How to bring Google’s Pixel 9 Call Notes feature to any Android device

One of the best parts of owning a Google Pixel phone comes down to an oft-forgotten role these modern mobile devices play in our lives — and that’s the role of acting as, y’know, an actual cellular telephone.

It sounds almost funny to say in our current call-averse culture, but ask any Pixel owner, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Google’s Pixel-specific software makes the act of placing and receiving regular ol’ voice calls far more pleasant than you ever thought possible. Whether you’re dealing with calls regularly for business or even just fielding (or perhaps dodging) the occasional incoming call for any purpose, Pixel-exclusive calling features like enhanced call audio, hassle-free holding, and phone tree menu maze skipping really can make your life a heck of a lot easier — and less irritating.

With the newly announced Pixel 9 model, Google’s adding another intriguing option into the mix: a feature called Call Notes that lets you easily record any calls on your device and then see a transcript and summary of the conversation seconds later, right within your Pixel Phone app.

It’s a smart and sensible-seeming addition and something that could certainly come in handy, especially if you make a fair amount of work-related calls and want to be sure you never forget anything important.

And while the full Call Notes feature is currently limited only to the new Pixel 9 products, with a teensy bit of careful planning and a pinch of extra effort, you can implement something similar on any Android device — no matter how old it is or which company made it — this minute.

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Some Pixel 9 Call Notes context

Now, first things first: Recording calls on Android without the Pixel 9’s Call Notes system isn’t exactly easy.

That’s in large part because different regions have different laws around call recording and the kind of disclosures you’re required to make in such scenarios. With that complicating factor in mind, Google implemented new security measures within Android a few years back that make it pretty tough for most Android apps to even record any audio while a voice call is actively underway.

As a preinstalled system app, the Pixel Phone app is an exception. It’s able to get around that restriction and claim deeper permissions than what’s possible for a typical Play-Store-downloaded title. Without that element in the picture — well, things get a little messy.

But it can still be done. It just isn’t anywhere near as simple or seamless as what the Pixel 9 Call Notes system makes possible, and it takes a bit of time and patience to set up.

The first piece of the puzzle is the app that actually handles the recording of the call — and that’s where the bulk of the heavy lifting comes into play.

The short version is that for most of us, an app called Cube ACR Call Recorder is the key to making this happen.

➜ The long version is that you really need to read my separate guide to call recording on Android to understand how, exactly, that app is able to work and what you need to do to get it up and running properly on your device.

Again, it’ll take a teensy bit of time and effort. But you’ll only have to do it once — and then you’ll be ready to come back to the next and most rewarding part of the Pixel 9 Call-Notes-recreating puzzle.

Google’s Pixel 9 Call Notes magic, anywhere

What makes Google’s Pixel 9 Call Notes feature so useful is that it doesn’t just record your calls — it also transcribes and summarizes them for easy future reference. That’s where the true magic happens and where things get especially interesting.

And that’s where this next piece of the puzzle comes into place. It’s a well-regarded app called Notta that’ll take any audio file you feed it — in this case, the call recording you captured using these methods — then transcribe and summarize the recording on demand for you.

Notta can handle up to 50 such imports per month with a maximum of three minutes per transcript for free. If you need more than that, you’ll have to opt for one of the service’s pro-level plans to lift the restriction (or look at the similar Otter app instead, which has slightly cheaper pricing but a much more limited free offering). For most casual purposes, though, the service’s free tier should be plenty.

So go install Notta from the Play Store, open ‘er up — then:

Skip past the initial sign-in screen that comes up and select to continue as a guest.

Tap the “x” on any screens you see prompting you to upgrade to the pro plan right off the bat.

Tap the circular plus icon in the app’s lower-center area.

Select “Import Files” from the menu that comes up.

Tap “Import Audio Files.”

In the file picker that pops up next, you’ll need to find the folder where Cube ACR — the Android call recording tool we were talking about a minute ago — stores its files. (On most reasonably recent Android devices, you’ll do this by tapping the three-line menu icon in the upper-left corner of the screen, then selecting the name of your phone and navigating to “Documents” followed by “CubeCallRecorder” and then “All.”)

Tap the name of your most recent recording — or whichever recording you want to access — in the list.

Once you select your audio file within Notta, it’ll be ready for transcribing and summarizing — just like what the Pixel 9’s Call Notes system provides.JR Raphael, IDG

You’ll then see that file show up in Notta’s main home screen area. You can tap it to view a complete transcription as well as to generate a summary of the high points and any action points, translate the text into another language, and copy the text for pasting wherever you want.

Transcriptions, summaries, and even an action item breakout (when available) — à la the Pixel 9’s Call Notes, only on any Android phone.JR Raphael, IDG

Like most voice-to-text transcriptions, the results aren’t perfect. And the process here certainly isn’t as simple or seamless as what you’d get with Google’s own Pixel Call Notes system.

But if you aren’t planning on picking up a Pixel 9, it’s a crafty way to get the job done and get the same basic end result on whatever phone you’re palming — and that, my friend, is what we call the power of Android.

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