If you are wondering how to record a phone call on iPhone, there are several factors you will have to keep in mind. For those who have this feature, it can be extremely beneficial. However, it can also be a challenge due to privacy and regional restrictions.
This guide will explain step-by-step instructions on how to record phone calls on iOS. It also lists the best call-recording apps for iPhone.
Is Call Recording Supported in Your Region?
The first step to leveraging iOS call recording features is to check whether they are available in your region. There are various restrictions on recording and transcribing a phone call on iOS. According to the Apple website, some regions include Egypt, the European Union, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, South Africa, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
You can also refer to the iOS 18 feature availability page on the Apple website. This will help you check whether the call recording and transcription features are available in your region.
How to Record a Phone Call on iPhone Using Built-In Tools
The following section explains how you can use the native features on iOS to record a phone call.
Steps to Use Apple’s Native Recording Options
Here are the steps to follow to record a phone call using the native Apple features:
Step 1: Initiate a Call Using the Phone App
The first step to convert audio to text on an iPhone is to initiate a call from the Phone app. Suppose you live in a region where the call recording feature is available. You will not have to do anything else besides starting a call as you normally would.
Step 2: Tap “Start Call Recording”
Once your call is connected, you can click the icon to start a call recording. As soon as you do this, both participants will hear an audio notice that the call is being recorded. This is done to ensure the privacy of the person you are speaking to, as they must be aware that you are recording them.
Step 3: End the Recording
Once you are done, click on the red square button, which is the stop button, to stop recording the call automatically. If you forget to do this, simply hanging up will also stop recording the call.
Step 4: Access the Recording in the Notes App
The call recordings are automatically saved to the Notes app on your iPhone in a “Call Recordings” folder. You can click on “View Saved Call” to view the recording.
Note: The call recording feature may be restricted or unavailable depending on your region or country. If it is not available, you might have to consider using third-party call recording tools.
Best Third-Party Call Recording Apps for iPhone
Here are some of the best tools for speech-to-text for iPhone calls:
- Rev Call Recorder: This is a free call recorder app that can also give you a transcript of your calls.
- TapeACall: TapeACall is a free call recorder app that works on both Android and iOS devices.
- Call Recorder iCall: This third-party tool lets you record calls and voice memos.
1. Rev Call Recorder
The Rev Call Recorder is a part of the Rev suite of tools and is available for iOS devices. It is one of the best iPhone audio-to-text tools. You can use it to record an important phone call, interview, or even a sales pitch. It offers call recordings for free, but if you want a transcript of your call, you can order it for $1.50 per minute.
Key Features
- Unlimited Recording Duration: Rev offers unlimited call recording with no hidden costs and ads.
- Easy Sharing: Rev allows you to easily share your recordings via email, Dropbox, etc.
- Seamless Transcription Options: Rev offers 99% accurate transcripts of your call recordings. However, they cost $1.50 per minute.
2. TapeACall
TapeACall is another third-party call recording app for iPhone that offers clear recordings every time. You can use it to record incoming and outgoing calls and any calls that you might already be on. It offers unlimited recording storage and transcripts of the calls it records.
Key Features
- Record Incoming and Outgoing Calls: This tool can record incoming and outgoing phone calls on an iPhone.
- Cloud Storage: All your recordings are stored in the cloud. This means you have secure, unlimited storage.
- Excellent Audio Clarity: It offers transcripts and recordings with 99% accuracy, making them very clear.
3. Call Recorder iCall
The third tool on this list is Call Recorder iCall, which is available on the Apple App Store. You can use it to record incoming and outgoing calls with one tap. You can also use it to record voice memos for later reference. Additionally, it lets you record as many conversations as you want. It is designed for simplicity, with a one-tap call recording feature.
Key Features
- Easy Navigation: The app interface is easy to navigate and offers a simple one-tap recording feature.
- Quick File Management: The app also makes managing and organizing all your call recordings easy.
- Easy Sharing Capabilities: The Pro upgrade allows you to share your files easily.
How to Manage and Organize Your iPhone Call Recordings
If you frequently use iPhone audio-to-text tools, you will need a way to manage and organize your call recordings. The section below explains how to do so.
Playback and Management Tips
Here are a few tips you can use to manage and organize your iPhone call recordings efficiently.
Rename Files for Easy Identification
The first step is to rename all your files to help you easily identify them. Make sure you use a structured approach to do this. This will help you easily identify them a few weeks or months down the line as well.
Sort By Date, Topic, or Caller
If you record calls for various purposes or calls with specific people, you should sort them accordingly. One approach is to sort them based on the date they were recorded. You can also sort them based on the topic and the caller.
