Call Recording: Turning It On, Off, and How Long We Keep It
Recordings give you a way to settle disputes, train new hires, and remember details you missed. CallerFriendly records both sides of the call, stores them safely, and lets you play them back any time.
Turning recording on
- Open Settings → Calls in your dashboard.
- Switch Record incoming calls to On.
- Switch Record outgoing calls to On if you want both directions recorded.
- Save.
You can also turn recording on for one number and leave it off for another. Open the number in Phone Numbers and toggle recording for that line only.
Letting callers know
Many places require you to tell callers that the conversation is being recorded. CallerFriendly can do this for you. In Settings → Calls, switch Play recording notice to On and pick a message — we have built-in options like "This call may be recorded for quality assurance". The notice plays once at the start of the call before anyone is connected.
If the law in your state, province, or country requires both parties to consent, leave this on. If you are not sure, ask your accountant or attorney — and turn it on anyway. It is good practice.
Finding recordings
- Open Call History.
- Filter by date range, caller, tag, or team member.
- Click any call to play the recording in your browser.
You can download a recording to your computer, share a private link with a teammate, or attach it to a customer's profile.
How long we keep recordings
| Plan | Recording retention |
|---|---|
| Starter | 30 days |
| Growth | 90 days |
| Pro | 1 year |
| Pro + Compliance add-on | 7 years |
Recordings older than your retention window are deleted automatically. If you need a recording past that window, download it to your own storage while it is still available.
Pausing recording during a call
Sometimes a customer reads out a card number or a personal detail you do not want recorded. While you are on the call, click Pause Recording in the call window. Click again to resume. The recording is stitched together with the paused section silent.
Turning recording off completely
- Open Settings → Calls.
- Switch Record incoming calls to Off.
- Switch Record outgoing calls to Off.
- Save.
Calls from now on will not be recorded. Calls already recorded stay in your library until they age out.
Common questions
Can I record only one team member? Yes. In Team → Permissions, set Record calls to Off for the team members you do not want recorded. Their calls will not be saved.
Do recordings count against my plan storage? Recordings are stored on our side. You do not pay for storage. You pay for the retention window your plan gives you.
The recording is missing. Where is it? Recording was probably off when the call came in, or the call was paused. Check Settings → Calls and the call entry in Call History — it will show No recording with the reason.