In short
VoIP call recording captures business calls as digital audio files, either inside the phone system or by a separate recorder that receives a copy of each call. 3CX, Forever UC, Webex Calling and Microsoft Teams can all record calls, depending on edition, tier or licence. In the UK, tell callers and have a lawful basis under UK GDPR.
Get a quote for VoIP call recording
Tell us roughly how many users or sites you have and we will reply by email with options and a quote.
Can VoIP calls be recorded?
Yes, and more easily than calls on a traditional line. On a VoIP phone system the audio of every call already travels as packets through software you control or rent, so the platform can write a copy of the conversation to a file as the call happens. There is no need for a recording box wired into a line or a desk phone.
That changes what recording can do for a business. Recordings can be started by policy for whole teams or queues, paused while a customer reads out card details, searched by number, user or date, and linked to the caller's record in your CRM. On some platforms they can also be transcribed and summarised.
If you are new to how calls travel on VoIP, our guide to how a VoIP phone system works explains the signalling and the audio stream that recording captures.
Three ways VoIP platforms record calls
Where the recording happens matters, because it decides what can be recorded, who controls it and where the files end up.
| Method | How it works | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| In-platform recording | The phone system itself records calls that pass through it and stores the files, with settings per user, group or queue | Most businesses: sales, service, reception and training |
| Compliance recording | A separate recording product connects to the platform through the vendor's interface, receives every in-scope call by policy and keeps it under its own retention and access rules | Regulated firms and anyone who needs a complete record of in-scope calls |
| SIP-based recording (SIPREC) | A PBX or session border controller on the call path sends a copy of the audio and call details to a recording server using the IETF Session Recording Protocol | Recording calls on SIP trunks or across several systems in one place |
Within each method you then choose a policy: record every call automatically, record automatically but let users pause and resume, or record only when a user presses record. Many organisations mix them, for example automatic recording on a sales queue and on-demand recording for managers.
Not sure which option fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will recommend the right option for your organisation, with a quote.
SIP call recording and SIPREC explained
"SIP call recording" usually means recording at the protocol level rather than inside one vendor's app. The standard for it is SIPREC, published by the IETF as RFC 7866, the Session Recording Protocol.
- A session recording client sits on the call path. This is usually the PBX or a session border controller at the edge of the network.
- It sets up a second session to a recording server. Using SIP, SDP and RTP, the same building blocks as the call itself, it streams a copy of the audio to a session recording server.
- It sends call details with the audio. Metadata such as the parties and times travels with the media, so recordings can be indexed and searched.
- Participants are made aware. RFC 7866 covers active recording, where the people on the call are notified that it is being recorded.
The older alternative, passive recording, picks up call audio from the network, for example with port mirroring. RFC 7866 leaves passive recording out of scope, and a recorder that only sees the network cannot decode call audio encrypted with SRTP without the keys. If you want to keep a SIP-based phone system and add recording, we can look at whether it supports a recording interface. Our SIP vs VoIP explainer covers the protocol background.
Which VoIP platforms and tiers include recording
Recording is rarely all-or-nothing. It depends on the edition, tier or licence, so this is where quotes often differ. On the platforms Forever Systems supplies:
| Platform | Recording | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 3CX | Built-in recording on SMB Free, PRO and AI. Not included in Basic | PRO adds AI voicemail transcription; AI adds start and stop recording rights, call transcription, summaries and sentiment |
| Forever UC | Inbound and outbound recording on the Plus and Contact tiers | Recordings kept for 180 days; Plus adds reporting and Contact adds live contact centre reports |
| Microsoft Teams Phone | User-started recording of calls, plus policy-based compliance recording through third-party recording products | Compliance Recording for Call Queues records agent-answered inbound queue calls |
| Forever Teams | Call recording available as an option on Forever Group's Teams calling service | Retention and access options confirmed at quote |
| Webex Calling | Built-in recording on Professional (User), Professional (Workspace) and Standard licences, not Workspace | A third-party recording provider is a paid option on Professional licences |
BT Cloud Voice, supplied by our sister company Forever Communications, has its own recording options, covered on cloudvoice.cloud. If recording and reporting are central to your choice, our VoIP phone system features page shows what else each tier includes.
Is VoIP call recording the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
Recording on Microsoft Teams and Webex in more detail
Microsoft Teams. When a user records a one-to-one or group call in Teams, Microsoft stores the file in the OneDrive of the person who selected Record. That suits occasional recordings, but it is not a compliance archive. For policy-based recording, Microsoft relies on third-party compliance recording solutions that connect through its APIs with a recording bot. Users with a recording policy see a visual notice in Teams, and PSTN callers and SIP phone users hear an audio notice. Microsoft lists the licences that are eligible, including Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Business Premium, E3 and E5, plus Teams Rooms and shared device licences.
Webex Calling. The administrator sets how much control each user has. Calls can be recorded every time, every time with pause and resume, on demand, or on demand with the user starting each recording. Users see an indicator when a call is being recorded, and callers can hear an announcement or beeps, depending on the set-up. For the wider platform, see Microsoft Teams VoIP and Webex VoIP.
