Latest iOS 18 beta lets you record calls on iPhone, here's how

Apple has finally made it possible to record calls on iPhone without a workaround. With the latest iOS 18 developer beta, eligible iPhone users can record calls and transcribe the recording for easy access to the conversation. Although late to the party, the call recording feature on the iPhone works like it does on any Android phone, and that also means the iPhone announces whenever you start recording a call to protect the privacy of the person on the other end of the phone line. Read on if you want to try out the new feature and what it is like.

What is call recording in iOS 18.1?

It is the simple call recording feature that you may have seen on hundreds of Android phones from different brands. For iPhone users, it is a lifesaver.

Almost every Android OEM offers a call recording feature, and the ones that do not, you can go to the Google Play Store to download from a plethora of call recorder options. On iOS, it wasn’t this simple. That is because Apple denied apps access to the call functionality, citing privacy concerns. The iPhone also never offered the recording feature natively, so most workarounds involved dialling a number that belonged to a call recording service and then merging the call with an existing one to, sort of, create a conference call. The third line records the conversations and sends them in a file format, along with transcriptions in some cases, to the user’s email address. However, this is a lengthy and tedious process.

The new call recording feature works natively, so when you make a call, a recorder icon appears at the top-left corner of the call screen. Tapping it will begin recording the call while announcing that “the call is being recorded.” Apple is also using Apple Intelligence features to offer transcriptions covering both sides of the call. Once the call ends, the transcriptions are automatically saved in the Notes app.

How to access iOS 18.1 call recording

For the call recording feature to work, you must have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max with iOS 18.1 developer beta. To become a developer, enrol your Apple account and iPhone in the developer programme. After you have registered as a developer, you can go to Settings > General > Software Update and choose Beta Updates. Select the iOS Developer Beta option from the menu and wait for the iPhone to finish looking up the new software version. After it has appeared, download the iOS 18.1 developer beta on your iPhone. Ensure your data is backed up, your iPhone is adequately charged, and a strong internet connection. The call recording feature will become available after the reboot.