How Do I Screen Record on Iphone?

You can quickly capture what’s on your iPhone screen by adding Screen Recording to Control Center, then tapping the record button when you need to save a demo, bug, or clip. You’ll get a short countdown, and you can enable the microphone for voiceover before you start. Stopping saves the video to Photos so you can trim or share it — here’s how to set it up and troubleshoot the few things that can go wrong.

Key Takeaways

Add Screen Recording to Control Center in Settings > Control Center so the recording button is available.
Tap the Screen Recording icon in Control Center to start after the three-second countdown.
Long-press the Screen Recording icon to enable Microphone Audio for external sound during capture.
Stop recording by tapping the red status bar/pill or the Screen Recording icon; video saves to Photos.
Edit or trim recordings in Photos and share or export via the share sheet or Files.

Enable Screen Recording in Control Center

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Open Settings, tap Control Center, then add Screen Recording so the toggle appears in Control Center for quick access. You’ll enable screen recording system-wide by moving Screen Recording from More Controls to Included Controls; that makes the shortcut available when you swipe into Control Center. Confirm microphone audio if you plan to capture voice: long-press the Screen Recording icon in Control Center and toggle Microphone On. You can also rearrange controls to prioritize the recording tile. Note that enabling doesn’t start a recording immediately — it simply exposes the tool for fast access. If Screen Recording doesn’t appear, check for restrictions in Screen Time or device management profiles that can block the feature. You’re set to access recording quickly from Control Center.

Start and Stop a Screen Recording

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Tap the Screen Recording icon in Control Center to start recording—after a three‑second countdown your iPhone will capture everything on screen (and audio if you enabled the microphone). You’ll see a red status bar or pill indicating an active recording; that’s your visual cue that everything’s being captured. To stop, open Control Center and tap the icon again, or tap the red status indicator and confirm Stop. The clip saves to Photos where you can trim, crop, or export to other screen recording apps if you need advanced editing. Before you record, quickly check recording settings in Control Center and Settings so resolution, orientation, and available apps behave as expected. Practice once to avoid surprises and keep recordings focused.

Record With Microphone Audio

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Want your recordings to include your voice? Before you start, tap and hold the Screen Recording control and turn Microphone Audio on so the mic captures commentary while iOS still records internal sounds. This gives you a single clip with both system audio and live narration.

Enable Microphone Audio

If you need to include your voice or nearby sounds in a screen recording, enable the microphone so the iPhone captures external audio along with system sound. To turn it on, open Control Center, long-press the Screen Recording icon, then tap the Microphone Audio button so it shows “On.” That toggles the microphone settings for the current recording session.

Keep audio quality in mind: record in a quiet environment, hold the iPhone steady, and speak clearly toward the mic. You can also test short clips to confirm levels before a full capture. After recording, play back to check clarity and background noise. If audio sounds weak, move closer or adjust how you’re holding the device for better results.

Capture Internal + Mic

Now that you know how to enable the microphone for screen recordings, you can capture both internal audio and external sound at the same time. When you start a screen recording, iOS mixes app/system audio with microphone input if the app allows internal capture. Check microphone settings in Control Center: long-press the Screen Record icon, toggle Microphone On, then begin. Remember certain apps block internal audio for DRM or privacy.

Toggle: verify microphone settings and system volume before recording.
Monitor: use headphones to hear mixed output and avoid feedback.
Edit: trim or split tracks in Photos or a DAW if you need separate channels.

These screen recording basics help you produce clear tutorials, game clips, and voiceover demonstrations.

Trim and Edit Your Screen Recording

Before sharing, you’ll likely want to trim and tweak the clip so it focuses on the important parts; iPhone’s built-in tools make quick edits easy. Open Photos, tap the recording, then Edit to access simple screen editing controls. Use the yellow handles on the timeline for fast video trimming to cut start and end points, then play back to confirm timing.

For finer edits, split, mute, or adjust speed using the Edit tools or third‑party apps if you need more control. Tap Done to save changes either as a new clip or replace the original. Keep an eye on audio levels and onscreen touches—cropping and trimming reduce file size and improve clarity, so aim for concise clips that convey your point without extra footage.

When you’re ready to share, tap the share icon to send the clip via Messages or other apps. You can save the final video directly to Photos for quick access or long-term storage. To keep a copy outside your camera roll, export it to Files and choose iCloud Drive or a local folder.

1 quick tap is all it takes to share your screen recording via Messages: open the Photos app, select the recording, tap the share icon, choose Messages, pick a contact or thread, and send — or save the file to Files if you prefer to keep a copy before sharing. You’ll see options for message formats — video, GIF, or trimmed clip — so pick what fits bandwidth and recipient. If privacy matters, edit or mute audio first.

Choose format: pick video for quality, GIF for quick previews, trimmed clip for brevity.
Check size: large files may convert or fail; use Files or iCloud link for heavy uploads.
Confirm recipient: verify contact or group to avoid accidental sharing.

This keeps screen sharing fast, clear, and controlled.

Save to Photos

Besides sending a clip via Messages, you can keep a permanent copy by saving the screen recording to Photos. After you stop recording, tap the thumbnail or open Photos to find the video in Recents and the Screen Recordings album. From there, you can trim, favorite, or add metadata so discoverability matches your save preferences. If you want different video quality, adjust settings before recording (Settings > Camera/Screen Recording options) to reflect your storage and sharing needs.

Regularly manage storage by reviewing large clips, deleting duplicates, or offloading old recordings to iCloud. Use the Photos app’s built-in tools to batch-select and remove files, and enable iCloud Photos if you prefer cloud backups rather than local copies.

Export to Files

Want to keep your recording outside Photos or move it to cloud storage? Tap the share icon on the screen recording, choose “Save to Files,” and pick a destination—iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or On My iPhone. You’ll see export formats available (HEVC/H.264 or MOV); pick the one that fits your bandwidth and compatibility needs.

Use clear file organization so you can find recordings later. Create folders for projects, dates, or clients before saving. Consider naming conventions like YYYYMMDD_project_description for consistency.

Export promptly to avoid storage bloat.
Choose compatibility-minded export formats for sharing.
Organize into labeled folders and subfolders to streamline retrieval.

You’ll keep backups, control access, and speed up sharing workflows.

Common Troubleshooting Tips

If your screen recordings won’t start or the video looks glitchy, try a few quick checks: confirm Screen Recording is enabled in Control Center, free up storage, and restart your iPhone; also make sure Do Not Disturb isn’t blocking notifications you need and that apps have permission to record audio or share screen content. Next, address common screen recording issues: close background apps, update iOS, and toggle microphone access off and on. If the recording is choppy, switch to Airplane Mode to eliminate network interruptions during live captures. For permission errors, check Settings > Privacy and the specific app’s settings. Still stuck? Reset all settings as a last resort and back up your device before doing so. These troubleshooting tips get you back to smooth captures.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to enable Screen Recording, start and stop recordings, capture microphone audio, trim edits, and share files, you’re set to create polished screen videos on your iPhone. Keep Screen Recording in Control Center for quick access, toggle the mic when you need narration, and use Photos to make fast trims before sharing. If something’s off, check Settings, storage, and restrictions—then try again for flawless captures every time.