This is the easiest way to record phone calls

In Android, it’s now easier than ever to record phone calls. Since Android 11, there’s a handy ‘Screen Recording’ feature that gets the job done, and that’s because the built-in screen recorder can also record sound with the microphone.

Is it legal to record phone calls?

Recording a phone call can sometimes be useful in various situations. On the one hand to easily store information without having to take notes, but very often it can also serve as a burden of proof. People are often unclear about whether recording conversations is legal, but that is the case in the Netherlands.

Article 139a of the Criminal Code states that recording conversations is not punishable under certain conditions. It is important that you are a participant in the conversation yourself or that you act on behalf of a conversation participant.

Screen recording in Android 11

For a while it was quite cumbersome to record phone calls on Android 10 phones. The familiar call recording tools no longer worked, and you had to work with alternative apps that required a lot of permissions. Fortunately, since Android 11 there is an easy alternative thanks to the built-in Screen Recording function.

With a Screen Recording you can do more than just record what is playing on your screen. There is also a possibility to record sound with your microphones and in combination with the speaker function during a telephone call, you can record the content of a conversation. It is important that you first give the Screen Recording function a place in the Quick settings of your phone. You do that as follows:

1. Swipe down twice on the screen to view quick settings
2. Press it edit icon with the pencil
3. Scroll until you Screen capture see and drag the function between the other active buttons in the Quick Settings
4. Place the button in a place where you can easily reach it
5. Save if needed or go back

How to record conversations

That was the preparatory work, but now comes the essentials. Before you start a phone call or as soon as you receive a call, start the recording. It is important to take the correct actions. We explain:

1. Choose Screen capture in the Quick Settings
2. Press Record audio and choose Microphone
3. Tap on Start
4. Go to your phone call and turn on the loudspeaker
5. When you’re done, press in the red notification Stop
6. A new Screen Recording notification will appear on your phone. Tap it to find your screenshot. You can also find the recording in your gallery in the folder Movies

Keep this in mind

It is important to know that the Phone app on your phone will send a notification to your conversation partner as soon as you start recording. This is because in certain countries it is mandatory to inform your interlocutor. To be clear, this is not a requirement in the Netherlands, but it is of course neat to do.

Which app do you currently use to record phone calls? Maybe you’ve been using the Screen Recording feature for a while? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this article.

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