How to Record Phone Calls on Android Devices

Many Android phones now include a built-in call recording option through the Google Phone app or the manufacturer's own dialer, though the feature is hidden or disabled in some countries and states because of consent laws. If your phone lacks a native option, you can still record calls using Google Voice, an external recording device, or a compatible third-party app. Because some states require all-party consent, telling the other person you are recording helps you avoid civil liability.

Android phones manufactured for the United States and Canadian markets historically shipped with call recording disabled, largely because some two-party consent states require every participant's consent before a call can be recorded. Google has since added a native Record button to the Phone app on qualifying devices, so the picture has changed since this article was first published. If your phone does not offer native recording, a phone built for a market with a call recorder already built into the dialer can still be an option.

Quick take:

• Google's Phone app now offers a native Record button on Pixel 6 and later phones (Android 14 and up) and on many other Android 9 and up phones, where the region permits it.
• If your phone does not have the Record button, a third-party app can "middle man" the call through a bridge number and record it.
• To record both sides of a call on a phone without native recording, use an external recording device, two phones, or the Screen Record method described below.
• Phones built for markets outside North America, including many current Samsung and Xiaomi models, ship with call recording enabled in the dialer.
• On Android 11 and higher, you can use Screen Record with your phone on speaker to capture call audio.
• Rooting your phone to install a call recorder is a last resort. It carries real risk (a voided warranty and security exposure), and app compatibility changes with almost every Android update.

How to record calls on Android: long story

One key difference between Android phones sold in the US and Canadian markets and phones built for Asia, Africa, Europe, and most of the rest of the world is that many of those other models still ship with call recording built into the dialer. Manufacturers disable the feature for the US and Canadian markets partly because some US states require every party to a call to consent before it can be recorded. The US and Canada both default to one-party consent, meaning only one person on the call needs to agree to the recording, but a minority of states require all-party consent instead. Recording a call in an all-party consent state without telling the other person can expose you to civil liability under that state's wiretapping statute, and in some states it is also a crime. It is safer to tell the other person you are recording, regardless of which type of state you are in.

Which phones have a call recording option?

Yes, several current Android phones can record calls without a third-party app. Google's Phone app has a native Record button on Pixel 6 and later phones running Android 14 or higher, and on other Android 9 and up phones where the manufacturer has built in the option, in countries where call recording is permitted. Samsung's own Phone app has offered a similar built-in recorder for years on Galaxy devices sold in markets outside the US, and Xiaomi's dialer includes one as well. Availability is tied to your phone's country or region setting, not to where you physically bought the phone, so check Settings on your specific device rather than assuming a US-market phone can never record.

One caveat: Huawei phones released after 2019 do not ship with Google's Phone app or Google Play Services at all, because of US trade restrictions, so they are not a workaround for recording through Google's native feature even though older Huawei models did support it.

If your Android phone does not show a Record option in the Phone app or its settings, the next sections cover the alternatives: Google Voice, Screen Record, an external device, or a compatible third-party app.

Does call recording work in my country?

According to Google's Phone app support page, the Record button only appears in a country or region where call recording is permitted, and Google does not publish a complete list of every supported country. If you do not see a Record option during a call, check that your phone's language and region are set correctly in Settings, since the feature is tied to that setting rather than to where you bought the phone.

Google's Call Recording feature launched on Pixel phones in the United States in 2022 and, according to 9to5Google's reporting, expanded to the United Kingdom and most of Europe by early 2026. Coverage has been widening steadily, so a phone that lacked the option a year or two ago may have it now after a software update.

Can you record a phone call on Android?

Yes. As of 2026, the Google Phone app has a native Record button for many Android phones, which is the easiest and most reliable way to record a call on Android. On non-Pixel phones running Android 9 or higher, and on Pixel 6 and later phones running Android 14 or higher, open the Phone app, start or answer a call, and tap Record on the call screen. On Pixel phones the option is under Call Assist. Both callers hear an automatic announcement when recording starts and again when it stops, per Google's documentation, which satisfies the disclosure that all-party consent states require.

If your phone does not show the Record option, either your device or your region is not yet supported. Before 2022, some third-party apps recorded both sides of a call using Android's Accessibility API. Google closed that workaround starting with Android 9 Pie, and in May 2022 it removed most remaining call-recording apps from the Play Store for misusing the Accessibility API, a change reported by XDA Developers and reflected in Google's own Play policy update. Rooting a phone to install an app that bypasses these restrictions is possible but comes with real risk (a voided warranty, security exposure, and app compatibility that changes with every Android update), so treat it as a last resort rather than a first option.

What if I have Android 10 or higher and no native Record button?

You have three options: use an external recording device (covered below), use the Screen Record method on Android 11 and higher, or record through Google Voice or a third-party app that uses a bridge number. Staying on an old, unsupported Android version just to keep using a root-free recording app is not a good trade-off, since older versions stop receiving security updates.

Using Screen Record to Record a Phone Call With Android 11 and Higher

To easily access the screen recorder during a phone call, add Screen Record to your quick action tiles. Screen Record uses your phone's microphone to capture audio, so this method only works when the other party is on speakerphone.

To add the Screen Record tile:

• Swipe down to open the notification menu, then swipe again to show the quick action menu.
• Tap the pencil (edit) icon.
• Scroll through the shortcuts until you see Screen Record.
• Hold and drag it into your active quick action tiles.

