How to Record Calls on an iPhone

The operating system of the iPhone (iOS) has many advantages over its counterpart Android, but making it easy to record calls isn't one of them. If you're wondering how you can record calls on an iPhone, you are not the only one.

Since there is no native way to record phone calls on the iPhone, you have to jump through some additional hoops to do so. Luckily, if you're a little creative, there are actually several different ways that will allow you to do this regardless of your iOS version.

Here are your best options:

• Use a secondary device: This is without a doubt the quickest and easiest way to record calls on any iPhone. The drawback, of course, is that you'll need another device with a microphone that's capable of recording audio. You can use another iPhone, a iPad, a computer or a portable recording device (ideally) to do this.
• Usa Google Voice: At the risk of upsetting the iOS gods, you can also use Google Voice (a free VoIP calling service) from Google to record phone conversations. Unfortunately, this service is only available in the US and Canada, so this method might not be applicable depending on your territory.
• Use a third-party app- The App Store has no shortage of third-party apps that can help you record your phone conversations. However, most third-party options are either paid or will require you to make an in-app purchase in order to record unlimited conversations. We've made a list of the best options.
• Use your email of voice: This method will depend on whether or not your cell phone provider has this functionality. But if you're lucky, your provider may allow you to download your conversations and save them as audible voice messages.

How to record calls on an iPhone

Now that we have gone through all the possible ways to record phone conversations on iPhone, let’s explore each method in order and see which one applies to your case.

Record iPhone calls using a secondary device

If you have a secondary device that you can use to record phone calls on an iPhone, this should probably be your first choice, as it's probably the easiest and quickest way to do it.

Of course, you'll need another device with microphone capabilities. Here's a short list of devices you might have around your home that could help you do this:

• Another iPhone
• An iPad
• An ipod
• An Android device
• A portable recording device
• An mac
• a computer with Windows

Nota: An important prerequisite of this method is to have a quiet environment so that you can put your iPhone on speaker and then use your secondary device to record the conversation.

Here is a quick guide to help you achieve this:

• Call the contact you want to record the conversation with and tap on the speaker from iPhone. Put your iPhone in Speaker mode

Nota: Recording without consent is illegal in most territories, so be sure to notify the other party that you are recording this conversation before proceeding.

• Once you have their consent, make sure to use the secondary device to start recording.
• Place the secondary device near your iPhone (while it's in Speaker mode) and make sure you stay physically close to the recording device to ensure the conversation is captured.
• Once you finish the conversation, end the call and stop recording on your secondary device.
• On your secondary device, stop the recording and save it to listen to later.

Nota: If you are using an iOS device as a secondary recording device, the easiest way to accomplish this is to use Apple Voice Memos. If you are using a Mac, you can use Audacity so that you can later edit the conversation and remove the parts that are not necessary.

Record iPhone calls using Google Voice

If you don't mind using a Google service to record your iPhone conversations, another option you should consider is using Google's free VoIP software.

Unfortunately, this feature is only available in the US and Canada; if you do not live in one of these territories, please ignore this method as it will not apply to your particular situation.

Nota: Google Voice is a free VoIP service that will provide you with a free phone number and a voicemail inbox. You will have the ability to make national and international calls. You can check this page for more information. Learn about Google's calling rates .

Unlike other similar VoIP services, Google Voice allows you to record phone calls. However, before you can do this, you'll need to configure some additional settings first.

To make things easier for you, we've created a step-by-step guide that will walk you through the entire process of making the necessary settings before you can start recording with Google Voice.

Important: For legal reasons, Google only allows you to record calls you receive. You will not be able to record calls you make using this method.

This is what to do:

• First things first, download and install the free Google Voice app on your iPhone device. You can search for it in your App Store or use this direct download link.

