How to Record a Phone Call

Taking notes during a call? Good luck with that. Between juggling your phone and scribbling half-legible notes (that always end up smudged), you’ll miss half the conversation. But there’s an easier way: call recording. 

From journalists to businesses, keeping on top of what’s said is infinitely easier when you record a phone call. Nothing gets lost; you can give your caller your full attention and take detailed notes later (or have Trint transcription software do it for you).

But how do you record a phone call? And more importantly, can you record a phone call? Trint is here to walk you through it, from the legal landscape to step-by-step guides for recording a call on iPhone and Android.

Why your business (or newsroom) needs to record phone calls

Recording phone calls isn’t just about convenience (though that’s a big plus).

For business and sales teams, it’s about working smarter. You can train new employees without replaying awkward live calls, ensure compliance and review negotiations to sharpen performance. Sales and business call recording isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a tool to make your team better.

In the newsroom, having a recording to refer back to is essential for accuracy. You can capture quotes verbatim and keep a factual record — no more “he said, she said” disputes.

Call recording is also invaluable for transcribing multilingual interviews. Note-taking while translating is stressful; recording lets you focus on the conversation and translate later. Plus, with Trint, you can transcribe and translate in more than 40 languages, saving you time to focus on the story. 

The legal industry works by similar rules: every word matters. Recording client intake calls, witness preparation or depositions ensures no detail is lost and creates a clear record for compliance and court.

Is it illegal to record a phone call?

Wondering if it is legal to record phone calls? Well, it depends where you are. 

The US

The US is split into one-party and two-party consent states. In most states, one-party consent applies: if you’re part of the call, you can record it. In two-party states, everyone on the call must agree.

Here are all the two-party consent states:

• California
• Connecticut — Electronic recording: two-party; in-person: one-party
• Florida
• Hawaii — Only two-party consent if recording device is in a private place
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan — Two-party if you’re not a participant
• Montana 
• New Hampshire
• Oregon — Electronic: two-party; in-person: one-party
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia — Two-party required for civil court use, not criminal
• Wisconsin — Two-party only if used in court
• Washington — Two-party, but here’s the loophole: if someone announces the call is being recorded and that announcement is included, the law treats it as consent

Things get more complicated when it comes to recording phone calls across state lines. The law isn’t clear here, and courts have taken action when a recorded call crosses a one-party state and a two-party state. When in doubt, get consent from everyone when you record phone calls. 

The UK

Recording calls in the UK is simpler than in the US: all four nations follow the same rules.

• You can record a phone call without consent for personal use. 
• If you record a phone call without consent and share it, you are breaching UK privacy and data protection laws. You must get consent before the call if you want to share it.
• Businesses can record calls legally, but they must:
  
  • Have a lawful basis for processing (like consent or legitimate interest).
  • Clearly notify callers or recording (e.g., “This call may be recorded for training and compliance”).
  • Be handled accordingly with GDPR compliance. 
• Using recordings in court is determined on a case-by-case basis; the court decides whether the recording is admissible.

Other countries

Outside the UK and the US, laws vary. As a rough guide:

• One-party consent: Canada, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, India, South Africa
• Two-party consent: France, Germany, New Zealand, UAE
• Varies by region/state: Australia

No matter where you are, always check the exact legal requirements in both your country and the caller’s country when recording a phone call. When in doubt, get consent first.

How to record phone calls on iPhone

There are a couple of ways to record phone calls on an iPhone.The easiest option is with iPhones running iOS 18.1 or later, which comes with a built-in recording feature. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Start the call. 
2. Once the call has started, tap Start Call Recording. Both participants will hear an audio announcement informing them that the call is being recorded. 
3. To stop recording, tap Stop or hang up.
4. The recording will automatically be saved in the Notes app under your call recordings folder. 
5. Bonus: Want a transcript? Upload the file to Trint after your call and transcribe it in minutes with our audio-to-text transcription. 

If you don’t have iOS 18.1 or later, you’ll need to use a third-party app when recording phone calls. Here are a few of the most popular options on the App Store:

How to record phone calls on Android

When it comes to recording cell phone calls on Android, options vary depending on your make and model. Some devices have built-in recording features, while others require third-party apps.

Some Samsung Galaxy models offer built-in recording options, as do Google Pixel fourth generations and higher. 

Here’s how to record a phone call with a Samsung Galaxy (running recent versions of One UI/Android 12+):

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Make or answer a call.
3. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and tap Record Call. 
4. Stop by tapping Stop or ending the call.
5. You can find the call recording by following these steps:

Phone app > Three dots (upper right corner) > Settings > Recorded calls

And here are the steps for call recording with a Google Pixel (fourth generation+): 

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Make or answer a call.
3. Tap Record. Both parties will then hear a notification that the call is being recorded.
4. Stop by tapping Stop or ending the call.
5. Access your recording in the Phone app under Recent Calls.

If your model doesn’t have a built-in call recording setting, you can still record via third-party apps. Popular options for Android include TapeACall, Cube ACR and Google Voice. Call Recorder iCall is iOS only, so it can’t be used on Android. 

What to do with your recording after the call

Your call recording is just step one: the value comes from what you do next.

Turn your audio into something you can use by uploading your recording to Trint and getting a transcript in just minutes. From there, you can run it through the AI Summarizer to pull out key points or use Story Builder to shape it into a polished article, report or legal document.

Security is crucial, too. With Trint, all recordings and transcripts are protected with the highest level of encryption, so sensitive conversations stay private.

By transcribing, summarizing and safeguarding your calls, you turn a simple recording into a secure, searchable and shareable resource.

Whether you’re closing a deal, chasing a story or protecting a client’s interests, having a clear, secure record can be the difference between guessing and knowing. 

Now you know how to record a phone call, make the post-call process effortless with Trint. From audio to text transcription to translation, we have the tools you need. Get in touch to find out more about our services and to book a demo today.

Want to learn more about transcription? Head to our creator hub to find out about legal transcription, academic transcription and interview transcription.