Where Are iPad Screen Recordings Saved?
Learn where iPad screen recordings are saved, how to find them in Photos, and what to do if a recording is missing.
Before you start
Screen recordings on iPad are saved locally in the Photos app. The process does not require an online service or iCloud connection. You can record with the built-in Screen Recording control even when the device is offline, and the resulting video appears only on that iPad unless you later choose to share or sync it.
Make sure Screen Recording is available in Control Center before you rely on it. Open the Settings app, select Control Center, and check whether Screen Recording appears under Included Controls. If it is missing, add it from the list of More Controls.
Step-by-step instructions
Record the screen
Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. Tap the Screen Recording button, which appears as a circle inside a ring. On most iPad models a three-second countdown begins, giving you time to close Control Center and open the app or screen you want to capture.
To stop the recording, open Control Center and tap the Screen Recording button again, or tap the red recording indicator in the status bar and confirm that you want to stop.
Find the saved file
After you stop recording, iPad automatically saves the video to Photos. Open the Photos app and select Library or Albums. New recordings usually appear at the end of the Recents album with the current date.
If you cannot find it in Recents, check the Videos album or search for the approximate date in Photos.
Check the output
Open the video in Photos to confirm that it plays. iPad screen recordings are saved as video files and may record audio only when the microphone is enabled from the Screen Recording control.
The recording may not include protected or private content. For example, some streaming apps may show a black screen or stop playback during capture. Check the beginning, middle, and end of the video before relying on it.
Common problems and next steps
If the recording is missing from Photos, check that you actually stopped it. A recording left running may continue in the background, and the file may appear only after it is stopped.
Low storage can interrupt a recording. If iPad runs out of space, the recording may stop early or fail to save. Check available storage in Settings under General and Storage, and delete unwanted files if needed.
To control whether recording includes your voice or other sounds, touch and hold the Screen Recording button in Control Center before starting, then tap the Microphone icon to turn audio on or off.
To share or back up a recording, open it in Photos and use the Share button. This lets you save it to Files, send it through available apps, or use other sharing options. The original file remains in Photos unless you delete it.