How To Automatically Record All Phone Calls on an iPhone

Do you find yourself scrambling to take notes while making calls on your iPhone? You’re not alone. In the digital era, smartphones have become an indispensable part of life. By placing a simple call you can keep up with family and friends, place an order with the grocery store, or even discuss an upcoming legal matter with your attorney.

But unlike manufacturers of Android devices, Apple is known to be fiercely against features that can compromise the safety and privacy of users. This begs the question: Are there ways to record calls on your iPhone?

The answer is yes.

In this article, we’ll share tips and tricks to help you automatically record all the calls made with your iPhone, so you never have to stress over missed information again.

Google Voice

You may have used Google services to browse, create a website, or even set up Internet of Things (IoT) devices in your home. But did you know that Google also offers a phone service? That’s right.

At its core, Google Voice is an internet-based phone service that allows you to make or receive calls and even set up voicemails. As an added benefit, you can record incoming calls and access all your voice memos via your Google account.

Here’s how to set up the Google Voice service on your iPhone:

1. Download and install the Google Voice app on your device.
   
2. Open the app and sign in with your Google account.
   
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to choose a Google Voice number. This number will be linked to your iPhone.
   
4. At this point, you need to enable the calling service in the app. To do so, open the “Settings” section and head to the “Call” subsection. Here, toggle on “Incoming Calls.”
   

And with that, your Google Voice account is all set and can process incoming calls from any of your contacts.

So how do you enable call recording? It’s easy:

1. Press “4” on your iPhone’s keypad when the call starts. Both you and the caller will hear a message stating that the call is being recorded.
   
   
   
2. To stop recording at any point during the call, press “4” again. There will be another notification indicating the recording has stopped.
   
   
   

For all its benefits, Google Voice doesn’t support call recording for outgoing calls – at least not yet. However, it’s an incredibly convenient service, particularly if you want to record your conversations transparently.

Third-Party Applications

Apple’s privacy severely restricts the addition of features that can compromise the safety and security of user data. For this reason, Apple devices do not have built-in call-recording applications.

But like in so many other areas of our lives, third-party developers have stepped in to bridge the gap and populated the App Store with many options. Some applications are free to use, but a few require a subscription. In addition, most of these services aren’t 100% automatic. You may be required to set up call recording manually before making a call.

Here are our top three picks:

TapACall

TapACall has been one of the most popular call-recording applications for years. Available in more than 50 countries, the app allows you to record incoming and outgoing calls with the touch of a button.

Here’s how it works:

1. Download and install the app on your device.
   
   
   
2. Tap the “Record” button to initiate the recording.
   
   
   
3. Now dial the number you want to call. Alternatively, open your contact list and select the person you want to reach.
   
   
   
4. As soon as the contact answers the call, tap the “Merge calls” button. This will enjoin the TapACall line to the call, and the recording will start.
   
   

At the end of the call, the app automatically stops recording and saves the file in your local storage.

On the downside, TapACall is a subscription service that renews automatically unless you decide to cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. However, you can try the service for free for seven days before making a financial commitment.

Rev Call Recorder

If you want to record incoming and outgoing calls on your iPhone without worrying about incurring a bill at the end of the month, Rev Call Recorder might be the tool you need.

Available across North America, the app uses three-way call merging to offer users unlimited calling on iOS devices. It has an impressive 4.4-star rating on the App Store, which shows just how much Apple users trust the service even though it’s 100% free.

To make outgoing calls using the Rec Call Recorder app:

1. Press the “Start Recorded Call” button at the bottom of your screen. This should open a “call type” menu.
   
   
   
2. Tap “Outgoing Call.”
   
   
   
3. At this point, enter the number you’d like to call.
   
   
   
4. Press the “Call” button to connect to Rev Recorder’s line.
   
   
   
5. Press the “Call” button again to start your call.
   
   
   
6. Finally, merge the calls to initiate recording.

And that’s it! The app is known for recording high-quality conversations, and all recordings are encrypted and stored securely in the cloud.

As an added advantage, the Rev Recorder supports call transcription, meaning you can turn all your audio files into readable manuscripts. You can then export them to other devices or share them with someone on your contact list. However, you’ll need to pay $1.50 per minute.

Call Recorder Lite

Call Recorder Lite is an easy-to-use app built to help you record both incoming and outgoing calls via a three-way merge system.

Here’s how to record an incoming call:

1. Open the app and navigate to the “Record” interface.
   
   
   
2. Tap the blue “Record” button at the bottom of your screen. This will put the ongoing call on hold as the app dials the recording number used by the service.
   
   
   
3. As soon as the app has connected to the recording number, press the “Merge” button to set up a three-way call between your contact and the recording line.
   
   
   

With this tool, you can listen to the first 60 seconds of every recorded call for free. To access full-length calls, you need to upgrade to the “Pro” version of the app, which is available for $9.99.

External Call Recorders

If you’ve watched Hollywood action/thriller movies, you may have encountered a scene where one of the characters uses a small, discreet device or even a pair of earbuds to record conversations over the phone. This isn’t just movie magic–external call recorders do exist.

One popular example is the Olympus TP-8 Telephone Pick-up. The device is disguised as an earbud with an embedded, wearable microphone.

To use it:

1. Connect the TP-8’s 3.5mm audio jack to your iPhone’s headphone jack. If your device doesn’t have a headphone jack, you can use a lightning-to-3.5mm adapter instead.
   
   
   

Apart from Olympus TP-8, other popular external recording devices on the market include the Waytronic Bluetooth Call Recording headset, RecorderGear PR200, and the PhotoFast Call Recorder X.

Say Goodbye to Frantic Notetaking During Calls

You don’t need to fumble with pen and paper every time you’re making or answering an important call. With various solutions like Google Voice, external call recorders, and third-party applications, you can effortlessly capture important conversations.

As you explore these options, always adhere to local laws regarding conversation recording and inform the other party when necessary.

Why not take the plunge and try one of these call-recording services today?

Don’t forget to share your experience with other iPhone users in the comments section below.