Loop Recording App for Commuters: Hawk Dashcam
Hawk is a loop recording dashcam app that turns your iPhone or Android into continuous evidence for your commute, with automatic video cycling and one-tap court-ready export.
What is continuous loop recording?
Loop recording means your phone automatically records continuously and overwrites the oldest clips when storage fills up, so you never run out of space. Hawk does this without asking for permission every few minutes or draining your battery in an hour. Most commuters mount their phone on the dashboard and forget about it; Hawk handles the rest. The free tier records 10 clips per month with 7 days of local storage. If you want unlimited recording, Local Pro (£3.99/mo or £39.99/yr) gives you continuous capture with cinematic optical-flow stabilisation, so your footage stays sharp even on bumpy roads.
Why commuters need loop recording
Commuters face unpredictable road events: sudden stops, lane changes, unclear fault at intersections, or insurance disputes weeks later. By the time you realise you need evidence, a regular phone video is buried in your gallery or deleted. Loop recording solves this. Hawk keeps your last few hours of commute on your device at all times. When something happens, you tap 'Save Clip' and it locks to your Evidence Locker with biometric protection. No clip is ever overwritten once saved. That locked clip gets a SHA-256 integrity hash, which proves in court or to your insurer that the video wasn't tampered with.
Court-ready evidence in one tap
Hawk exports evidence as a ZIP file containing your video, GPS overlay data, timestamp, and a SHA-256 manifest that proves authenticity. You can send this directly to your insurance company, your solicitor, or a police officer investigating the incident. New drivers and nervous commuters often feel reassured just knowing the evidence is there; most never need to use it. The Evidence Locker is biometric-locked, so only you can access your clips. iCloud sync is available on Local Pro for extra security, keeping your locked evidence backed up to your own account.
GPS overlay and trip replay
Every clip records your speed and timestamp; if you enable GPS in your privacy settings, Hawk overlays the data on your video. This is especially useful if someone claims you were speeding or runs a red light. You can also replay the GPS polyline of your route during a saved clip, which helps reconstruct the sequence of events. Trip map replay is built in; no extra app needed.
Free or paid: what you get
The free tier is designed for curious commuters: 10 clips per month, 7 days of rolling storage, and basic loop recording. Local Pro (£3.99/mo, £39.99/yr, or £49.99 lifetime) adds unlimited recording, longer retention, iCloud sync, Siri voice-save commands, and police-report submission on iOS. Rideshare drivers (Uber, Lyft, Bolt) can upgrade to Rideshare Pro (£8.99/mo or £69.99/yr) to add cabin camera, shift mode for multi-trip sessions, and a passenger recording notice. No subscription is required to start; you can use Hawk free indefinitely if you only need occasional evidence.
How to set up loop recording on your phone
Download Hawk, position your phone on your dashboard using any standard car mount, tap 'Start Recording', and the app runs in the background. You don't have to babysit it. If something happens, tap 'Save Clip' within the app to lock it to your Evidence Locker; that clip will never be overwritten. For rideshare drivers with a cabin camera setup, Rideshare Pro offers shift mode so you can record multiple trips in one session without restarting. As of June 2026, Hawk is available on iOS and Android with the same core features across both platforms.
Start recording your commute with one tap.
Frequently asked questions
Does loop recording use a lot of battery?
Hawk is optimised for background recording with minimal drain. Many commuters run it for entire shifts without noticing a significant battery drop. If battery life is critical, Local Pro and Rideshare Pro tiers include power-save mode.
Can I use Hawk with any phone mount?
Yes. Hawk works with any standard dashboard or windscreen mount for phones. You don't need a special device or hardware; your existing phone becomes the dashcam.
Is my video data sent to Hawk's servers?
No. Free and Local Pro clips stay on your device or sync to your own iCloud account. Hawk does not auto-upload everything to external servers. Only you control where your evidence goes.
Will loop recording work offline?
Yes. Hawk records locally on your phone whether or not you have a data connection. GPS overlay requires location services enabled, but recording works without it.
Can I use Hawk if I'm a rideshare driver?
Absolutely. Rideshare Pro adds cabin camera support, shift mode for multi-trip sessions, and a passenger recording notice to comply with local laws. Many Uber and Lyft drivers use Hawk to protect themselves and passengers.
What happens if my phone runs out of storage?
Loop recording overwrites the oldest clips automatically. Saved clips in your Evidence Locker are never overwritten, even if storage fills up.