UK rules for recording business calls
Recording is lawful for businesses in the UK when you follow the rules. In brief:
- Tell people. Under the Investigatory Powers (Interception by Businesses etc. for Monitoring and Record-keeping Purposes) Regulations 2018, a business must make all reasonable efforts to inform everyone who may use its phone system that communications may be intercepted. A short greeting message for callers, a line in your privacy notice and a staff policy are the usual ways to do it.
- Have a lawful basis. A recording of an identifiable person is personal data under UK GDPR, so you need a lawful basis, a clear purpose and sensible retention.
- Keep card codes out. The PCI Security Standards Council's guidance says digital recordings must not be used to store card security codes if the recording can be queried. Pause and resume, or keypad entry that masks the tones, keeps them out.
- Regulated firms. Firms in scope of the FCA's SYSC 10A rules must take all reasonable steps to record relevant conversations and keep the records for the required period.
Our sister site covers these rules in more depth on its business call recording page, including retention and access policies. Regulated firms should take advice for their own circumstances.
Storage, retention and finding a call
Before you switch recording on, decide where recordings live and how long you keep them:
- Retention by tier. Hosted platforms often fix retention by tier or licence, such as 180 days on Forever UC Plus and Contact. Check it matches your policy, and use a compliance recorder if you need longer.
- Access. Give managers access to their own teams' calls, limit downloads, and keep a record of who listened.
- Search. Look for search by number, user, queue and date. Transcription, on the 3CX AI edition and on some compliance products, also turns calls into text that is quicker to review.
- Data location. Know which country recordings are stored in and whether they are encrypted at rest.
- Requests. Callers can ask for recordings of themselves, so make sure you can find and supply them.
How we help you record calls on VoIP
- Agree the purpose. Training, disputes, quality or regulation, because the purpose drives who is recorded and for how long.
- Match the platform and tier. We check which edition, tier or licence includes the recording you need, or whether a compliance product fits better.
- Set the policy. Automatic, pause and resume, or on demand, per user, group and queue, with the right announcement for callers.
- Protect card payments. We plan pause and resume or a card-safe payment method for teams that take payments.
- Test and train. We can test recording, search and playback with your team before go-live, and help with changes as your needs grow.
Contact us with the teams you want to record and why, and we will recommend the platform and tier that fits.
How Forever Systems helps you choose a VoIP phone system
We supply and support several VoIP platforms, so we can recommend the one that fits how your team takes calls rather than fitting your business around one product.
- Platform advice across hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Webex Calling, Forever UC and Forever Teams, with SIP trunks for phone systems you already own
- A requirements check of your broadband, network and routers before anything goes live
- Numbers and porting: we can help you keep your existing business numbers and plan the move away from analogue and ISDN lines
- Handsets and headsets that suit each platform, bought outright or, in some cases, included in your monthly rental, with the options confirmed at quote
- Set-up and changes: call flows, users and devices configured for you, and help with moves, adds and changes afterwards
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our sister site cloudvoice.cloud, and for hosted and cloud platforms in depth, cloudphone.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations.
Frequently asked questions
Can VoIP calls be recorded?
Yes. Most business VoIP phone systems can record calls, either built in or through a separate recording product. Recordings can be automatic for whole teams or queues, or started on demand, and are stored as files you can search and play back.
Is it legal to record VoIP calls in the UK?
Yes, when you meet the conditions. Make all reasonable efforts to tell people calls may be recorded, have a lawful basis and a clear purpose under UK GDPR, and keep card security codes out of recordings. FCA-regulated firms may be required to record certain calls.
What is SIP call recording?
SIP call recording captures calls at the protocol level. The standard method, SIPREC (IETF RFC 7866), has a PBX or session border controller send a copy of each call's audio and details to a recording server, so calls can be recorded across systems in one place.
Does Microsoft Teams record phone calls?
Users can record calls in Teams, and the file is saved to the OneDrive of the person who pressed Record. For automatic, policy-based recording, Microsoft uses third-party compliance recording products, including recording of agent-answered call queue calls.
Which 3CX edition includes call recording?
3CX's feature list shows call recording on SMB Free, PRO and AI, but not on Basic. The AI edition adds start and stop recording rights, call transcription, summaries and sentiment analysis.
How long are VoIP call recordings kept?
It depends on the platform and your policy. Forever UC Plus and Contact keep recordings for 180 days, other platforms depend on the licence or storage you choose, and compliance recording products keep them for as long as your policy requires.
Still have a question about VoIP call recording?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.
More VoIP phone system guides
3CX VoIP3CX as a VoIP PBX: where it runs, the editions, licensing and SIP trunks.
Teams VoIPCalls to landlines and mobiles in Microsoft Teams: licences, PSTN routes and devices.
Webex VoIPIs Webex a VoIP service? Webex Calling licences, devices and PSTN options.VoIP securityToll fraud, account takeover and eavesdropping, and the NCSC controls that stop them.