Transfer Recordings to the Cloud
Another way to keep your recordings organized and safe is to save recorded calls to cloud storage. You can save them to iCloud, Google Drive, or even to DropBox. This will allow you to access your recordings at any point. It will also keep them safe even if the data on your device gets erased.
However, according to IBM, the risk of data breaches on the cloud has kept increasing with time. The average cost of a data breach in 2024 was $4.88 million, a 10% increase over 2023. As a result, you must ensure you rely on a cloud storage solution that complies with the highest security standards.
Transcribe Your iPhone Call Recordings with Transkriptor
Transkriptor is an AI-powered speech-to-text tool. You can use it to transcribe phone calls, interviews, webinars, and meetings. You can also use it as a tool to create captions and subtitles for your videos.
You can transcribe call recordsin a single, unified interface. The next section describes a few simple steps using which you can record and transcribe recorded phone calls using Transkriptor.
Steps to Transcribe Your Call Recordings
Here are the steps to transcribe your recordings with Transkriptor:
Step 1: Export Your Recorded File
The first step is to export the call recording from whichever app it is saved on. This could be the Notes app on your iPhone or the storage of the third-party app you have used to record the call. If you have your call saved on iCloud or Google Drive, you can download it to your device and upload it to Transkriptor afterward or just copy and paste the link.
Step 2: Upload the File to Transkriptor
The next step is to upload the file to Transkriptor. Once you log into your Transkriptor account, you will see that there are various ways to do so. You can upload the file from your device storage or the cloud. Based on where you have stored your files, you can choose the right option.
Step 3: Generate a Transcript
Next, select the “Transcription” option to transcribe the entire call for you. Transkriptor will take about a minute to do so, and then it will show you a list of the transcribed files. Open the file, and you will see that the entire call has been transcribed. The tool will also segregate the transcript by speaker.
Step 4: Edit and Refine the Transcript
If you need to edit the transcript, you can do so. You can also add comments to the transcript if you need to collaborate with a teammate on the file. Once done, you can download the file as an SRT or a TXT file or share it with anyone you need to loop in.
Why Use Transkriptor?
Transkriptor offers a range of compelling reasons to make it a great app for recording phone calls on an iPhone. These are described below.
High Accuracy
Transkriptor uses advanced AI models and speech recognition to ensure that your transcripts are created with 99% accuracy. This accuracy also makes translating them into other languages easy.
Time Savings
The high accuracy of Transkriptor reduces the time spent on edits, making the entire process much more efficient. This ensures individuals can spend their time on more critical tasks and processes.
Multilingual Support
Transkriptor also lets you translate your transcripts into 100+ languages. This makes it ideal if you are part of a global team and need to share transcripts with coworkers worldwide.
Choosing the Right Call Recording and Transcription Tools
There are a few key aspects you must consider when choosing the best speech-to-text for iPhone calls. You must consider a few key factors when choosing the best tool to record and transcribe phone calls.
Audio Quality
The first aspect to consider is the audio quality. A call recording is only as useful as its quality. Always look for tools that allow you to test them for free so you can assess which offers the best quality.
Legal Compliance
The tools that you choose must also comply with all privacy regulations. You must also check whether it is legal to record a phone call in the country you live in.
Integration With Cloud Storage
The right tool must also integrate with cloud storage options to let you easily save your files. This will also keep them safer than saving the recorded files on your device.
User Experience and Pricing
Lastly, the tool must also offer an intuitive user experience. It must be easy to navigate, and no feature should take more than a few clicks. It should also be reasonably priced and offer a free trial to help you explore the features before buying.
Understanding Legal and Ethical Considerations
Understanding the ethical and legal implications of recording phone calls is crucial. Laws surrounding call recording vary by state and country. Some require consent from all parties before you can record calls, whereas others allow for one-party consent. You must familiarize yourself with these regulations and inform callers if you are required to do so.
Justia has created an entire database in a 50-state survey on the laws surrounding recording calls and conversations. It states that depending on the state, implied consent might be enough to satisfy the law.
Boosting Productivity with Recorded and Transcribed Calls
Using the right iPhone voice memo recording tips can help you boost your productivity. The ability to record and transcribe calls can help in various situations. These tools can help you record and transcribe meetings, interviews, and lectures for future reference.
Additionally, you can record and transcribe calls to save time on manual note-taking. The latter can often be a tiring and time-consuming process. Lastly, you must organize your recordings and transcripts to make them easy to access whenever needed.
Conclusion
Recording a phone call on an iPhone can be easy if you have access to its native call-recording feature in your region. Otherwise, iPhone call recording apps can be an alternative you can consider. The best app on the market to record and transcribe your calls is Transkriptor. It also offers a 90-minute free trial before you pay for a subscription. Try it out and streamline your call recordings and transcriptions today.