 

HETERODYNE BAT DETECTION WITHOUT MANUAL TUNING

Firstly, Bat Detector supports the classic technique of heterodyne bat detection. Heterodyning is a simple process that operates in true real-time, demodulating the bat sounds with a carrier signal just like an old transistor radio. Most heterodyne bat detectors require you to manually tune into different species, but Bat Detector operates without any manual tuning, instead it tunes into the strongest bat signal it can hear. The heterodyne process then turns any bats sounds it hears into percussive cracks, pops and slaps, or in the specific case of leaf-nosed bats such as Horseshoe species, strange alien warbles. These are often thought of as "bat sounds" - they are not. They are sounds synthesised by bat detectors using bat sounds as a source - rhe harmonic content of heterodyned sounds is distorted and mangled, and these sounds bear literally no relationship to the sounds the bats actually made. However, operating in true real-time means that the rhythm of the bats calls is preserved, and heterodyned bat sounds - despite sounding nothing like bats - are diagnostic and distinctive, so heterodyning remains an invaluable tool for all bat workers and enthusiasts.

EXPERIENCE TRUE BAT SOUNDS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH 16x TIME EXPANSION

Time Expansion was previously a very high-end, expensive option. Time Expansion in Bat Detector operates in quasi real-time, capturing small snippets of bat sound and playing them back at 1/16 speed. 16 is a number chosen for two good reasons. Firstly it brings the bat sounds down to an easy range for human hearing, the sounds generated by Bat Detector range from between 1kHz to just under 7kHz. 16x Time Expansion preserves the harmonic relationships between the bat sounds, so it is a MUSICAL transformation. The bat sounds are not only slowed down but are transposed down by exactly 4 octaves. This means if a bat calls a C#, you will hear a C#, but 4 octaves lower. You will be surprised how beautiful and musical bat sounds are when time-expanded. When used in conjunction with heterodyning, and with the accurate frequency read out on the display, bat species identification is made much easier and more reliable. 

FULL-SPECTRUM 384kHz RECORDINGS TRIGGERED BY BAT SOUNDS

When "RECORD" is engaged Bat Detector will trigger a 5 second full-spectrum recording at 384kHz whenever it hears a bat, or at least something that it *thinks* sounds like a bat. These are not the recordings of the sounds you hear coming from the detector, but are the sounds going INTO the detector - the true ultrasonic sounds that the bats made, too high for humans to hear. You will need specialist software to examine these files after you export them from your device to a computer. 

DEMO MODE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING

If you want to experience bat sounds during the daytime, in a classroom environment, or when there aren't any bats around, just turn on Demo Mode in the Bat Detector section of the settings App, and Bat Detector will loop through a collection of bat recordings from Wiltshire, England. Alternatively, if you have recordings of your own that you wish to use, create a folder called Demo in Files->Bat Detector and Bat Detector will use these in Demo mode rather than its built-in recordings.

## Key features

- Heterodyne bat detection without manual tuning
- 16x time expansion for audible bat sounds
- Full-spectrum recordings triggered by bat sounds
- Real-time sound demodulation
- Preserves harmonic relationships in bat calls
- Supports European and global microbats

## Recent user reviews (5 of 5)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bat-detector/id6504186190/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Demo mode

*2025-06-18, version 2.0*

It says to turn demo on/off go into settings yet the doesn’t seem to be any settings.

### 5/5 — Excellent

*2025-05-14, version 1.92*

Works well with a pippyg configured as a usb mic.
I can only assume the 1 stars are from people who never found the mic enable setting

### 1/5 — Demo mode

*2025-04-19*

Wanted to love this but it only ever said demo mode and there is not documentation or settings to speak of.

**Developer response:** This is wrong, and was clearly written before the recent updates. The user could not work out how to exit demo mode, and there is now an obvious button on screen to enter settings, and in addition the app no longer boots in demo mode on the first run.

### 1/5 — Terrible app

*2024-10-11*

It just repeats a bat recording. Also, you can’t buy the bat detector assembled or in parts if you live in America.

**Developer response:** This is wrong, and was clearly written before the recent updates. The user could not work out how to exit demo mode, and there is now an obvious button on screen to enter settings, and in addition the app no longer boots in demo mode on the first run. The parts to build a device are available in the US, but the PCBs must be imported from China, but are extremely cheap - $5 for 10. In addition, manufactured items are now available in the US from Apodemus resellers.

### 5/5 — Whale by songs

*2024-08-28*

Amazing

## Frequently asked questions about Bat Detector

### How does Bat Detector make bat sounds audible?

Bat Detector uses two primary methods: heterodyne detection, which demodulates ultrasonic sounds into audible clicks and pops in real-time, and 16x time expansion, which slows down bat calls to a musical range while preserving their harmonic relationships.

### What kind of microphone do I need for Bat Detector?

You will need to connect an inexpensive ultrasonic USB microphone to your iPhone or iPad. The developer provides links to build your own for under £10 or purchase a pre-assembled unit.

### Can Bat Detector identify specific bat species?

Yes, Bat Detector aids in species identification by preserving the rhythm of bat calls through heterodyning and the musical structure of sounds through time expansion. The accurate frequency readout on the display further assists in this process.

### Does Bat Detector have ads?

No, Bat Detector does not contain advertisements. It is a free application designed for educational and exploratory purposes.

### What devices are compatible with Bat Detector?

Bat Detector is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It requires an iOS version that supports the latest app updates.

### How often is Bat Detector updated?

The latest version of Bat Detector is 2.5, last updated on February 3, 2026. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

### What is the age rating for Bat Detector?

Bat Detector has an age rating of 9+. This suggests that the content and complexity of the app are suitable for users aged 9 and above.

### Does Bat Detector offer certifications for learning about bats?

The provided information does not mention any certifications offered by Bat Detector. Its primary function is to facilitate the listening and recording of bat sounds for educational exploration.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.7 — 2026-04-30

Improved interference suppression / noise reduction, results in better reproduction of time expanded bat calls. 

Switchable "Griff" filter introduces a band cut at 27kHz to match the resonant peak of Griff's FORD-2 microphone.

### 2.5 — 2026-02-03

More control over panning to minimize feedback when using a microphone plugged directly into your device.

### 2.4 — 2025-10-03

Auto-generation of sonograms with WAVs for fast visual scanning of recordings
App can now be launched by sharing a WAV file with it, or simply clicking on a WAV file
Improved detection of quiet bats
Demo Mode now more visually apparent (green sonograms, green borders, name of demo file being replayed shown on screen) without the use of the giant on-screen badge.

### 2.3 — 2025-09-22

This version fixes an issue that arose in iOS 26 and resulted in certain UI components not being visible if the app were backgrounded and re-foregrounded. 

This version has a powerful new feature, it can optionally capture a JPG sonogram file for each WAV file that it records to allow rapid visual scanning of recordings in a desktop environment, so you can very and quickly look for (for example) Horseshoe bats or unusual Myotis in amongst the crowds of Pipistrelles and Speckled Bush Crickets. The feature is turned on in Settings -> Bat Detector -> "Create sonograms in WAV folder"

### 2.2 — 2025-07-02

Trigger sensitivity now in dB
Signal levels now reported in dB
Manual heterodyne tuning now supported by finger dragging in the large sonogram history window. Tap to restore frequency scanning. 
Updated help file to match app.

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## More apps by Phil Atkin

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All apps by Phil Atkin: https://appshunter.io/developer/1751268739

## Related topics

[bats](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bats) · [ultrasonic detector](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ultrasonic-detector)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-20.*