• Once the app has been successfully downloaded, log in with a valid Google account and complete the initial setup process.
• When you are finally inside the Google Voice app and you are signed in with a viable Google account, tap Search and enter the phone number you want to link to your account. Google Voice.
• At the confirmation message, follow the verification steps. You will need to confirm your phone number and then wait for the verification code.
• Once you receive the verification code, use it to verify the connection and link your phone number to Google Voice.

Nota: At this point, you have successfully paired Google Voice with your phone number.

• Next, you'll need to sign in to your account on the Google Voice website and enable incoming calling options.

Here's how to do this:

• Use any browser to visit the Google Voice website (you can do it directly from your iPhone or from another device).
• Log in with the same Google account that you used earlier to complete the initial setup.

• Once you have successfully logged in, click on the gear icon (top right corner of the page) to open the menu Configuration.
• From the menu Settings that just appeared, access the Calls tab from the list of available options and scroll down until you see the Incoming call options.
• Once you find the correct option, enable the switch associated with incoming call options  (this is the feature that will allow you to record calls through Google Voice).
• That is all.
• Now that you've gotten the initial setup out of the way, you're ready to record your iPhone phone call conversations using Google Voice.
• To do this, simply press the 4 key in your iPhone's dialer menu and Google Voice will automatically start recording the conversation.

Nota: As soon as you press the 4 key in your dialer menu, Google will notify the other party you are having the conversation with that this call is being recorded. Once the call is over, you will find a recording of the conversation inside your Google Voice inbox (accessible via the Google Voice app); you can download or play it directly from there.

Record iPhone calls using a third-party app

Unlike Android, where you have a ton of apps that let you record calls directly (unless your phone manufacturer blocks it), iOS doesn't have as many options.

In fact, recording phone calls is blocked. However, there are some apps that will allow you to do this, but you will have to go through some workarounds and it will usually cost you (like most things in the Apple ecosystem).

Each iPhone recorder app works using a 3-way conference call (either incoming or outgoing).

The way it works is that there is a third person calling (the service provided by the app developer) who serves as the recording line. The drawback to this method is that three-way calling must be enabled on your iPhone and you need to make sure your carrier supports it.

Nota: In the US, all major carriers support this feature, but most European carriers do not.

Unfortunately, even if your carrier supports 3-way calling, recording calls won't be as simple as pressing a single keypad (as it is with Google Voice) - you'll need to do some tweaking to make sure the 'third' caller is recording the conversation.

Here is a list of iOS apps that will allow you to do this:

• Rev Call Recorder: This is by far the most popular app of the bunch. It supports recording of outgoing and incoming calls via the 3-way calling method. It has storage unlimited and the ability to share your recording. The app is free, but you will be forced to make some in-app purchases to remove the hard-coded restrictions.
• TapeACall ProThis is a paid app. At the time of writing, they charge $10.99 annually. You are charged each year, but you get unlimited call recordings.
• Call Recorder Pro- This is a paid app. At the time of writing, they charge a one-time fee of $9.99 for 300 minutes of calling credit. If you use up the credits offered through the starter plan, you have the option to make an in-app purchase to expand your account with more credits. They also have a lite version, but recording times are limited to 60 seconds (some features are also unavailable).
• Phone Call Recorder ACR: This app is free. You can make call recordings (both incoming and outgoing), calls FaceTime (photo calls) with unlimited duration. However, if you don’t want to be severely limited, you’ll probably have to purchase the PRO version (which costs $59.99 at the time of writing).

We did some testing and we think that Rev Call Recorder is the best option in this case (if you live in the US or have a working US phone number).

In case you need a step-by-step guide on how to set up and use this app, follow the instructions below:

• First things first, download the app Rev Call Recorder from the App Store.
• After downloading and opening it for the first time, you will first need to confirm your phone number by adding it when prompted.
• You will then receive a code that you must use in the validation process.

Nota: The process is a little less than straightforward, but you should be able to get it done by following the in-app tutorial.

