How to Record a Phone Call on iPhone

Use Apple's Voice Memos app or third-party apps to capture conversations

By
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
  • Ithaca College
Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.
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Updated on May 10, 2024
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
    Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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    What To Know

    • Easiest: Record incoming calls with Google Voice; answer and tap 4 on the keypad. Recordings go to Voicemail tab.
    • Or: Place a call using speakerphone on iPhone. Use Apple's Voice Memos app on a second Apple device to record.

    This article explains two ways to record calls on the iPhone and provides tips for pre-installed and third-party software you can use to record calls.

    How to Record an Incoming Call With Google Voice

    The default Phone app doesn't support recording phone calls. One of the easiest ways to record a live conversation on your iPhone, then, is to use a phone app that supports recording. One widely used and free app that fits this bill is Google Voice; other apps may require a fee.

    Google Voice only supports recording incoming calls, not calls you make. To also record outgoing calls, you'll need to use Voice Memos on your iPhone.

    Follow these steps to use Google Voice to record live conversations:

    1. Get the Google Voice app and set it up so you use it to make and receive calls.

    2. Tap the three-line icon in the top left.

    3. Tap Settings.

    4. Move the Incoming call options slider to on/blue.

    5. When you receive a call that you want to record, answer the call.

    6. Then tap 4 on the keypad to start recording. Tap 4 again or hang up to stop recording.

      When you tap 4, a voice will announce that a recording has started, so there's no way to record a live call without the other person knowing.

    7. Your call recordings are stored in the Voicemail tab.

    Google Voice isn't the only app that lets you record your calls. We've got other options at the bottom of this article. Many of these apps work by creating a three-way call with the call recording service. Call the service, then the person you want to talk to, and merge the calls for the recording to start.

    How to Record a Call on iPhone with Voice Memos

    Don't want to go to the trouble of setting up Google Voice to record calls? There's another way to do it, but it requires two devices.

    Even though the iPhone's Phone app doesn't support recording calls, you can use it and Apple's Voice Memos app to get the job done. Here's what to do:

    1. Using the Phone app, start the call that you want to record.

    2. Tap Audio > Speaker to put the call on speakerphone.

      Apple blocks you from recording a speakerphone call with Voice Memos on the same device.

    3. Get a second device with Apple's free Voice Memos app installed. Open the Voice Memos app.

      You don't just have to use another iPhone. The second device could be an iPad or iPad touch, or even a Mac.

    4. Tap the red record button to start a new voice memo and hold the second device close to the iPhone.

    5. When the call is done, you can share the recording by tapping the recording > ellipses > Share > and selecting the app you want to use to share it.

    Don't like the Voice Memos app? Any other audio recording software can work. You may get even better results by attaching a mic to your device and holding the mic close to the iPhone.

    Other Call Recording Apps for iPhone

    For the most options for recording calls on your iPhone, you need to find an app at the App Store. There are a lot of call-recording apps, and we haven't tested them all, so we can't say which is best, but some of the highest-rated call-recording apps include:

    Is it Legal to Record a Phone Conversation on iPhone?

    If you're a journalist, podcaster, or customer service rep, you may need to record your phone calls. No program comes pre-installed on the iPhone for recording calls, and while the built-in Phone app has other useful features, doesn't have call recording capability.

    So, yes, it's possible to record. Whether or not it's legal in your state or municipality will depend on the laws applicable to your location.

    Know and understand the law governing call recordings where you live before you record anyone else. In some places, recording any phone call is illegal. In others, both parties on the call need to consent to the recording (this is called two-party consent), while in some, only one person needs to be aware of the recording (aka one-party consent). Save yourself the headache—and potential legal bills—by learning the law where you live before recording anything.

    FAQ
    • How do I record a FaceTime call on my iPhone?

      You can use the Screen Record feature with FaceTime to record your screen but no audio during a FaceTime call. Swipe to open the Control Center > tap Screen Record > open the FaceTime app and begin a call > and tap Stop to end the recording. Find the recording in the Photos app.

    • How do I screen record a phone call with audio on an iPhone?

      To record a call with audio on your iPhone, you'll need to use an app that supports call recording. If you use a conferencing app such as Zoom, you can record Zoom calls on your phone. Start a meeting > tap Record > Record to the Cloud or Record on this computer. To find the recording, log in to your account in a browser and select Recordings > Cloud Recordings or Local Recordings.

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