How to Record Phone Calls in iOS 18

Apple introduced a native call recording and transcription feature in iOS 18, allowing users to capture conversations directly within the Phone app. When activated, the system informs all participants that the call is being recorded, captures the audio, and automatically saves both the sound file and a generated transcript into the Apple Notes app for future reference.

How to Start Call Recording

To record an active phone conversation:

  1. Place or answer a call using the standard Phone app.
  2. Tap the Record icon (a waveform with a record button) located in the top-left corner of the in-call screen.
  3. A three-second countdown begins, giving you a brief window to cancel if pressed accidentally.

Automated Privacy Notification

Privacy laws in many jurisdictions require two-party consent for recording audio. To comply with these legal standards, iOS 18 plays an automated voice prompt once the countdown finishes: "This call is being recorded."

Both you and the person on the other end of the line will hear this audible announcement. A small banner remains visible on your screen throughout the call indicating that the recording is ongoing. You can stop recording at any time by tapping the stop button, or it will automatically conclude when the call ends.

Locating Recordings and Transcripts

Once the call terminates, iOS 18 processes the audio and stores it in the Notes app:

  • Dedicated Folder: A new folder titled Call Recordings is automatically created in Apple Notes.
  • Audio Playback: Each note contains the embedded audio file, which you can play, scrub through, or export.
  • Full Transcript: Alongside the audio file, the system provides a synchronized text transcript of the conversation, timestamped and attributed to the speakers.

Summaries with Apple Intelligence

On devices that support Apple Intelligence, the Notes app can generate an automated summary of the recorded call. This produces key takeaways, action items, and topic overviews directly above the transcript, eliminating the need to listen through long recordings or read lengthy text blocks manually.

Language and Device Availability

While call recording is available across all iPhones compatible with iOS 18, live transcription and Apple Intelligence summaries depend on device hardware and language settings. Transcription currently supports select languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, and Portuguese, with additional languages planned for future updates.