• Once you are done with the initial setup, go to the home screen of the Rev Call Recorder app and tap Start call recorder.
• On the next screen, select between Outgoing call or Call incoming, depending on your particular use case.

Nota: If you plan to make an outgoing call, you will need to call the Rev Call Recorder service first and then call the person you want to talk to.

• Once both calls are connected, tap the button Merge calls to start recording.

Nota: If you plan to make an incoming call, Rev will contact you when your call recorder is ready to be downloaded.

Important: The biggest disadvantage (or advantage, depending on your use case) we see with Rev Call Recording is the fact that the person you'll be speaking to will see your phone number instead of an unknown number.

Another caveat you should probably be aware of is the fact that all of your calls will be stored on Rev's servers, so you may want to avoid using this service for very sensitive matters.

Using Cross-Platform 3-Way Call Recorder Services

If you don't like the solution offered above, there is also the option to record your calls with a slightly different 3-way calling option.

A different way to do it is to use various paid services that allow you to call them directly to start recording (before calling the other party). This should be your preferred option if you don't want this option to be restricted on iPhones; you can use these services on iOS, Android, and even landlines.

These are the best services you can do to do this:

• Recordinator– This service gives you the option to take a free 10-minute recording test. This is great if you just need to record this one phone call. If you need more than that, the current price (at the time of writing) is $10 for 67 minutes. You then have the option to purchase more credits to expand its capabilities. It works by setting up a 3-way conference that does all the recording for you. If you opt for a paid plan, you also have the option to get the full transcript of the call, which is a really nice addition.
• RecordiaPro– This service has options for recording both in the US and worldwide. However, paid plans will differ depending on your territory. Expect to pay $29.99 for 120 minutes of recording time in the US and $40 for 190 minutes in the rest of the world. Before you can start using this service, however, you’ll need to create an initial account and add RecordiaPro to your existing contacts. You can also opt for an add-on service (currently costing $36) that will give you a number you can give out in the future to receive calls that will be automatically recorded.

Record iPhone calls using its voicemail operator functionality

If you are lucky enough to be able to use this option, this is probably the easiest (and cheapest) method of all.

You may be able to use the voicemail feature on your iPhone to record calls. However, this largely depends on your service provider (whether they allow this functionality or not).

So before you follow the instructions below, do a little research on your own and see if your phone provider allows you to download voicemail messages.

Important: Not all carriers offer this functionality, but the 3 US-based carriers do. European carriers are much less likely to offer this functionality. Also, most carriers will impose a limit on There that allow you to record a voicemail. Before you can try this method, you may want to try it with your phone.

If you are looking for step-by-step instructions on how to record calls on your iPhone using your voicemail feature, follow the instructions below:

• First things first, launch the Phone app on your iPhone.
• Next, tap the tab E-mail voice in the lower right corner.

Nota: If you only see the Call Voicemail option, this method will not work for you. In this case, you will not be able to download voicemails, but you will still be able to save them to your carrier's audible voicemail (depending on your carrier). In this case, you will have to continue calling your voicemail every time you want to play the message (this is a bit inconvenient).

If downloading audio recordings is not an option for you, you can also consider using the first method in this article. Additionally, you can try a hybrid recording method that involves using the combination of calls and your voicemail.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to do this:

• Start by calling your contact and get their consent to record this call.
• After getting consent, ask them to wait and touch Add call on your iPhone.

• From the dial box that just appeared, call your own phone number to get your own voicemail inbox.
• Please wait for your voicemail greeting for confirmation.
• Toca Merge calls to initiate the three-way call.

• Resume your conversation with the person you are trying to record the call with.
• At the end of the conversation, hang up to end your call.

Nota: Your conversation must be recorded as a message.

• Retrieve the audio message you just recorded via your voicemail inbox.

That's all. Once you try some of the methods described in this guide, you will be able to record calls on an iPhone without any problem. If it worked for you, let us know in the comments section. See you next time, until then.