Apple’s iPhones do not offer a native way to record incoming or outgoing voice calls. As this is not a particularly advanced or difficult technology to implement, it’s thought that Apple chose to omit call recording due to legal complications. In most U.S. states, only one person needs to give consent for a call to be recorded, but 11 states require everyone involved in a conversation to agree to be recorded. (Look up the laws in your state here.)
If you have a need to record calls, say, for an interview, we’ve found a fabulous free app that can help you to do so.
The small print
The most important point to consider when planning to record a phone call is to ensure you get consent from the other person or people who will be recorded. You can obtain this verbally at the start of the call, asking, for example, “I’m planning to record this, are you OK with that?” If the person(s) responds positively, go ahead and press record.
An even more cautious approach is to get the consent in writing, in the form of an email or other kind of message, ahead of time.
The app that can record iPhone calls — for free
The app we’re featuring in this guide is the Rev Call Recorder iOS app from a tech startup called Rev, which is based in San Francisco and Austin.
Credit: screenshot: rev
Rev Call Recorder is an easy-to-use iPhone app available in the United States that allows you to record calls in one simple step. This app has no limits for recording incoming or outgoing calls, and it’s simple to share recordings via Dropbox or email. Rev Call Recorder has more than 8.6 thousand ratings that give it an average 4.4 out of five score.
Why would Rev offer such a comprehensive tool for free? Rev’s main business is to convert audio and video to text with its paid-for transcription and captions service. After your call, you have the option to pay to get your recording transcribed by a skilled human transcriptionist, although you do not have to choose to do this. If you do, Rev charges $1.25 per minute.
Simple functionality
Rev Call Recorder is simple to use. Once you’ve downloaded the free app and verified your number (FYI: This app only works with country code +1 phone numbers), simply tap the “Start Recorded Call” option at the bottom of your screen:
Credit: screenshot: rev
Then select whether you’re making an outgoing call or receiving an incoming call.
Credit: screenshot: rev
Follow the prompts and your call will be recorded, then automatically saved to your recorded calls list. Tap on a recording to see share options, including emailing the audio file or saving it to Dropbox.
