How to add screen recording to iphone

If you want to capture video of your iPhone or iPad screen, you don't even need to download an app to complete the task. The ability to record activity on your screen is built right in to iOS and iPadOS through a feature called Screen Recording.

With this tool, you can start a recording of your screen and then snap individual screenshots of the video. This makes capturing your iPhone or iPad screen activity much easier than going through a third-party app. Here's how to set up and use the built-in Screen Recording tool.

Customize Control Center

Before you can use the Screen Recording feature, you must first add it to Control Panel. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Control Center and make sure the option Access Within Apps is turned on. Under the More Controls section, tap Screen Recording to add it to the Included Controls section, which appear in Control Center.

Capture Video

Now move to the screen you want recorded. Swipe to open the Control Center and tap the circular Screen Recording button. You will then see a countdown, after which the recording will begin.

Do you also want to record audio? Maybe you're narrating what you see as the iPhone or iPad records the screen. Long-press the record button on Control Center, and tap the Microphone button that appears to turn sound on or off for your video.

By default, recordings are saved to your Photos library, but you can choose a different destination from the list provided when you long-press the record button. Tap Start Recording from this window to start the countdown. A red icon with a timer will appear at the top of your screen.

When you're done with your video, there's no need to return to the Control Center. Tap the red icon at the top of the screen and tap Stop when asked if you want to stop the screen recording. A notification will appear to say the recorded video was saved to the device.

Taking Screenshots

You can also use the Screen Recording tool to take screenshots of any activity already recorded. This trick can come in handy if you're having trouble taking screenshots of a specific activity. After recording your video, play back the footage you recorded and pause at the right moment.

Take a screenshot on your device by pressing the appropriate keys to take a static screenshot (Side button + Volume Up button on an iPhone or iPad Pro without a Home button; On/Off button + Home button on devices with a Home button).

View Recordings and Screenshots

Your recordings and screen grabs will be saved to your Photos library by default. From the app, you can tap a recording and tap Play to view it. From here, you can also scrub through the video, mute the sound, share it, or delete it.

Taking screenshots is so yesterday. With iPhone’s screen recording feature, you can save your favorite YouTube clips, create tutorials for your friends, or even capture gaming sequences with just a few taps. Follow these easy steps to learn how to screen record on an iPhone. Once you’re up to speed on this iPhone hack, make sure you also know these iPhone tricks like how to hide or delete photos, how to recover deleted iPhone photos, and how to tackle your disabled iPhone.

All iPhones with iOS 11 or later have a built-in screen recording function. But before learning how to screen record on an iPhone, check to see if the screen record button is in the Control Center; if it’s not, be sure to add it. Doing so will make it easier and faster to start recording.

1. Open your phone’s Control Center menu by swiping down from the top-right corner (iPhone X or later) or swiping up (iPhone 8 or earlier).
2. Look for the screen record button, which looks like a dot with a circle around it. If you see it, you can skip to the next section.
3. If you don’t see it, tap Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls.
4. Scroll down to the More Controls menu and find the Screen Recording option.
5. Tap the green “+” symbol to the left of the text. The feature will jump to the Included Controls menu above.
6. You can remove the screen record button from your Control Center any time by returning to this screen and tapping the red “-” symbol.

FYI, the screen recording feature isn’t the only secret Apple insiders know that you don’t.

How to screen record on an iPhone

After adding the screen record button to your phone’s Control Center menu, you are ready to start using it. The screen recording feature will allow you to make a video of every swipe, tap, and sound on your screen for as long as the recording runs. It’s just one of the many iPhone tricks that will make your life easier—guaranteed.

1. Swipe down (iPhone X or later) or up (iPhone 8 or earlier) to open the Control Center.
2. Tap the Record button.
3. A three-second countdown will appear, and then the clock in the upper left-hand corner of the screen will turn red. If you have an older iPhone, a red bar will appear at the top of your screen instead.
4. Tap the screen to close the Control Center. Now you are recording both the video and audio on your phone’s screen.
5. When you’re ready to stop recording, tap the red clock or bar at the top of your screen and then tap Stop, or swipe—or s/u in texting abbreviation terms—to open the Control Center and tap the Record button again.

How to screen record with audio on an iPhone

Bonus tip: iPhone’s screen recording function also allows you to record yourself talking while recording your screen at the same time. To turn your microphone on, follow these additional steps before pressing “Record.”

1. Tap and hold the Record button.
2. In the pop-up screen, tap on the microphone icon at the bottom, then tap Start Recording. You’ll see the countdown begin.
3. Tap twice to exit the screen and close the Control Center.
4. Now the microphone will turn on any time you begin recording. If you don’t want to use your microphone, you can turn it off by returning to this screen and pressing and holding the microphone icon.

How to open and edit your screen recording

Want to watch and edit your new video? You can find it on your iPhone’s Camera Roll in the Photos app. From there, you can use iPhone’s editing tools to add filters, trim the beginning or end, and save the video as a new clip.

1. Open the Camera Roll album in the Photos app and tap the video.
2. Tap Edit in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
3. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a visual timeline of the video. To trim the beginning of the video, tap and drag the arrow beside the Play button to the right. It should turn yellow. Trim the end by tapping and dragging the arrow on the left.
4. Press the Play button to watch the new version. Keep adjusting the arrows until you’re satisfied.
5. Change the filters with the same buttons you would use to edit a photo in the Photos app.
6. When you are ready to save the edited video, tap Done > Save as New Clip.

Now that you know how to screen record on an iPhone, take steps to protect your phone from cybercriminals and hackers with these iPhone security tips.

Originally Published: February 23, 2022