Here's how Google Phone app's call recording feature works

Google hasn’t made it easy to get call recording functionality on Android phones in recent years, but more and more evidence points to the feature landing in the Google Phone app.

Now, XDA-Developers has enabled call recording in version 44 of the Google Phone app on the Pixel 4, giving us a good idea of what to expect.

The outlet notes that you’ll see a “record” button in the interface during an incoming or outgoing call. You can then tap it to start recording and tap it again to end the recording at any time. Furthermore, XDA adds that you can listen to recorded calls via the call log and it can be shared as a WAV file via an integrated sharing icon. Check out the website’s images below for a look at the feature.

It seems like Google is also working on machine learning magic for call recording, as there’s an option to view a transcript of the call log. But this feature wasn’t working just yet, according to the outlet.

Google is seemingly taking no chances when it comes to liability, warning users to comply with various laws regarding call recording when you first enable the function. Other parties to the call will also hear a pre-recorded message telling them when a call has been recorded or when it has stopped.

There’s no word on specific supported devices just yet, but it’s possible that call recording will first hit Pixel devices. The outlet also adds that references to this feature emerged a short time after Xiaomi announced that it would pre-install Google’s Phone app.

Either way, we hope most Android users are able to eventually get their hands on call recording functionality. Or at the very least, we hope Google starts approving more third-party call recording apps too.