How to record conversation on iPhone 13

Due to country- and state-specific laws, Apple has not created a built-in recording option for iPhone phone calls. Apple’s impeccable privacy settings are one reason it has attracted so many worldwide customers. However, you can still record phone calls on your iPhone using some workarounds.

Secretly recording a call on your iPhone could lead to troublesome legal consequences. If you’re going to record a phone call, make sure you notify the person on the other end of the call and gain their consent to being recorded.

Once you’re all set, let’s look at how you can record a phone call on your iPhone.

How to Record Calls on an iPhone Without Apps

This is probably the quickest and easiest way to record a phone call on your iPhone for free, without paying for apps. You’ll need another device with a microphone that can record audio (like another iPhone, iPad, computer, or portable recording device) to make it work.

Check out our podcasting microphone recommendations for some high-quality audio recording options.

Provided you’re in a quiet environment and can use your iPhone’s speakerphone, it’s simple to pull off:

1. Call your contact and tap on the Speaker icon. Notify the other party that you’ll record the phone call on your iPhone.
2. After gaining consent, start recording on your external recorder.
3. Place your iPhone close to the microphone of the recording device. Stay physically close to the recording device if you want your own audio recorded as well.
4. End the call.
5. Save your recording.

On a separate iOS device, you can record the call using Apple’s Voice Memos app. On a Mac or PC, we’d recommend free audio editing and recording workhorse Audacity. You can check out this guide for using Audacity if you’ve never used it before.

How to Record Incoming iPhone Calls Using Google Voice

Google Voice is a free VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling service available in the US and Canada. It provides you with a free phone number, a voicemail inbox, and the ability to make calls both domestically (free) and internationally (as per the Google Voice calling rates). The ability to record phone calls is one of the perks of Google Voice.

Before you can do this, though, you’ll need to take some time setting up the service. Ensure that you’re not setting up or using a Voice for Google Workspace account at your company or educational institution. Otherwise, the recording feature won’t be available to you.

Here’s how to set up Google Voice:

1. Download Google Voice for free from the App Store. Launch it and sign in using your Google account.
2. Tap Search. Select the new phone number you want to associate with your Google Voice account.
3. Confirm your number. Hit Next until you’re asked to enter your phone number.
4. Enter your iPhone’s phone number. Confirm and wait for a verification code.
5. Verify your new Google Voice setup using the code you just received.

There’s one final step you need to complete before you can record calls on your iPhone. Open the Google Voice website and sign in to your Google account. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the page to open the Settings menu.

Here, select the Calls tab menu on the left side of the page. Then scroll down and enable Incoming call options by tapping the widget on the right.

When you receive a phone call via your Google Voice account, you’ll be able to press the 4 key on your iPhone number pad to start recording the call. When you do this, Google will notify the other party that they’re being recorded. You’ll find the recording in your Google Voice inbox, where you can download it for safekeeping.

Unfortunately, due to legal and safety purposes, there’s no way to record an outgoing phone call on your iPhone using Google Voice.

How to Record Phone Calls on an iPhone Using a Third-Party App

A third-party app known as Rev Call Recorder is another good option for recording phone calls if you live in the United States and have a working US phone number. Rev Call Recorder is free to download from the App Store.

When you first open the app, you’ll need to confirm your phone number by adding it when prompted and entering the code you receive. The process is a little complex, but fortunately, the app offers a built-in tutorial.

Once that’s done, tap Start Recorded Call, then choose Outgoing Call or Incoming Call. For outgoing calls, you need to call the Rev Call Recorder service, then call the person you want to talk to. After both calls are connected, tap the Merge Calls button to begin recording.

For incoming calls, the process is slightly different but just as simple. Once the call is complete, Rev Call Recorder will contact you when your recorded call is ready to download. Optional paid transcription services will also appear at this point.

The major advantage of Rev Call Recorder is that, unlike many other call recording services, the person you’re talking to will see your phone number, rather than an unknown number.

Your calls are stored on another company’s servers, though, so you probably don’t want to use this service for private or sensitive matters.

How to Record Calls on an iPhone Using Your Voicemail

Have you already set up voicemail on your iPhone? You can use a cool trick to record phone calls to your voicemails. This final method depends largely on your cellphone service carrier for functionality.

First, you need to check whether your carrier allows you to download your voicemail messages. Launch the Phone app on your iPhone and tap on the Voicemail tab in the bottom-right corner. If you see a list of voicemail messages appear, that’s great! You can download them and keep them on your device for future playback purposes.

If you only see a Call Voicemail option, you’re not so lucky. You won’t be able to download voicemails. However, you may be able to save them in your carrier’s audible voicemail. This means you’ll have to continue calling your voicemail every time you want to play back the message.

To download these messages externally, perhaps try using the speakerphone method we discussed above to record the phone call on your iPhone. Depending again on your phone provider, you can try a similar recording method using call merging and your voicemail:

1. Call your contact and gain consent to record the call. Ask them to hold.
2. On your iPhone, tap Add Call to start a three-way conversation.
3. Call your own phone number. You should get your own voicemail inbox.
4. Wait for the voicemail greeting to finish. Tap Merge Calls to start the conference.
5. End the call. Your conversation should record as a message you can retrieve from your voicemail inbox.

Which iPhone Call Recording Method Works for You?

Now you have an overview of how to record a phone call on your iPhone. But keep in mind that every cell provider and iOS device functions a little differently, so you may need to try out a few recording methods until you discover which is right for you.

The two most reliable ways of recording a phone call on your iPhone are using the speakerphone method or paying for a third-party service to record the call for you. In any case, to operate legally, you should always make sure you notify the other party that you’re recording them.