An iPhone might be one of the handiest things you can have in your pocket. It can do everything from making calls and browsing social media to measuring the size of rooms in your house.
But, alas, iPhones can’t do everything. One thing an iPhone is not great for is recording phone calls. That’s because Apple’s built-in recording app doesn’t let you record conversations due to privacy concerns.
Privacy laws vary from state to state, but they all require some degree of consent to record a phone call. To respect these laws and protect user privacy, Apple decided not to include a call recording feature on the iPhone.
But there are ways to get around this limitation—just make sure you’re doing it the legal way.
How to Record a Phone Call On Your iPhone (Easiest Way)
The easiest way to record a call on your iPhone is by using another device.
If it sounds pretty primitive, you’re right. It is. But, where slick third-party apps can sometimes fail, this one works every time.
Here’s how to use another device to record a call on your iPhone:
- Find a recording device: Take another smartphone, tablet, or device with recording capability. Place it close to the iPhone’s speaker to capture the conversation.
- Experiment with placement: Where you place the device can impact the audio quality of the recording. Adjust the distance from the microphone and angle to find the best position to capture both voices clearly. This will take some experimentation, so be sure to do some test calls before using this technique to find the optimal position for your equipment.
- Start recording: After determining the best recording configuration, start your call and activate the speakerphone on your iPhone. When the person you’re calling answers, ask for their consent to record. If they agree, push Record on your recording device. We can’t reiterate this enough—make sure you follow all applicable call recording laws before you start recording.
Other Ways to Record a Phone Call on Your iPhone
If the idea of using another device to record iPhone calls sounds way too cumbersome, we get it. There are other, more streamlined ways to record your calls.
Download a Call Recording App
Apple’s App Store offers a variety of third-party call recording apps. They work by recording the call on their servers and giving you access to the files.
A pain point of these apps is that due to Apple’s privacy policies, they might not be available in all regions. Some of them are free, and others require a subscription. Here’s an overview of each:
Free call recording apps
Free apps offer basic call recording features with limitations like the duration of recorded calls and the number of recordings you can make. Some offer a free trial period for premium features with prompts to upgrade to paid accounts.
Some free call recording apps are supported by advertising. You might get full functionality with no subscription cost, but you can expect to see ads displayed when using the app.
Paid call recording apps
Paid apps typically offer features like unlimited call recording, cloud storage, advanced organization tools, and other capabilities like transcription services.
Some apps offer annual or monthly subscription-based plans. Others ask you to make a one-time purchase that unlocks all features permanently. Prices for paid apps range from about $5.99 per month to $29.99 per month.
Use a Magnetic Call Recorder
Magnetic call recorders are devices that attach to your iPhone to record calls. They connect directly to the phone’s audio input so you can record conversations without relying on the phone’s software features.
These devices are pretty simple to use. Charge the magnetic call recorder (if necessary) and connect it to your iPhone’s audio port. Some devices may record calls wirelessly, so you won’t need a wired connection. Then, make a call, and the recorder will start capturing the conversation automatically.
Magnetic call recorders use internal memory to store the audio files. So you can access them by connecting the device to your computer.
The beauty of these devices is that they provide high-quality recordings without relying on the iPhone’s operating system or third-party software. The downsides are that they need to be physically connected to the phone, which can make them cumbersome, and they might only work with some iPhone models.
Record Calls With Google Voice
Yep, Google seems to have a piece of software for every purpose. Google Voice is a VoIP service that lets you make and receive phone calls. It can be linked to your phone number and includes a recording feature.
Here’s how to record calls with Google Voice:
- Create a Google Voice account and link it to your phone number.
- Enable call recording in the Google Voice settings.
- When starting a call, press 4 on your phone’s keypad to start recording. Press 4 again to stop.
Google Voice doesn’t include any safeguards to ensure compliance with call recording laws. So be aware of and comply with local privacy laws when using this software.
Use Mac or PC Software
Another way to record iPhone calls is to use recording software on your desktop or laptop computer.
There are a variety of computer applications available that let you connect your iPhone via USB and capture phone calls directly on your PC or Mac.
These apps usually offer high recording quality and versatility for managing audio files on your computer.
But the simple fact that you need a bulky computer with the right software installed presents challenges. Installing the software and making the recordings can also be complicated if you’re not tech-savvy.
It’s Not Practical To Record Tons of Calls on an iPhone
While it’s possible to record calls on your iPhone, it’s not very practical—particularly if you’re trying to capture phone recordings at scale.
If you need to record high volumes of calls, a VoIP service is a much better option.
Today’s best VoIP platforms offer built-in tools that make recording calls a cinch, even for a call center that has to record thousands of calls each week.
Most VoIP systems are also designed to ensure you stay compliant with privacy laws. And, as a rule, a single VoIP line costs much less than a cell phone plan each month.
Do your business priorities hinge on the quality and quantity of iPhone calls you can record? If so, you won’t want to rely on a hacked-together solution or app that might not work in some situations.
A VoIP system is likely the best choice to give you the scalable call recording capability to hit your targets.
