With iOS 26, Apple has expanded its native call recording feature with transcripts, Live Translation, summaries and tighter integration with Notes. It’s a more polished and useful tool than before, especially if you rely on your iPhone for interviews, meetings or important conversations.
Call recording itself first arrived with iOS 18.1 in October 2024. The feature has always been region- and language-dependent, and that hasn’t changed. If it’s available where you live, you can capture calls directly from the Phone app without third-party apps or hardware. If it’s not, there are still alternative methods worth knowing about. Here’s how it works, plus what to do if the option isn’t available in your country.
How to check if call recording is available
First, confirm that the feature is supported in your region. Apple maintains a feature availability page that lists countries where call recording isn’t offered, including the European Union, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. If your country is on that list, you won’t see the option in the Phone app.
Before recording your phone call, you’ll need the consent of the person on the other end of the line. When you start recording, both parties hear an audio notice stating that the call is being recorded.
How to record a call on iPhone
Recording a call is straightforward:
During the call, tap the More button.
The call continues as normal, but the iPhone automatically saves the audio once you hang up or tap Stop. You’ll find all recordings in iOS’ native Notes app, inside a folder called Call Recordings.
How to play back, manage and delete recordings
To listen back, open Notes, go to the Call Recordings folder, and tap the file you want. Tap Play to hear it.
From here, you can:
Search: Tap the More button and select Find in Transcript.
Copy: Tap the More button and select Add Transcript to Note or Copy Transcript.
Save: Tap the More button and select Save Audio Files, then select where you want to save recording (another folder or app).
Share: Tap the More button and select Share Audio, then select how you want to share the recording
Delete: Tap the More button and select Delete. This deletes the recording and any related transcript.
How to transcribe your calls
If your region and language are supported, iOS 26 also transcribes calls. Open a recording in Notes, then tap Show Transcript and Summary. Processing might take a few moments, but once it’s ready, you’ll see the conversation broken down by speaker. From there, you can search the text, copy it into another note or tap a line to jump to that part of the audio. Apple warns transcripts may not be flawless, so double check to make sure important details are correct.
Apple Intelligence summaries
With Apple Intelligence switched on, you’ll also get a generated summary of the call. This is handy if you only need the highlights — for example, the action items from a meeting or the main points of an interview. Summaries appear alongside the transcript in Notes.
How to turn off call recording
By default, call recording is enabled on supported devices. If you don’t want the option at all, navigate to Settings, select Apps, then Phone, tap Call Recording and toggle it off.
Alternatives if call recording isn’t available
If you’re in a region where the built-in feature doesn’t appear, or you’re running a previous version of iOS, there are still other ways to record calls.
In the US, federal law dictates one-party consent. This means you can record a phone call as long as you are actively participating in the conversation. However, it is important that you check state laws (in the US) or relevant laws in your country before recording a phone call. Note that these options don’t integrate with Apple Notes or Apple Intelligence, but they give you a backup if the official method isn’t supported where you live.
Rev Call Recorder (US only) is free to use on your iPhone. There are no in-app ads or time constraints, allowing you to record high-quality audio via the app.
Google Voice (US only) lets you record incoming calls via the app by pressing “4” on the keypad. The audio file appears in your Google Voice inbox afterward. The function is restricted to incoming calls, and features will depend on the account you have.
External recorders: You can connect a small recorder to your iPhone through USB-C or Lightning, or place a digital recorder next to your phone on speaker mode. This keeps everything offline, but audio quality can vary.
Speakerphone: If you have access to multiple devices, you can place your call on speakerphone and simultaneously use a separate device with the Voice Memos app open to record your call. While the sound quality is unlikely to be on par with other alternatives, it is a feasible option.
