How to run an EVP session

By the SpectraBox team at Buckshot Digital Sales Inc. Published November 13, 2026. For entertainment purposes only.

To run an EVP session, pick a quiet room, decide on a few simple questions, start a spirit box or recorder, ask each question with a few seconds of silence after it, note anything you hear, and review the log afterward while checking for ordinary explanations. Keep it relaxed and treat it as entertainment.

Before you start

A good session is mostly preparation. Ten minutes of setup makes the difference between a confusing jumble and a log you enjoy reading back.

• Choose the room. A small, quiet room is best. Avoid rooms with a loud fridge, a ticking radiator or street noise.
• Pick a time. Late evening is classic, but any quiet time works. Tell the people you live with, so nobody walks in and makes a noise.
• Charge your phone and switch on Do Not Disturb so no notification interrupts the audio.
• Pick two or three questions. Short, simple, open ones work well: "Is anyone here?", "What is your name?", "How old are you?"
• Decide how long. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty for a first session.

Step by step with SpectraBox

1. Open the app and read the entertainment notice. It is there so everyone knows what the app is.
2. Look at the EMF meter first. Spend a minute walking around the room with the meter open. You will see it jump near electronics, speakers and metal. That teaches you what normal looks like here.
3. Start the spirit box. Words appear on screen as they are spoken, each with a timestamp. The free version runs one session of about a minute with words on screen. Pro removes the time limit.
4. Ask your first question. Say it clearly, then stay quiet for five to ten seconds.
5. Mark the question. The Spirit Box screen has a Mark question button, so your log shows when each question was asked.
6. Watch the words and the meter. Notice what the box says in the gap after each question, but also notice how often it says things that do not seem related at all. That ratio is the honest answer to how meaningful it is.
7. Ask the next question and repeat.
8. Stop the session when you reach your time limit or the mood changes.
9. Review the transcript. Every word is listed with a timestamp. Pro exports it as CSV or text.

On the newest iPhone release (1.6.0) there is also an Ask mode, where you say a question aloud and the box answers with a single word. It is a game: the app reads only the first few words of your question to pick the type of answer, such as a number, a name or a place, and then draws a random word of that type from a list built into the app.

Tips for a better session

• Keep the phone still. Put it on a table instead of holding it. This keeps the EMF readout steady and avoids handling noise.
• Use the same questions twice. If an answer seems striking, repeat the question later and see whether it recurs. It rarely does, and that is informative.
• Add a skeptic. A friend whose job is to point out ordinary explanations makes sessions more fun, not less.
• Use red-light mode (Pro) if you are sitting in the dark, so the screen does not ruin your night vision.
• Stay safe. Do not walk around in the dark while staring at your phone, and do not use the camera features in hazardous places.

Reading your results

When you review the log, resist the urge to string words together into a story. Instead ask a few questions:

1. How many words did the box say in total, and how many seemed to fit a question?
2. Did the same word come up repeatedly, or was it a one-off?
3. Did any meter spikes line up with an obvious cause, such as moving the phone or turning on a light?

The answers usually show that apparent hits are a small share of the total, which is exactly what a random process would produce. Learn more in Why spirit box words feel meaningful.

Sharing your session

SpectraBox has a free share card, and Pro can render video clips of a session with the words, the EMF trace and audio. If you post online, please label the clip as entertainment. Honest framing keeps the hobby fun and avoids misleading anyone. Exports from SpectraBox include an audit block with the seed and the line "Not evidence of paranormal activity" for exactly this reason.

Common mistakes

• Asking long, complicated questions that a one-word answer cannot address.
• Running the session too long. Attention fades, and so does the fun.
• Ignoring the room: a running dishwasher can derail an entire session.
• Treating a coincidence as a conclusion.

Next steps

If you want to understand the recording side, read How EVP recording works. If you are choosing between apps, use the spirit box app checklist. And if you would like to try it right now, the app is a free download on iPhone and Android.