Google appears to be reversing its longstanding reluctance to support native call recording on Pixel phones: recent reports show the feature resurfacing in the Phone app’s settings for users in select countries, including India and parts of the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. The reintroduction arrives alongside the Call Notes AI tool and includes on-device storage, mandatory user notification to both parties, and settings to auto-enable recording for non-contacts or designated numbers. The rollout is still limited and region-gated by local consent laws and regulatory restrictions.
Sources: Android Police, Android Authority
Key Takeaways
– Google is gradually reinstating native call recording on Pixel devices, but only in regions where legal frameworks permit it.
– The feature integrates with the Phone app and Call Notes, ensuring transparency (notification to both parties) and local storage.
– The rollout is uneven—some users already see the option in beta builds, while many markets remain unsupported.
In-Depth
For years, Pixel devices were curiously absent from the call recording conversation. While third-party apps and OS tweaks could replicate it, Google itself largely avoided offering built-in recording—citing legal complexities and privacy concerns. That appears to be changing.
Recent sightings show that Pixel owners are now finding a “Call Recording” toggle in the Phone app, typically located under Caller ID & Spam settings. The UI and workflow resemble the existing Call Notes feature: when a user taps “Record” during a call (often via the Call Assist menu), the call audio is captured locally. Once the call ends, users can expand the recents entry and play back the recording, share it, or delete it. A short demonstration video from a Pixel 8 Pro in India shows precisely this behavior. Android Authority reports that this model is part of a controlled, region-limited rollout. In supported locales, both parties must be notified that recording is enabled, satisfying certain legal transparency requirements.
The eligibility list includes Pixel 6 and newer models running Android 14 or later. That said, availability is constrained by regional laws. In many U.S. states, two-party consent rules (requiring all participants to know and agree) complicate automated implementations. In markets with more permissive rules, users report seeing the option in beta versions—some in India, Canada, the U.K., and Australia. Android Police notes that in some regions the feature is already present, though in limited form. An updated support page from Google now acknowledges that call recording may be available on certain Pixel models in some regions, a significant shift from past policy. Android Authority has also teased that the Phone app is building a filter to let users more easily find calls that have been recorded, suggesting Google plans to make this feature more integrated over time.
Still, much is tentative: the feature is rolling out slowly, with regional gating, and not every user sees it yet. But the move signals Google’s readiness to revisit a controversial yet sought-after function and shows how it’s trying to balance utility with compliance and user control.