Recording phone calls on an Android device can be difficult. While Google’s Phone app includes a recording feature, its functionality is dependent on your carrier, region, and other factors. You can always use an external recording device, but there are several on-device options as well, ranging from Google Voice to third-party apps.
Google added limitations to Android 9 that prevent many apps from recording your phone conversations. The apps may appear to work, but when you play the recording, you hear nothing but silence or your end of the conversation.
Some people have found workarounds for Google’s block, such as changing the audio source or format, increasing the speaker volume, recording manually rather than automatically, and even rooting their phones. However, some apps may only work on certain phones and not on others. If you’re running Android 11 or higher, you’ll need to enable the recording app’s accessibility service. Some apps will guide you through the process, while others will not.
Google’s Phone app includes call recording, but only under certain conditions. The app must be preinstalled on your phone, and it must be up to date. You must have Android 9 or higher. Most importantly, your region, carrier, and device must all support it, which rules out a lot of phones and locations.
Check that your phone is using the Phone by Google app rather than, say, Samsung’s Phone app. If you have the correct app, open it and then tap the three-dot icon in the upper right to access Settings. Tap Call Recording to specify which calls you want to record. If this option is not visible, your phone will be unable to record calls using the app.
You select a dedicated phone number with Google Voice, and incoming calls are routed to your mobile phone. After you’ve configured your phone number and Google Voice account, tap the hamburger icon in the upper-left corner of the app. To enable call recording, go to Settings and turn on the switch for Incoming call options.
When you answer the phone, press 4 on the keypad to record the conversation. A message informs you that the call is being recorded, so make sure you have the other person’s permission first. To stop the recording, press 4 again on the keypad. The recording is saved in your email inbox, where you can listen to it or save it to your computer.
