- Checking whether iPhone call recording works in your country
- Recording a call in the iPhone Phone app
- The announcement both people hear when an iPhone call is recorded
- Finding your recorded iPhone calls in the Notes app
- Reading the transcript of a recorded iPhone call
- Deleting or turning off iPhone call recording
- If someone records an iPhone call with you
- Using iPhone call recording well in a small business
- Frequently asked questions
To record a phone call on iPhone, make the call in the Phone app, tap the More button, then tap Call Recording. Both people hear an audio notice that the call is being recorded, and the recording saves to a Call Recordings folder in Notes. It's only available in some countries and regions.
For years the honest answer to this question was 'you can't, not without another app'. That's changed. Apple now builds call recording into the Phone app on iPhone in many countries, and it saves the audio, and often a written transcript, straight into Notes.
It's useful for small business owners: a supplier quoting a delivery date, a client briefing you on a project, an interview for a case study. But it comes with clear limits and a built-in announcement, so here's exactly what Apple's own help pages say, step by step.
Checking whether iPhone call recording works in your country
Apple's help says you can record a phone call in some countries and regions, when you're talking to one other person. It also lists places where it isn't currently available: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, the European Union, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Apple adds a helpful detail: only the person who starts the call needs to have the feature available. Transcripts are a separate layer again, offered in select regions and languages, so you may get the recording without the text.
Recording a call in the iPhone Phone app
Before you start, Apple's guidance is to make sure the other person is willing and gives explicit consent to be recorded. Then:
- Open the Phone app on your iPhone.
- Make your call.
- Once you're connected, tap the More button.
- Tap Call Recording.
- To stop, tap the Stop button, or simply hang up.
When you're done, Apple says you can tap View Saved Call to jump straight to it in Notes.
The announcement both people hear when an iPhone call is recorded
This is the part people most want to know. According to Apple's help, both call participants hear an audio notice that the call is being recorded. Apple's personal safety guide adds that the notice replays periodically during the call, and that when the person who started the recording taps Stop Recording, a message plays to say the recording has ended.
So there's no silent option in the Phone app. The other person will know. I'd still tell them first in your own words, ask if it's OK, and explain why you want it, because hearing an automated message without warning can feel abrupt. And check the rules where you live before recording anyone. They differ from place to place, and this isn't legal advice.
Finding your recorded iPhone calls in the Notes app
Apple's help says iPhone automatically saves call recordings to a Call Recordings folder in the Notes app. To play one, open Notes, tap a note in that folder and tap the Play button.
Apple's personal safety guide also points out that anything recorded is saved in the Notes app of the person who started the recording, not on the other person's phone.
| What you want to do | Where Apple's help says to go |
|---|---|
| Start recording | During the call, More button, then Call Recording |
| Stop recording | Stop button, or hang up |
| Play a recording | Notes, Call Recordings folder, then Play |
| Save or share the audio | In the recording, More button, then Save Audio Files or Share Audio |
| Delete a recording | In the note, More button, then Delete |
| Switch the feature off | Settings, Apps, Phone, Audio Call Recording |
Reading the transcript of a recorded iPhone call
In select regions and languages, Apple's help says you can view a transcript of the call in Notes. Open the Call Recordings folder, tap a note, then tap the recording. The speaker of each statement is identified, and you can tap any line of text to play the audio from that point.
From the More button you can search with Find in Transcript, copy the text, or add it to a note. Apple says the transcript may not appear straight away, and you may see a message that transcription is in progress. It also advises checking the transcript's accuracy before you rely on it, which I'd underline for anything you'll quote back to a client.
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Deleting or turning off iPhone call recording
To delete a recording, open the note in the Call Recordings folder, tap the More button, then Delete. Apple notes that deleting the audio also deletes the transcript, so copy any text you need first.
Apple's help says Call Recording is on by default. To turn it off, go to Settings, tap Apps, tap Phone, then tap Audio Call Recording and switch it off. Apple's safety guide makes the limit clear: turning it off stops you recording calls, but it doesn't stop someone else recording a call with you.
If someone records an iPhone call with you
The audio notice will play on your side too. Apple's safety guide says you can't stop someone from turning on call recording, but you can stop it by ending the call. It also warns that some third-party apps may record calls without giving a warning. If a call ever feels threatening or you're being harassed, end it, report it, and if you're in danger, contact the police.
Using iPhone call recording well in a small business
- Client briefs: record with permission, then pull the key actions from the transcript into your project notes.
- Case study interviews: you get the customer's own words, which make far better quotes.
- Supplier calls: keep a clear record of what was agreed, alongside a written follow-up email.
- Podcast prep: a recorded chat can become an outline for an episode.
If a case study interview turns into a short video for social, my guide on creating promo videos on your iPhone picks up from there. And for other admin you might not realise your phone can handle, see how to fax from an iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I record a phone call on my iPhone?
Open the Phone app, make a call, tap the More button during the call, then tap Call Recording. Tap the Stop button or hang up to stop. The recording saves to Notes.
Does the other person know I'm recording on iPhone?
Yes. Apple's help says both participants hear an audio notice that the call is being recorded, and its safety guide says the notice replays periodically.
Where are recorded calls saved on iPhone?
In a Call Recordings folder in the Notes app, on the phone of the person who started the recording.
Why can't I record calls on my iPhone?
Call recording is only available in some countries and regions. Apple lists places where it isn't currently available, including the European Union. Also check Audio Call Recording is on in Settings, Apps, Phone.
Can I get a transcript of an iPhone call?
In select regions and languages, yes. Open the recording in Notes to see the transcript, with each speaker identified. Apple advises checking its accuracy before relying on it.
Can I stop someone recording a call with me?
Apple says you can't prevent someone turning on call recording, but you can stop it by ending the call.
