Uber's New Safety Recording Feature: What UK Riders Need to Know
Uber has launched a new safety feature across the UK that lets you record audio during your journeys — and it could be important for protecting yourself as a passenger.
From Thursday this week, all UK Uber riders can press a record button directly in the app before or during their trip. The audio is encrypted, meaning it’s scrambled and protected. Crucially, Uber can only access the recordings if you choose to upload them to report a safety issue. Otherwise, the files stay on your phone and private.
Why is Uber doing this? Safety concerns have been growing around ride-hailing services. Both passengers and drivers have raised worries about harassment, assault, and identity verification. By giving riders the ability to create their own audio evidence, Uber is trying to give people more protection and a clearer way to report problems if something goes wrong.
How it works in practice
If you’re an Uber user in the UK, you’ll see a new record button in the app. You can start recording before you get in the car or at any point during your journey. The audio stays encrypted on your device — Uber doesn’t automatically listen to it or store it. You only send it to Uber if you need to report something unsafe. This is different from always-on dashcams or other surveillance that runs constantly.
What this means for you
If you use Uber regularly, this feature gives you a simple way to protect yourself. It’s worth knowing it’s there, especially if you travel alone or at unsociable hours. Think of it as similar to keeping a receipt or taking a photo — it’s evidence you can use if there’s a dispute or safety concern.
What to do next
Check your Uber app to familiarise yourself with the new recording feature. If you ever feel unsafe during a journey, you now have an easy way to document what happened. You can also continue using Uber’s existing safety tools, like sharing your trip details with a friend or rating your driver.
If you have a serious safety concern, always report it to Uber directly through the app and contact the police if needed.