How to Record a Phone Call on an iPhone

To record a phone call on an iPhone, tap the More button on the call screen and choose Call Recording. Your iPhone plays a notice so both people know the call is being recorded, and the recording is saved to a Call Recordings folder in the Notes app when you stop or hang up.

Built-in call recording needs iOS 18.1 or later and works only in the countries, regions and languages Apple supports. The steps below are for iOS 26 and later; on iOS 18, the record button sits in the top-left corner of the call screen instead. There’s no way to record secretly with Apple’s feature: the other person always hears the announcement.

Can your iPhone record calls?

• Software: iOS 18.1 or later. Check under Settings > General > About.
• Region and language: the feature isn’t offered everywhere. Only the person who starts the recording needs to be somewhere it’s supported. If you never see the option, it probably isn’t available where you are; Apple lists supported areas on its iOS feature availability page.
• Setting turned on: the Audio Call Recording switch in Phone settings must be on (it is by default).

How to record a call on iPhone

1. Make or answer a phone call.
2. On the call screen, tap the More button (three dots).
3. Tap Call Recording.

4. Wait for the announcement. Both you and the other person hear that the call is being recorded, and the notice repeats from time to time during the call.
5. Talk as normal. A timer and waveform on screen show that recording is running.
6. To finish, tap the Stop Recording button, or end the call.

A message confirms the recording has stopped and been saved to Notes.

On iOS 18.1 to iOS 18.x: tap the record button (a small waveform icon) in the top-left corner of the call screen instead of going through More. Everything else works the same way.

Where to find call recordings on iPhone

1. Open the Notes app.
2. Go to your folders list and tap Call Recordings.
3. Tap the recording you want. Each call is saved as its own note.

Inside the note, tap the play button to listen. From the same note you can share the audio, copy the transcript, or delete the recording. Like other notes, recordings sync to your other Apple devices if you use iCloud for Notes.

Transcripts and summaries

In supported languages, Notes creates a written transcript of the call. It isn’t always ready the moment you hang up, so give it a few minutes. Tap the transcript view in the note to read along, search it, or copy text.

On iPhones that support Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro and later), Notes can also summarize the call’s key points. Apple warns that transcripts can contain mistakes, so check names, numbers and dates against the audio before relying on them.

Recording calls and the law

The built-in announcement makes it clear to everyone that they’re being recorded, but it doesn’t replace your own legal responsibilities. Some places require every participant’s consent. If a caller objects, stop the recording or end the call. For interviews or business calls, it’s good practice to say at the start that you’re recording and why.

How to turn off call recording

If you don’t want the Call Recording option on your iPhone, for example on a child’s phone, you can hide it:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Phone.
2. Tap Audio Call Recording.
3. Turn the switch off.

Note: This only stops recording from your iPhone. It doesn’t prevent the person you’re talking to from recording on their phone. Apple also points out that some third-party apps and devices can record a call without playing any warning.

Why the Call Recording option might be missing

• Old iOS version: update in Settings > General > Software Update.
• Region or language not supported: the button won’t appear. Changing your iPhone’s region to get it can affect other settings and isn’t recommended.
• Setting is off: check Audio Call Recording in Phone settings.
• Different screen: on iOS 18 look top-left; on iOS 26 and later look under More.

Other ways to record a call

If Apple’s feature isn’t available to you, these options are more limited:

• Use a second device. Put the call on speaker and record it with Voice Memos on another phone, iPad or Mac. Tell the other person first. For tips on recording clear audio, see recording a voice message on iPhone.
• Use a calling service with recording. Some VoIP apps and business phone systems offer call recording, usually with limits on which calls can be recorded. Read the app’s privacy policy and pricing before signing up, since calls may be routed through the provider’s servers.

Be wary of apps that promise hidden or silent recording; recording someone without telling them can break the law where you live. Some recording services work by merging a recording line into your call, which uses your iPhone’s conference-call feature. To see how merging works, here’s how to add a call on iPhone.

Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts is the founder and editor of ARS Digitech. He started the site to answer the iPhone questions his friends and family kept asking him, and it has grown into a library of iPhone and iOS how-to guides. Matthew writes and maintains every tutorial on the site, checking steps and menu names against Apple’s official support documentation and updating guides when an iOS release moves a setting.