How to Record the Screen on Your iPhone or iPad

If you want to capture video of your iPhone or iPad screen, you don't need a third-party app from the App Store. The ability to record activity on your screen is built right into iOS and iPadOS through a feature called Screen Recording.

By adding Screen Recording to Control Panel, you can start a recording of your screen and then snap individual screenshots of the video. This tool makes capturing your iPhone or iPad screen activity much easier than going through a third-party program. Let's give it a whirl.

Customize Control Center

On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Control Center. Make sure the option "Access Within Apps" is turned on. Tap Customize Controls. In the More Controls section, tap Screen Recording to add it to Control Center.

Start Recording

Now you can move to the app or screen where you want to start recording. Open the Control Center and select the Screen Recording icon. If your device features 3D Touch, press down on the icon to view additional options. You can turn audio recording on or off by tapping the microphone icon and pick a different destination for your screen recording other than your Photos library.

Tap Start Recording to begin capturing. If your device doesn't offer 3D Touch, just tap the Screen Recording icon and your device will launch the recorder. You will then see a countdown, after which recording will begin.

Stop Recording

When you're done, you can stop the recording without having to return to Control Center. A red icon with a timer will appear on the top of your screen (upper-left corner on iPhone, upper-right corner on iPad) while recording. Tap the icon and a message will open, allowing you to stop recording. Tap Stop, then a notification will appear to tell you your screen recording video was saved to the device.

View Recording

You can view your screen recording in the Photos app. Tap the 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

You can also use Screen Recording to take screenshots of any activity already recorded. This trick can come in handy if you're having trouble taking screenshots while using an app or performing another 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).

How to Record Calls on an iPhone

If you want to record a call, there are few limitations on Android. Things get tricky when you want to record a call while using an iPhone. Here are some of your best options.

About Our Expert

Lance Whitney

Contributor

My Experience

I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.

My Areas of Expertise

I've used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I'm well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I'm always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that's become another key area for me.

The Tech I Use

My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it's time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.

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