Content Editor and Customer Support at Textr

When you have an important business call coming up, you may want to record it for future reference. It’s possible to record calls on both Android and iPhones; you just need the right app. Call recording is an essential yet underutilized tool, but it’s something from which all professionals can benefit. 

If you think you have misheard a critical point, need to clarify something, or have forgotten an essential detail, a recorded call provides a solution. In addition, smartphone users who work in a regulated sector may need recorded phone calls for compliance or regulatory procedures. 

Google Android phones have been offering call screening and transcription so users can see an on-screen script to decide if a call is worth answering. However, there’s no way to access the transcript after the call ends. 

Likewise, iPhone does not include a native way to start a call recording. Android and iPhones don’t have native call recording features on their phones because it’s illegal in most countries to record a call without someone’s knowledge. In addition, some states require the consent of at least one party, while many require the approval of at least two parties. 

Fortunately, when you have consent, there is an app to record a phone call for later retrieval on iPhones and Android, plus several ways to achieve it without a third-party app installation.

Considerations for Using an App to Record a Call

You can use tons of apps to record a call, but most are for personal use. However, you do have a few considerations to think about when recording business calls. 

• Consent Issues – Recording calls in the US has legal barriers and requires consent from either one or two parties depending on the state. 
• Security of Recorded Conversations – Storing personal data comes with legal and ethical ramifications. You will need to protect your recorded conversations against unauthorized access.
• Backup Solutions – If your device is lost or stolen, do you have secure backup solutions?

Once you’ve considered the above variables, you are in an excellent position to make the best choice about how to record calls on iPhone or Android phones. 

How to Record a Phone Call on Android

In Europe and a lot of Asia, Android call recording is a native feature in Android 10, but US Android smartphone manufacturers disable it due to the complex call recording laws.

When using an app, US users will receive a warning on their screen reminding them of their legal responsibilities to comply with the laws related to recording calls. Make yourself aware of the local restrictions where you are recording the call, get the required consent, and you will be fine.

People on the other end of the call will hear the words “this call is now being recorded” and the words “call recording has now ended” when it is over.

Other than a third-party app to record a phone call, are there any other ways to keep a record of your phone conversations? Yes, there are, but most are not elegant solutions.

You can change your audio source to record the call, but this can be tricky because manufacturers use different audio chips with varying capabilities in Android phones. In addition, instructions on how to do it can be challenging to navigate, so this is not an ideal business solution.

Other people turn the loudspeaker up to full volume and use another app to record the audio. However, this method is a little inconvenient due to opening another app before recording can start and is prone to user error. It’s also not accessible if you are in a public space.

There are a few good apps you can use to record a phone call on Android. TextrApp is a fully-featured business communication tool you can use to access multiple business phone numbers from a single phone. It offers call and text features, crystal clear audio quality, and the ability to record your calls. It has many features other recording apps don’t, including the ability to communicate from your phone, desktop, or mobile device.

Other apps you can use to record voices calls on your Android phone include:

• Call Recorder – ACR
• Blackbox Call Recorder
• Cube Call Recorder
• Smart Voice Recorder

They all have varying features, such as cloud storage, manual and automatic recording, audio quality, Bluetooth support, etc., so choose an app with the right features for your needs.

How to Record Calls on iPhone

Native calling features on iPhones have been locked down for the same reasons as Android, but there are still ways around it by using an app to record a phone call. There is also a way to record calls on iPhone without installing an additional app.

You can use Voicemail to get around the call recording limitations.

1. Open the iPhone call app and call someone
2. Click on “add call” and enter your phone number
3. Select “merge calls,” and your voicemail feature will capture the entire conversation
4. When finished, you can check your voicemail to review the call

Google Voice is another app for recording a call that is available on iPhone and Android.

1. Download, install and open the app.
2. Sign in to your Google account and choose a Google Voice number.
3. Follow the instructions to finalize the setup.
4. Select “settings” from under the menu options
5. Choose “Incoming call options” under the “Calls” tab
6. Once you are on the call screen, click the keypad and select “4” to start recording a phone call

Please note, Google will notify the recipients for compliance reasons that the call is being recorded.

External recording devices like call recording earbuds are available, but you will need another option if you don’t have them with you when taking the call.

Remember TextrApp can do all of the above and more and is a lot more straightforward to use, plus it’s accessible from everywhere, not just your phone.

If you are looking for a streamlined solution that makes it straightforward to use multiple business numbers from one phone, send SMS or make voice calls, and record calls at a moment’s notice from a desktop or mobile device, check out Textr today. It’s easy, fast, and affordable.