Where Are iPhone Screen Recordings Saved?

Before you start

Screen recordings made with the built-in iPhone screen recording control are stored locally on the device. The recording process does not require an internet connection or a separate cloud service. After you stop recording, iOS saves the video as a file in the Photos app, the same library used for regular videos and screenshots.

Make sure the Screen Recording control is available in Control Center. If you do not see it, you can add it through Settings, but the save location does not change based on how the recording was started.

Step-by-step instructions

On an iPhone, screen recordings are saved to the Photos app. Use these steps to reach them:

• 1. Open the Photos app from the Home Screen.
• 2. Tap the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen.
• 3. Scroll down to the Media Types section.
• 4. Tap Screen Recordings.
• 5. Tap the recording you want to view or play.

You can also find a screen recording in the main Library tab. Recordings are grouped by the date and time they were captured, so a new recording usually appears at the bottom of the Recents or Library view. The file behaves like any other video in Photos and can be edited, shared, or deleted from the same interface.

If iCloud Photos is enabled, the recording may also appear on other devices signed in to the same Apple Account after it syncs. The original still originates on the iPhone where the recording was made.

Check the output

Open the recording in Photos and confirm that it plays with the expected length. Screen recordings are saved as video files, typically in MPEG-4 format with an H.264 or HEVC video codec depending on the iPhone model and camera settings. The file includes video from the screen. Audio is included only if the microphone was enabled before recording started.

Because the output is a screen capture, rapid motion or very small interface text can appear less detailed than normal video footage. There is no separate screen recording storage area inside the Files app by default.

Common problems and next steps

If the Screen Recordings album is missing, check the Library tab and search for a recent video around the time you stopped recording. The album may not appear until at least one recording exists on the device.

If the recording has picture but no sound, the microphone was likely off. Start a new recording, then tap and hold the Screen Recording button in Control Center. If a microphone option is available, enable it before tapping Start Recording. Media or call audio may not be captured in every situation, depending on app restrictions and system behavior.

If a recording stops unexpectedly or does not appear, check available iPhone storage. A very low storage condition can interrupt the capture. Do not delete other files merely to test this unless you are sure they are unnecessary or already backed up.