How to Record a Phone Call on iPhone With & Without App

Why Trust Tech Report

Tech Report is one of the oldest hardware, news, and tech review sites on the internet. We write helpful technology guides, unbiased product reviews, and report on the latest tech and crypto news. We maintain editorial independence and consider content quality and factual accuracy to be non-negotiable.

Devoted followers of the iPhone often ask the same question — how to record a phone call on your iPhone? And this is where the bad news comes in. Despite the iPhone’s many fantastic features, phone call recording isn’t one of them.

The guys at Apple didn’t include phone call recording functionality because of the legal and privacy implications, which is fair enough. But, there are times when phone call recording would come in extremely handy. Say, while conducting an interview, for example.

Now for the good news. Luckily there are workarounds to recording phone calls on an iPhone, which we’re going to explain in full detail. So grab your iPhone and a coffee, and read on to find out how to record your calls for posterity.

Is It Legal to Record Phone Calls?

Well, now here’s the clincher. Depending on the jurisdiction you live in, recording a phone call without the other person’s knowledge or consent could be illegal.

Most US states have adopted a one-party consent stance, meaning you don’t need the other person’s permission to record a call. However, at least 15 US states have opted for a two-party consent policy, so in those states, recording a phone call without the permission of all participants is illegal.

Regardless of your local legislation, though, transparency is always a good idea when recording a phone conversation. You probably wouldn’t like to be recorded without your knowledge, so honesty is the best policy.

Can You Record Calls Directly From Your iPhone?

Unfortunately, you cannot record calls directly on an iPhone. Apple decided against this functionality due to the legal and privacy issues involved.

However, where there’s a will, there’s always a way, and some third parties have introduced apps to enable phone call recording on an iPhone. There’s also the more traditional method of recording a phone call using another device.

Let’s take a look at recording a phone call without an app, and we’ll delve into those third-party apps a little later down the line.

How To Record A Phone Call On Your iPhone Without An App

An easy way to record a phone call is by doing so with another device — say, for instance, another phone, a tablet, a computer, or a dictaphone. Simply put your iPhone on speaker, and press record on the other device.

Be sure to keep your iPhone and recording device in close proximity to each other. We recommend first doing a trial run to ensure the audio quality of the recording is decent. Importantly, remember to ask permission from the person you’ll be having the recorded call with.

If you’re using another iOS device — iPhone, iPad, or iMac — you can also use Voice Memos (which usually comes standard with iOS) to record a phone call. On your iPhone, navigate to Utilities, where you’ll find Voice Memos. On an iMac, it’s under Applications.

Open Voice Memos, and when you’re ready to start recording, press the red button. Hit Done at the end of the call to stop the recording.
Your phone call recording will automatically be saved, and if Voice Memos is turned on in your iCloud settings, the audio files will be accessible across all the devices on which you use the same Apple ID. Now you can edit or trim the audio file as you’d like.

Once you’re happy with the audio file, sharing it is easy, with handy options to choose from, including text message, AirDrop, email, or Google Drive.

How To Record A Phone Call On iPhone With An App

We mentioned earlier that third-party apps are available for recording phone calls on iPhones. Among them are Google Voice, Rev Call Recorder, and Easy Voice Recorder, each of which is available from the App Store.

We’re not ashamed to admit that ‘free’ is one of our favorite ‘F-words’, and that’s exactly what these three phone call recording apps are — absolutely free.

The Easy Voice Recorder app is available for both iPhone and Android, and it’s a good option if you’re recording a phone call using, say, another phone. However, if you want to record a phone call with an app on the device you’re making a call on, Google Voice or Rev Call Recorder are the better choices.

Using Google Voice To Record A Phone Call

Google Voice for iOS provides a phone number for free and recorded calls via Wi-Fi, text messaging, and voice mail. If you are in the US and have a personal Google account, Google Voice is a good option for recording incoming calls.

You won’t be able to record outgoing calls, however. But, you will be able to record outgoing calls if you have a Google Workspace account managed by your work or school. You just need to have the right Google Voice license to do so.

To record a call using Google Voice, head to Settings and navigate to Calls. Then select Incoming Calls Options and toggle the Incoming Calls Record option. To start the recording, press four on the keypad and again to end it.

Google Voice is compatible with iOS 15.0 or later. The downside is that Google Voice only works for personal Google Accounts in the US, while Google Workspace accounts work in select markets. It’s best to check upfront if Google Voice is supported in your region.

Recording A Phone Call With Rev Call Recorder

Rev Call Recorder is another good option for iPhone users in the US. This app offers free and unlimited phone call recording (with the option to have audio files transcribed by Rev).

It’s punted as a great recording app for journalists, writers, podcasters, and content creators, due in large to the transcription option, and Rev records both incoming and outgoing calls.

The Rev Call Recorder is easy to use. Once you’ve downloaded the app to your iPhone, create a Rev account (don’t panic, it’s free).

To record an outgoing call, navigate to the Rev app and press Call +1 (415) 738-2935. This will connect you to the Rev recording line. Then press Add Call, and enter the phone number of the call you want to record. Once connected, press Merge Call to start recording.

To record an incoming phone call, answer your phone, navigate to the Rev app, and follow the same process as recording an outgoing call. Press Call +1 (415) 738-2935 to connect to the Rev recording line. Then press Add Call, followed by Merge Call.

As mentioned previously, asking permission from the person on the other end of the line to record the call isn’t only the ethical thing to do, but — depending on the jurisdiction you live in — you could be legally required to do so.

With this in mind, the Rev app automatically plays a two-party legal disclosure message for full transparency and to mitigate any legal issues.

Saved recordings can be shared or uploaded with ease. The Rev Call Recorder app is compatible with iOS 11.0 or later. Unfortunately, the app is for US phone numbers only and — other than Canada — excludes international calls.

Final Thoughts

Apple does not include call recording functionality in the iPhone because of the legal and privacy implications. However, with a little effort and perhaps a quick app download, you can record a phone call on your iPhone. We found that the simplest solution is switching on your iPhone’s speakerphone and recording the call with another device.

This risks poorer audio quality due to ambient sounds and the devices’ proximity to each other. However, most apps designed to record phone calls are limited to use in certain regions of the world.

Depending on the legislation of the country or state you are in, you might not be able to access an app to record a phone call on your iPhone. In the US, 15 states require two-party consent to record a phone call. This means that if you record a phone call without the other party’s consent, you’re breaking the law.

Legislation aside, though, it’s always ethical to tell the person on the other end of the line that the call is being recorded. This gives them the option to refuse, which they are not likely to do if the recording is for legitimate reasons, such as a telephone interview.

Speaking of interviews and the likes, Google Voice and Rev Call Recorder are good options for those in the field, depending on where you’re based. They’re free and easy to use.

FAQs