diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AbstractComposeFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AbstractComposeFragment.java
index 848bb578a..208965633 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AbstractComposeFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AbstractComposeFragment.java
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@
 import org.kontalk.ui.view.ComposerListener;
 import org.kontalk.ui.view.MessageListItem;
 import org.kontalk.ui.view.ReplyBar;
+import org.kontalk.util.AudioRecording;
 import org.kontalk.util.MediaStorage;
 import org.kontalk.util.MessageUtils;
 import org.kontalk.util.Permissions;
@@ -2419,7 +2420,7 @@ public void textChanged(CharSequence text) {
     @Override
     public void onRecordingSuccessful(File file) {
         if (file != null)
-            sendBinaryMessage(Uri.fromFile(file), AudioDialog.DEFAULT_MIME, false, AudioComponent.class);
+            sendBinaryMessage(Uri.fromFile(file), AudioRecording.MIME_TYPE, false, AudioComponent.class);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AudioDialog.java b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AudioDialog.java
index 3b8d2c143..e9706754c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AudioDialog.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/AudioDialog.java
@@ -67,8 +67,6 @@ public class AudioDialog extends AlertDialog {
 
     private static final String STATE_PREFIX = "AudioDialog_";
 
-    public static final String DEFAULT_MIME = "audio/3gpp";
-
     private static final int STATUS_IDLE = 0;
     private static final int STATUS_RECORDING = 1;
     private static final int STATUS_STOPPED = 2;
@@ -375,9 +373,6 @@ void startRecord() throws IOException {
             mData.startRecording();
             mStatus = STATUS_RECORDING;
         }
-        catch (IllegalStateException e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "error starting audio recording", e);
-        }
         catch (IOException e) {
             Log.e(TAG, "error writing on external storage", e);
             cancel();
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/view/ComposerBar.java b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/view/ComposerBar.java
index afefb2236..5dd001462 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/view/ComposerBar.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/ui/view/ComposerBar.java
@@ -573,9 +573,6 @@ private void doStartRecording() {
             lockScreen();
             disableTextEntry();
         }
-        catch (IllegalStateException e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "error starting audio recording:", e);
-        }
         catch (IOException e) {
             Log.e(TAG, "error writing on external storage:", e);
             Toast.makeText(mContext, R.string.err_audio_record_writing,
@@ -615,7 +612,7 @@ void stopRecording(boolean send) {
                 if (canSend) {
                     if (mListener != null) {
                         mListener.sendBinaryMessage(Uri.fromFile(mRecordFile),
-                            AudioDialog.DEFAULT_MIME, false, AudioComponent.class);
+                            AudioRecording.MIME_TYPE, false, AudioComponent.class);
                     }
                 }
                 else if (send) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/AudioRecording.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/AudioRecording.kt
index bd3ee597a..5b99deff0 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/AudioRecording.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/AudioRecording.kt
@@ -29,13 +29,20 @@ import java.io.File
 class AudioRecording {
 
     companion object {
+        /** TODO change to m4a after some time (this is for backward compatibility) */
+        const val MIME_TYPE = "audio/mp4"
+        const val FILE_EXTENSION = "mp4";
 
         @JvmStatic
         fun setupMediaRecorder(recorder: MediaRecorder, outputFile: File): MediaRecorder {
             recorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC);
-            recorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.THREE_GPP);
+            recorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.MPEG_4);
             recorder.setOutputFile(outputFile.absolutePath);
-            recorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.AMR_NB);
+            recorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.AAC);
+            recorder.setAudioChannels(1);
+            // TODO we need further study for these
+            //recorder.setAudioSamplingRate(48000);
+            //recorder.setAudioEncodingBitRate(96000);
             return recorder;
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/MediaStorage.java b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/MediaStorage.java
index c13e73cab..66cafe528 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/MediaStorage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/kontalk/util/MediaStorage.java
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ public static File getIncomingImageFile(Date date, String extension) {
         return new File(PICTURES_ROOT, "IMG_" + timeStamp + "." + extension);
     }
 
-    /** Creates a temporary 3gp file. */
+    /** Creates a temporary audio file. */
     public static File getOutgoingAudioFile(Context context) throws IOException {
         return getOutgoingAudioFile(context, new Date());
     }
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ private static File getOutgoingAudioFile(Context context, Date date) throws IOEx
         File path = new File(context.getExternalFilesDir(RECORDING_ROOT_TYPE), RECORDING_SENT_ROOT);
         createNoMedia(path);
         String timeStamp = sDateFormat.format(date);
-        File f = new File(path, "record_" + timeStamp + ".3gp");
+        File f = new File(path, "record_" + timeStamp + "." + AudioRecording.FILE_EXTENSION);
         f.createNewFile();
         return f;
     }