To record a phone call on your Android phone

If you are an Android smartphone user, you are in good company. Android accounts for 75% of the global smartphone market share with almost 3 billion active users. Occasionally, Android users may encounter the need to record an important phone call. Although the functionality is not always clear on the Android operating system, and Google no longer allows third-party recording apps, do not despair; it is still possible to record phone calls.

But before we dive into the “how”, it is important to keep in mind the legality of recording telephone conversations. In the United States, there are federal and state-specific laws regarding the permissions required to record a telephone call.

In some states, such as Arizona, you do not need the other party’s permission to record the call, as long as you are a consenting party to the call. In some other states, such as California, all parties must consent to admission. Check federal and state laws before recording a phone call.

Now you know you have to do it, but how? Here are a few different ways to record a phone call on your Android phone.

Record a call on your Android using the Google Phone app

The Google Phone app has built-in call recording. But just because you have the app, does not mean you have the ability to record calls. Here are the conditions that must be met to qualify.

• Your Android device must be running Android 9 or later.
• You need the latest version of the Google Phone app.
• You must be in a place where call recording is supported.
• Your mobile carrier must support call recording.

To record a call using the Google Phone app

Once you’ve verified that your Android operating system and Google Phone app are up to date and that your mobile carrier and location support call recording, using the Phone app to record a call is relatively easy, and Google will make sure that all parties to the call are notified of the recording. Here’s how you do it:

1. Open the Google Phone app on your Android device.
2. Start or answer the call you intend to record.
3. Tap on the call screen Record.
4. To stop recording, press Stop recording.
5. To access the recording in the Phone app, select Most recent if it was the last call or History to access a list of all saved recorded calls.

You can not use the Phone app to record an ongoing phone call. However, you can change the phone app settings to automatically record and automatically save recorded call history for a specified period of time.

Record a call on your Android using Google Voice

Google Voice is a voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) that was created to make and receive phone calls from anywhere over the Internet. It can also be used to record incoming calls. To use Google Voice to record an incoming phone call, there are a few conditions, and as is the case with its phone app, Google makes sure that all parties know they are being recorded.

• You must have a Google Voice account.
• You must have the voice dialing settings turned on.

To record a call using Google Voice

To record an incoming call on your Android device using Google Voice:

1. Answer the incoming call you intend to record.
2. Press 4 to start recording.
3. Press 4 to stop recording.
4. Access recordings on the Google Voice voicemail tab.

When you use Google Voice to record a phone call, you can start recording during the call (in fact, all parties must be on the call before recording can begin), and you can also switch phones during a recorded call.

Record a call on your Android using an external recorder

It may not be ideal to use an external recorder as it requires the purchase of hardware. Still, if the Phone app or Google Voice does not work for your needs, an external recorder is a good option. Modern recorders are often wireless, with Bluetooth features and have few conditions.

• You must have external recording hardware to use.
• Bluetooth must be turned on on your Android.
• Your Android must be paired with the recording device.

In addition to the initial setup of the recording device, the only step for recording is typically to press a button to start and stop recording. The recordings are stored on the recording device for up to a certain amount of storage space. The main disadvantages of this method are, as we have already mentioned, the need to buy hardware, but also the inability to use practical features like Android’s one-handed mode when using external hardware.