Is it legal to record a phone call?

It depends on consent law where you and the other person are. One-party-consent regions let you record a call you're part of; all-party-consent regions require everyone to agree. On calls that cross regions, assume the stricter rule and ask. This is general information, not legal advice.

How do I record a phone call on iPhone?

Recent iOS versions include Call Recording in the Phone app — tap the record button during a call, and everyone hears an announcement. Older iOS has no built-in recorder, so people use a second device or capture the call on speaker with a Mac.

Can I record a phone call on a Mac?

Yes, if you take the call on speaker near your Mac and record the microphone. A desktop notetaker such as Nod, which isn't released yet, transcribes it on the computer and writes notes, so you get text rather than an audio file. Nod never writes the audio to disk.

How do you record a phone conversation without a built-in recorder?

Put the call on speaker and capture it with a second device, or with a transcription app on a computer. The second device gives you a raw audio file; the transcription app gives you searchable text instead of something you have to replay.

Can you record a conversation as text instead of audio?

Yes. A notetaker like Nod (not released yet) records a call on speaker through your computer's microphone, transcribes it on the device, and writes notes. The audio is processed in memory and never written to disk, so you keep what was said without storing a recording of someone's voice.

Guide · June 30, 2026 · 6 min read

How to Record a Phone Call (iPhone, Android & Mac)

By Dmytro Barabash, founder of Nod · Updated October 28, 2026

To record a phone call or a phone conversation you need two things: a way to capture the audio, and consent where the law requires it. There's no single universal button — the method depends on your device, and the law depends on where you and the other person are. This guide covers the practical options on iPhone, Android, and a computer, a second-device fallback, and the one rule that applies everywhere: get consent where it's required.

Call-recording legality turns on consent law, not on which app you use. Some regions allow one-party consent (you agreeing is enough); others require all-party consent (everyone on the call must agree). On a call that crosses regions, assume the stricter rule applies and ask. This is general information, not legal advice — see sales call recording laws for the region-by-region picture.

How to record a phone call on iPhone

Recent iOS versions include Call Recording in the Phone app: during a call, tap the record button at the top left. Everyone hears an announcement that recording has started, and the recording is saved to Notes. On older iOS without this feature, there's no built-in recorder — people use a second device or a speaker-and-capture setup (below).

How to record a phone call on Android

Many Android phones have call recording built into the Phone app (availability varies by manufacturer and country): during a call, tap Record. Where it's missing, the Play Store has recorder apps, though their reliability varies by Android version.

How to record a phone conversation with a second device

Put the call on speaker and record with another phone or a voice recorder. Low-tech, and it needs nothing from your phone or carrier — but you end up with a raw audio file you still have to listen back to.

How to record a phone call on a Mac or PC (speaker method)

If you take the call on speaker near your computer, you can capture the conversation as audio the computer hears: no carrier feature, no second phone. A desktop notetaker that records the microphone turns it into text the same way it would a Zoom or Meet call.

Nod is one of these, with a caveat: it isn't released yet, and its phone apps aren't out either (the desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux comes first). On the computer it records your microphone and the computer's own audio, transcribes on the device, and writes notes once the call ends. With a phone on speaker, both voices reach the microphone, so the transcript labels every line "Me". Nod tells apart only your microphone ("Me") and your computer's audio ("Others"), not individual people.

The audio is processed in memory and never written to disk, and no cloud service hears it. The transcript and notes are saved as an encrypted file on your computer. So you get a usable record of the call without keeping a recording of someone's voice. You're still responsible for consent: tell the other person you're capturing the call where the law requires it.

Record the conversation as text, not a file

If what you actually want is what was said (the decisions, the numbers, the follow-ups), recording audio is the long way round. Nod's notes carry a short summary, key points, and action items. They can repeat a person or deadline stated aloud, but you should check that against the transcript before treating it as an assignment. How it works covers what is and isn't kept. If that's the record you want, join the waitlist.

Which method should you use?

iPhone with Call Recording: simplest if you have it — built in, with an automatic announcement.
Android with built-in recording: same, where your phone supports it.
Second device on speaker: the fallback when your phone has no recorder and you need the literal audio.
Computer + speaker: best when you want a transcript and notes, not just an audio file — and you don't want a recording sitting around afterward.

Either way, get consent where the law requires it. The method doesn't change that obligation. For app calls, see how to record a WhatsApp call.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to record a phone call?: It depends on consent law where you and the other person are. One-party-consent regions let you record a call you're part of; all-party-consent regions require everyone to agree. On calls that cross regions, assume the stricter rule and ask. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I record a phone call on iPhone?: Recent iOS versions include Call Recording in the Phone app — tap the record button during a call, and everyone hears an announcement. Older iOS has no built-in recorder, so people use a second device or capture the call on speaker with a Mac.
Can I record a phone call on a Mac?: Yes, if you take the call on speaker near your Mac and record the microphone. A desktop notetaker such as Nod, which isn't released yet, transcribes it on the computer and writes notes, so you get text rather than an audio file. Nod never writes the audio to disk.
How do you record a phone conversation without a built-in recorder?: Put the call on speaker and capture it with a second device, or with a transcription app on a computer. The second device gives you a raw audio file; the transcription app gives you searchable text instead of something you have to replay.
Can you record a conversation as text instead of audio?: Yes. A notetaker like Nod (not released yet) records a call on speaker through your computer's microphone, transcribes it on the device, and writes notes. The audio is processed in memory and never written to disk, so you keep what was said without storing a recording of someone's voice.