How to Use Screen Recording on iPhone

Before you start

Screen recording on iPhone works locally in Control Center. You do not need an internet connection, an app store download, or a separate service to capture the display. The feature starts from a Control Center control that can be added if it is not already visible.

Before recording, decide whether the video should include sound from the microphone. A screen recording can capture device audio and, optionally, your voice or room sound. Microphone access must be selected before recording starts; it cannot be switched on during an active recording through the basic screen recording control.

Check that the screen you want to capture is ready. Notifications, incoming calls, or private information shown during recording may appear in the saved video. Close sensitive apps or enable a focus mode if that matters.

Step-by-step instructions

Add the screen recording control to Control Center

• Open Settings and tap Control Center.
• Find Screen Recording in the More Controls or included controls list.
• Tap the add button next to Screen Recording.
• Close Settings and open Control Center to confirm the button is available.

The exact layout of Control Center settings depends on the iOS version. On current versions, the screen recording icon appears as a circle inside a ring. Older iPhone models support the same feature, but the method of opening Control Center varies: swipe down from the top-right corner on models without a Home button, or swipe up from the bottom edge on models with a Home button.

Start a recording

• Open Control Center on the iPhone.
• Tap the screen recording button.
• Wait for the countdown to finish.
• Use the phone normally or show the screen you want to capture.

The countdown gives you time to return to the screen being recorded. A red status indicator may appear while recording is active. Tapping the red indicator or opening Control Center and tapping the screen recording button again opens a confirmation to stop and save the recording.

Record with microphone audio

• Open Control Center.
• Touch and hold the screen recording icon.
• Tap the microphone control to turn it on if it is not already active.
• Tap Start Recording.

The microphone setting applies to the next recording. When microphone capture is enabled, the recording may include your voice, keyboard sounds, and background noise from the capture source. The saved file remains a single screen recording video, not separate audio and screen tracks visible in the Photos library.

The availability of microphone audio in an iPhone screen recording depends on what the iPhone itself supports. Third-party apps or protected content may block capture or sound, so a recording can be silent in those cases.

Check the output

After stopping the recording, open Photos. The video usually appears in the Recents album or the library. Tap the video to confirm that the expected screen movement is present and that the microphone sound, if enabled, is audible.

The recording format and quality are handled by the system. Exact resolution, frame rate, and encoding settings are not user-selectable through the basic screen recording feature; treat these details as version-dependent and verify them on your device if they are important. The resulting file is a standard video that can be shared, trimmed, or saved like other videos in Photos.

Common problems and next steps

If the iPhone screen recording icon is missing, it has not been added to Control Center. Return to Settings, open Control Center, and add Screen Recording as described above. If the button is visible but nothing happens when tapped, close Control Center and try again; a slow response can occur when another system process is busy.

If the recording has no sound, start another recording and check that the microphone is enabled from the touch-and-hold menu before tapping Start Recording. Device audio may still be absent when an app does not allow it or when the iPhone is in silent mode. If the video ends unexpectedly, check available storage and close other apps that may interrupt capture.

Screen recording files are stored locally in Photos. Back up or move them if you need to keep them, and review any video containing personal information before sharing it.