Samsung’s pitch for AI call recording focuses on the convenient part: Tap record, and Galaxy AI turns your call into a searchable transcript with a tidy summary at the end. The part Samsung’s marketing skips is that recording a phone call is still recording a phone call, and some states require everyone on the line to agree before you hit that button.
Galaxy AI has plenty of features that live up to the promise, which we dug into when we asked whether Galaxy AI is worth the hype. In my ranking of hidden AI phone features, call recording scored a 3 out of 5 on the creep scale and an easy Yes on usefulness, as long as you know the rules before you use it.
This isn’t legal advice
Recording laws vary by state and change over time, and this article is a general overview, not legal advice. For the specific rules where you live, check the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press state-by-state recording guide, and talk to a lawyer if you’re recording for anything with legal stakes.
Is AI call recording legal?
AI recording phone calls is legal in every state as long as you follow that state’s consent rules. A transcript and summary are just a written version of the recording, so the same laws apply.
Federal law and most states follow a one-party consent rule, which means you can record a call you’re part of without telling anyone else. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press counts about 11 states that primarily require all-party consent, meaning everyone on the call has to agree.
Calls between states get complicated fast. If you’re in a one-party state and the person you’re calling is in an all-party state, the safest approach is to treat the call as all-party consent and get everyone’s OK before recording.
Which states require everyone’s consent
States fall into one of two categories for recording phone calls. Most states fall into the One-Party Consent category, where only one person on the call needs to know the call is being recorded. Here are the 36 One-Party Consent states and districts:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
All other states fall into the All-Party Consent category, where you must inform everyone on the call that you’re recording it. Failing to do so could result in criminal or civil charges. Here are the All-Party Consent states:
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Vermont
- Washington
These lists are a good basic guide, but state laws can be complicated, and some consent requirements only apply to calls made in private places. Michigan specifically is a special case. The state’s law reads like an all-party rule, but Michigan’s appeals courts have ruled that you can record a call you’re part of without everyone’s consent. At least one federal court has disagreed, and Michigan’s Supreme Court hasn’t settled the question, so the safest move is to get everyone’s OK before recording.
Does Samsung notify when recording calls?
Samsung call recording plays an announcement to everyone on the call as soon as recording starts, so the other person hears that the call is being recorded. Samsung’s support documentation notes one important exception: Anyone added to a group call after recording starts won’t hear the announcement.
The announcement helps a lot, because many states treat staying on the line after a recording notice as agreeing to it. The announcement isn’t a legal guarantee, though, and it doesn’t cover people who join late, so it’s worth telling them yourself.
Pixel Call Notes works the same way on the Pixel 9 and newer. When you turn on Call Notes, your Pixel announces to everyone on the call that it’s being recorded and transcribed.
Where Galaxy AI call recordings live and how long they’re kept
Galaxy AI call recordings are saved to your phone’s internal storage, not to Samsung’s servers. You can find them in the Phone app under Settings > Record calls > Call recordings, or in the My Files app under Internal storage > Recordings. Your Galaxy AI call transcript and summary from Transcript Assist sit alongside the recording.
Recordings stay on your phone until you delete them, so they don’t expire automatically. To clear out old recordings in bulk, go to the Phone app’s Settings > Record calls > Delete old recordings. Transcript Assist first launched on the Galaxy S24 series, which we tested in our Galaxy S24+ review and Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
Pros and cons of AI call recording
The biggest pro of AI call recording is having a searchable record of calls where someone gives you details you’ll need later, like an insurance claim number or a carrier rep’s promise about a bill credit. The summary saves you from scrubbing through a 40-minute recording to find one sentence.
The cons come down to trust, storage, and legal risk. Some people talk less openly once they hear a recording announcement, and every recording you keep is sensitive audio sitting on your phone. If your phone backs up to the cloud, those recordings can end up there too.
The biggest con is the legal exposure, since recording someone in an all-party consent state without their agreement can lead to criminal or civil penalties, and the announcement won’t protect you if someone joins a group call after recording starts.
Looking for a phone with the latest AI features?
The newest Android flagships come with the most complete set of AI tools, including Gemini task automation and AI call screening, which older phones don’t get. Here are some of the best AI-ready Android phones available right now.
Galaxy A27 5G 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 5MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Galaxy A37 5G 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 8MP, 5MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Galaxy A57 5G 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 12MP, 5MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Pixel 10a 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
AI call recording: FAQ
Which states require two-party consent to record a call?
States commonly listed as requiring two-party, or all-party, consent for phone calls include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Laws change, and some states have exceptions, so check the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press recording guide for your state’s current rules.
Does Samsung tell the other person you’re recording the call?
Samsung tells the other person you’re recording the call by playing an announcement to everyone on the line as soon as recording starts. People added to a group call after recording begins won’t hear the announcement, so you need to tell them yourself.
Where are Galaxy AI call recordings saved, and how long are they kept?
Galaxy AI call recordings are saved to your phone’s internal storage, in the Phone app’s Call recordings list and the My Files app’s Recordings folder. Recordings stay on your phone until you delete them, and you can clear old ones in the Phone app under Settings > Record calls > Delete old recordings.
Do iPhone and Pixel phones announce call recordings too?
iPhone and Pixel phones both announce call recordings to everyone on the call. iPhones running iOS 18.1 and newer play a recording notice when you start recording, and Pixel Call Notes on the Pixel 9 and newer announces that the call is being recorded and transcribed.
Scott Houghton
Jr. Staff Writer
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