When phoning a company, it's common to hear an automated voice informing you that the call may be recorded for training purposes. However, there are a number of other reasons that you may want to record phone calls. It could be in an attempt to improve your customer service or so that you can keep a memento of a conversation with a loved one.
Whatever reason that you want to record a phone conversation, it's a good idea to install reliable software so that you can guarantee that the recording will be of good quality. You may also want to find the answers to legal questions in regard to recording someone without their knowledge or consent.
Continue reading as we take a look at the best apps for recording your phone calls, as well as the legal aspect of recording a phone call if one party is unaware of it.
Android and iOS devices don't provide automatic call recording software, which means that you will have to install a third-party app. Below is a list of some of the best call recording apps to help you record your phone calls.
Google Voice
One of the most popular call recording apps is Google Voice. This multi-functional app allows you to record incoming calls on computers, Android and iOS devices.
To avoid people unknowingly recording phone calls, Google Voice doesn't enable recording as a default. You must press the number '4' on your keypad to start recording the call once all participants have joined. Both parties will be notified that the recording has started.
To stop recording the call, press '4' again. The section of the call that has been recorded between these two actions will be automatically saved and stored on the Google server.
Recordings that you have made can be accessed when you log into your Google Voice account. All of the calls will be identifiable with a time stamp and labelled with the call duration. You can replay the recordings in your account, download them to your device or email it to someone.
Automatic Call Recorder by Appliqato
This phone app allows you to choose which phone calls you want to be recorded and saved. You can also pre-set which calls you want to be recorded and which ones you want to be ignored. After the recording has been saved, you can listen to it via your Appliqato account, make notes on the recording and share it. If you integrate the app with Google Drive™ and Dropbox, your calls will automatically be saved and synchronised with the cloud too.
While you can save multiple calls to your device, the exact number will depend on your storage memory. You can prioritise which calls are permanently saved by moving specific calls to the Saved Calls folder. Recordings that are not in this account will be deleted from your device after a period of time.
Call Recorder by SMSROBOT
Call Recorder by SMSROBOT enables you to automatically record calls on an Android device. The app has incoming call options which can help you screen calls. The app displays caller ID, which can help you see who is calling and block spam calls if necessary. You can choose whether the recordings are saved as MP3 or WAV audio formats so that they can be easily downloaded onto your device.
Cube ACR
This Smart Call Recorder app allows you to record phone conversations on all VoIP services. This includes third-party apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and Viber. You can record both sides of phone conversations, which can then be saved to the cloud. The 'shake to mark' feature lets you tag important parts of the conversation as they are occurring so that you can easily identify them in the recording. The geotagging setting can also tell you where the recorded phone calls occurred on a map.
You may decide against downloading an app to record phone calls or be unable to because the device isn't a smartphone with the capability for recording calls.
It is possible to record phone calls externally, but you need another device that has a recording feature. This could be anything from a smartphone or tablet to a handheld recording device. The downside of using external devices is that the recording may feature background noise that will interfere with the quality of the recorded calls.
Most apps will notify both parties as soon as the call recording starts. However, recording with an external device also means that the other party won't be aware that they are being recorded unless you tell them. This could lead to some disagreements if the other party finds out that they were recorded without their knowledge or consent.
Yes, you can legally record a phone call, but there are some legal aspects that you need to be aware of. If you want to record a phone recording between yourself and another person, the best course of action is to notify them of your intentions so that they are aware of what you are doing and are able to give their consent.
However, you can also legally record a phone call between yourself and another person without their knowledge or expressed consent. You don't need to obtain their permission if you only plan to use the call recording for personal use. This changes if you plan to share the recording or sell it to third parties. It is a legal offence to make the recording public or sell it to other people without having gained the consent of the other person involved.
It has become more common for companies to record phone calls with customers for 'training purposes'. However, companies must still abide by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) when it comes to protecting the personal data of customers and properly storing the recordings.
Under GDPR, companies must clearly tell customers how their data and personal information will be used and stored. The reason must meet one of the conditions in Article 6. This should all be clearly listed in policy documents that your company has created, including the actions that your business will take to gain consent from your customers.
The following are some of the reasons that companies can legally record phone calls:
- they are used to prove a business transaction
- evidence that the company is n compliance with regulatory procedures
- to detect and prevent crime
- ensure that national security standards are met
The length of time that phone recordings can be kept will depend on the nature of the business. Some time periods can be six months, while other companies may be authorised to store calls for up to 25 years. It's important that businesses know and abide by their retention period, otherwise, they could face legal ramifications.
Companies can also monitor phone calls made by employees, but they cannot be recorded in order to protect employee privacy.
Some journalists secretly use call recording devices and make the files public without facing legal consequences. This is often because they argue that the recordings were made specifically for the sake of public interest.
Under the Data Protection Act 2018, individuals can request to hear or receive a copy of any recording that they were involved in. Companies must therefore include this option on their website or other relevant documentation so that customers know how they can access the recordings.
Can phone recordings be used in court?
Recordings of phone conversations without the consent of both parties can be used in court if they were obtained within public interest or consent was gained retrospectively. It's advisable to obtain legal advice if you have or want to make a secret recording of a phone conversation without the other party's knowledge.
Generally speaking, phone recordings that feature children are not usually admissible as evidence in court. This is to protect underage individuals and their privacy.
What are the consequences of illegally recording a phone call?
It's not a criminal offence to secretly record someone that you are speaking with on the phone, as long as the recording is for personal use only. The individual may sue for damages, depending on the outcome of the recording, it may be classed as a civil wrong. You may have to pay a fine if the individual is able to prove that their privacy was breached.
However, these rules change if you sell the recording to a third party. It could be classed as a criminal offence if you share someone else's personal data and information without their knowledge or consent. You will need to seek legal advice if you have done so or if you suspect someone else has sold a recording of you that you didn't give your consent for.
Why should I record my phone calls?
There are various reasons that you may want to start recording phone calls for your own personal use or on behalf of your company.
In terms of recording incoming and outgoing calls, they can help you and your team to improve your services and help ensure that your customers are receiving the best experience that they can. Monitoring and recording calls can also make sure that your employees are following new strategies that have been implemented. The recordings can also be used as an example for new employees as part of your training process.
Call recording can also help to protect yourself in case of any potential disputes. You could use the call as evidence in case your company is accused of unprofessionalism or to prove that certain business transactions were made.
You may want to record incoming calls on a personal level to help you remember certain aspects of a conversation or for sentimental reasons. Recording phone conversations could also help to protect yourself as they can be used as evidence to show that you did or didn't say something.
There are various ways that you can legally record a phone call. You can download apps such as Google Voice onto your iOS or Android phone that will record and save recordings onto your device or the cloud. It's also possible to record phone calls using another device, although you may find that there is background noise that interferes with the quality of the recording.
It is legal to record phone conversations without the other person's consent, as long as you keep the recording for personal use only. You could encounter legal issues if you make the recording public or sell it to third parties, especially if the individual involved finds out and sues for damages.
Companies can record phone conversations with customers if they explicitly state the reasons and make sure to abide by GDPR so that the customer's personal data and information is kept private and secure. You can also monitor employee phone calls, although they should be made aware that you are doing so and understand the reasons.
Whether you are recording for personal or company reasons, it's advisable to always ask the other party if you can record the phone conversation and explain why.
