The program was recorded before a live studio audience in Stage 29 on the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood, California.

[6][7] Since September 2008, Dr. Phil has been broadcast in HDTV with a revamped look and a theme written and performed by McGraw's son, Jordan.

Reruns of earlier episodes of the series began broadcasting on the Oprah Winfrey Network in January 2011.

[10] On April 2, 2024, McGraw debuted his new show, Dr. Phil Primetime, out of Fort Worth, Texas, on his own television network, Merit Street.

Dozens of longtime Dr. Phil staffers were reported to have relocated from Los Angeles to Texas to continue working alongside McGraw.

McGraw said in a 2001 Chicago Tribune interview that he never liked traditional one-on-one counseling, and that "I'm not the Hush-Puppies, pipe and 'Let's talk about your mother' kind of psychologist.

"[13] In 2004, the National Alliance on Mental Illness called McGraw's conduct in one episode of his television show "unethical" and "incredibly irresponsible".

[20] In February 2022, around a dozen current and former employees of Dr. Phil alleged that they experienced "verbal abuse in a workplace that fosters fear, intimidation, and racism".

[21][23] The show covered a wide variety of topics including weight loss, financial planning, grief, dysfunctional families, marriage counselling, rebellious teenagers, child stars, and support for charitable causes.

These tests were usually administered by retired FBI agent Jack Trimarco,[27] who was a frequent guest on the show until he died in 2018.