Once the shortcut is in place, you can start a screen recording either before or during a phone call:

• Open the quick action menu by swiping down twice.
• Turn on Record Audio.
• Tap Start.
• Put the phone on speakerphone.
• When you are done, turn off Screen Record from the quick action menu.

Note: This method uses your phone's microphone, so it only works with the call on speakerphone. It will not work over a wired or Bluetooth headset, or with the phone held normally to your ear.

Which Android call recorder apps record both sides?

If your phone does not have Google's native Record button, most call recorder apps in the Play Store today can only capture your own side of the conversation, since Google removed the Accessibility API technique that used to grab both sides in May 2022. So how do you record the other person too?

The most reliable way is to skip the app entirely and record the call some other way.

How can I record a call on Android without an app?

Besides the native Record button and Screen Record, you can capture both sides of a call with an external recording device, two phones, a PC running call software, or Bluetooth speakers placed near both parties. See our companion guide, how to record a phone call on Android or iPhone without an app, for a device-by-device walkthrough.

How to record calls in Android 10 using an external device

A dedicated Bluetooth call recorder is a good example of an external recording device that works with both iOS and Android. Unlike an app, this kind of device does not need access to your phone's internal microphone. It pairs with your phone over Bluetooth the same way a Bluetooth headset would, so it works with almost any phone including basic feature phones, and needs no cable or extra software on the phone itself. You retrieve the recorded audio later by connecting the device to a computer's USB port.

Use a zoom recorder

Handheld digital recorders such as the Zoom H6essential are popular with podcasters and journalists and work well for recording calls. You will also need headphones and an external microphone to capture both sides of the conversation clearly. Your phone sends audio through the device, so the device does not rely on your phone's internal microphone.

The analog method: Use two phones

If you have two phones, you can turn one into a recording device. Put the call on speaker on one phone, and use a lavalier or clip-on microphone plugged into the second phone (via its headphone jack or a USB-C adapter) to record the call as audio. The microphone boosts the pickup enough to capture both sides clearly, since the recording phone is not connected to the call itself.

A plug-and-play external microphone made for phones is a simpler alternative to a standalone microphone-and-adapter combination.

Tips:

• Keep the microphone close to the speakerphone and your own mouth to capture both sides of the conversation.
• Record in a quiet room.
• Turn on the loudspeaker and close windows or doors to reduce outside noise.

How to use Google Voice to record a call on Android

Google Voice can record incoming calls, but the feature is off by default, and outgoing calls cannot be recorded at all. Google Voice is a free service, available to US phone numbers, that lets you make and receive calls from a separate number tied to your Google Account.

To set it up, go to voice.google.com, sign in with your Google Account, and follow the prompts to choose an available number. You do not need a second device. Google Voice can forward calls to your existing phone and link up to six numbers to one account.

To turn on recording, open Settings, go to Calls, and turn on incoming call options. According to Google's support documentation, once recording is enabled, answer an incoming call and press 4 to start recording. All participants hear an automatic announcement that the recording has begun. Press 4 again to stop; participants hear an announcement that recording has ended. Recordings appear in the Calls tab in your Google Voice account.

Use the Phone Link App on Windows

If you have a PC, you can link your Android phone to it using Microsoft's Phone Link app (formerly called Your Phone), which lets you make and receive calls from your computer. Phone Link works with Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs with Bluetooth, and supported device requirements vary by phone manufacturer.

Phone Link itself does not have a call recording option. To capture a call routed through your PC, you need a separate app that records your computer's microphone and speaker output, such as the Windows Voice Recorder app. Start the recorder before you answer or place the call through Phone Link.

Call recording apps that work with the latest versions of Android

Some call recording apps in the Play Store still work today, though most of them route the call through a bridge number rather than recording it directly, since Google's 2022 policy change removed apps that misused the Accessibility API. Examples that continue to operate this way include TapeACall and Truecaller's call recording feature, both of which require your carrier to support three-way calling.

These apps will not work in regions where call recording is restricted, and most require a subscription once you exceed a free trial's limits. Test any app with a low-stakes call before relying on it for something important.

Summary

Google's native Record button is now the simplest option if your phone and region support it: open the Phone app, start a call, and tap Record. Check your Phone app settings first before trying anything more complicated.

If native recording is not available on your phone, you have several reliable alternatives:

• Google Voice, for incoming calls only.
• The Phone Link app on Windows, paired with a separate voice recorder.
• A dedicated Bluetooth or handheld recorder, such as a Zoom recorder.
• Two phones and an external microphone.
• A call recording app such as TapeACall or Truecaller, which dial through a bridge number.

A phone bought for a market outside the US or Canada, such as a current Samsung or Xiaomi model sold internationally, may also ship with call recording built into its own dialer, separate from Google's Phone app. A US-market phone from the same brand generally will not have this enabled by default.

If you use a recording app, test it on a low-stakes call first and read recent reviews, since app compatibility changes with almost every Android update.

Overall, privacy concerns have led Android device makers and Google to restrict call recording in the US and other countries with strict consent laws. That has eased somewhat since 2022, as Google's own native Record button has rolled out to more phones and regions. Check your Phone app settings before assuming you need a workaround, and always confirm you are complying with your state's consent law before you record.