Record Phone Calls on an iPhone
This article teaches you how to record an ongoing phone call on an iPhone. For the sake of privacy, Apple purposefully prevents iPhone users from being able to record a phone call using stock features or apps, so you'll need to either download an app or use external hardware such as a computer's microphone or another phone to record the call.
Contents
Steps
Using a Call-Recording App
- Open the App Store. It's the blue app with a white "A" made from writing utensils on it. You'll usually find the App Store on the Home Screen.
- Tap Search. It's in the bottom-right side of the screen and has a magnifying class icon above it.
- Tap the search bar. This option is at the top of the screen.
- Search for a phone call-recording app. You'll probably have to spend some money to download a call-recording app. A few of the best-rated apps include the following:
- TapeACall Pro - You'll pay $9.99 up-front but, unlike most other call recorders, you won't have to pay per-minute.
- Call Recorder - IntCall - This app is free up-front, while the per-minute recording cost is around $0.10. You'll need to be connected to Wi-Fi to use this service.
- Call Recording by NoNotes - Free to download and you get 20 minutes of free calls per month. After the free minutes expire, services cost around $0.25 per minute.
- Tap Get to the right of your selected app. If you're purchasing an app, this button will be replaced by the app's cost instead.
- Tap Install. It will be in the same location as the Get button.
- Enter your Apple ID password. Doing so will prompt your app to begin downloading.
- If you've recently logged into the App Store, you won't have to perform this step.
- If your iPhone uses Touch ID, you may be able to use your fingerprint here instead.
- Launch your app and make a call. While the particulars will vary from app to app, they all work in essentially the same way. You'll be connected to their servers and then the call will be merged with the line you are calling.
- If prompted, you may need to accept the Terms and Conditions and enter your phone number.
- When the call is merged, the recording begins.
- When the call ends or you've gone over the allotted or available recording time, the recording is terminated automatically.
- Play back your call. The calls are stored either in the cloud or on your provider's servers and will be displayed in a list.
- For Call Recorder - IntCall, tap "Recording" at the bottom of the screen to bring up a list of your recordings, then tap the "Play" button to play back a specific recording.
- Some services even provide online storage, management, and retrieval.
- You can often edit your calls, trimming to only the parts of the call you want to save. From there, you can email or manage the recordings as you would any other computer file.
Using External Programs or Hardware
- Open an audio-recording application on a device other than your iPhone. If you have other hardware available to use, such as an iPad or a computer with a microphone, they can be used to make a recording of your calls. You can also download programs for Windows and Mac computers.
- For Mac, "QuickTime Player" offers simple audio recording and playback.
- Similarly, on a PC, "Sound Recorder" offers the same functionality.
- Audacity is a free application for all platforms, including Linux.
- If you have an iPad or another iPhone you can use to record, the "Voice Memos" application will work well.
- Place your iPhone in front of you. This works best if you're in a quiet room. You will be placing your call on speaker.
- Position your microphone. If you're using a laptop or a tablet, make sure the microphone is near your phone. If you're using an external mic, position it so that it's pointing at the bottom of your iPhone.
- Launch the recording application. This process will vary depending on the hardware you're using, but in most cases it will entail opening the recording software and selecting a "New Recording" option.
- Turn on your recorder. Do so before making your call so that you have the beginning of the call on record.
- Make your phone call. To do this, tap the Phone app--a green app with a white phone icon--tap the Keypad option at the bottom of the screen, type in the number of the person whom you wish to call, and tap the green "Call" button at the bottom of the screen.
- You can also select a contact or a recent call from the Contacts or Recents options at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Speaker. You'll see this option in the top-right corner of the call options, directly below the number you're calling. Doing so will enable the speaker for this call, which will broadcast the call's audio loudly enough for your recorder to pick it up.
- When the caller answers, be sure to inform them that they are being recorded.
Tips
- Don't use headphones when on a call, or only your side of the conversation will be recorded.
Warnings
- Recording phone conversations is considered "wiretapping" in some jurisdictions; in such cases, the law either does not permit call recording, or will require you to notify anybody who is on the call that they are being recorded. The laws differ from state to state, and from country to country, so be sure to know the applicable rules in both your location and and the location of the people you call.
