How to Screen Record on iPad

To screen record on an iPad, swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, tap the Screen Recording button, and wait for the 3-second countdown. To stop, tap the red button at the top of the screen and tap Stop. The video saves to the Photos app automatically.

These steps cover iPadOS 27, the current version, and every version back to iPadOS 18, which share the same Control Center. The iPad (6th generation) and other iPads that stopped at iPadOS 17 or earlier record the same way but add the button in a different place, covered in its own section below. The steps follow Apple’s iPad User Guide page on screen recording and its support article on recording the screen on iPhone and iPad.

Before You Start

• No app needed. Screen recording is built into iPadOS. You do not have to download anything.
• The button has to be in Control Center. Control Center is the panel of quick controls that opens when you swipe down from the top-right corner. If the Screen Recording button is not there, add it first using the steps further down.
• Know your version. Go to Settings > General > About to see your iPad model and iPadOS version. The recording steps are nearly the same on every version, but the place where you add the button changed in iPadOS 18.
• Everything on screen is captured. A recording saves whatever the display shows, including notifications, so close anything private before you begin.
• Ask first when other people are involved. If you plan to record a video call or someone else’s content, get their permission where the law requires it. Some apps also block recording of their content, which is covered in troubleshooting.

How to Screen Record on iPad

1. Open the app or screen you want to capture.
2. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
3. Tap the Screen Recording button. It looks like a solid circle inside a ring.

4. Wait for the 3-second countdown. Recording starts when it ends.
5. Swipe up or tap an empty area to close Control Center, then do what you want to record.
6. To stop, tap the red button at the top of the screen, then tap Stop.

Apple also lists a second way to stop: open Control Center again and tap the red Record button. Either way, the recording is saved to your photo library without any extra step.

How to Record Your Voice Too

The microphone is off unless you turn it on, which is why many first recordings have no narration. Turn it on when you want to talk through what you are showing, such as a walkthrough for a family member.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
2. Touch and hold the Screen Recording button until a small panel opens.
3. Tap Microphone to turn it on.
4. Tap Start Recording, then wait for the 3-second countdown.
5. Stop the same way as before: tap the red button at the top of the screen, then tap Stop.

To record without your voice next time, touch and hold the button again and tap Microphone to turn it off. The microphone switch controls your voice and the room around you. Sound played by the app is a separate matter: Apple says some apps might not allow you to record audio or video, so their sound can be missing from the finished file even with the microphone on.

How to Add the Screen Recording Button

If you open Control Center and the button is not there, add it. Where you do that depends on your iPadOS version.

On iPadOS 18 and later, including iPadOS 27

These steps follow Apple’s Control Center guide for current iPadOS.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
2. Tap the + at the top left of Control Center to start editing. You can also touch and hold an empty spot in Control Center.
3. Tap Add a Control to open the controls gallery.
4. Tap Screen Recording. If you do not see it, type its name in the search field at the top.
5. Swipe up from the bottom center of the screen to close Control Center.

While you are editing, you can drag the control to a spot that is easier to reach. To remove it later, start editing again and tap the remove button at the upper left of the control.

On iPadOS 17 and earlier, including the iPad (6th generation)

The iPad (6th generation) cannot update past iPadOS 17; iPadOS 18 and iPadOS 27 do not support it. On these older versions, the setting is in the Settings app instead.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Control Center.
3. Tap the + next to Screen Recording. It moves up into the list of included controls.
4. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center and confirm the button now appears.

To undo this, return to the same screen and tap the remove button next to Screen Recording.

How to Confirm It Is Recording

After the countdown, a red button stays at the top of the screen for as long as the recording runs. If you do not see it, the recording did not start, so open Control Center and tap the button again. When you stop, check the Photos app to make sure the new video is there before you rely on it.

Where to Find Your Recordings

Screen recordings are saved to your photo library, with your other photos and videos. To see only recordings on current iPadOS, open Photos, tap Collections, scroll down to Media Types, and tap Screen Recordings. On iPadOS 17, tap Screen Recordings below Media Types in the Photos sidebar.

From there you can play a recording, share it, or delete it like any other video. Deleted videos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days, so you can recover one you removed by mistake during that time.

How to Trim a Screen Recording

Most recordings begin and end with a few seconds of Control Center. You can cut those parts in Photos. These steps follow Apple’s guide to trimming videos on iPad.

1. Open the recording in the Photos app and tap the edit button.
2. Drag either end of the frame viewer (the strip of small frames) to set where the video starts and stops, then tap Done.
3. Tap Save Video to keep only the trimmed version, or Save Video as New Clip to keep both versions.

If you chose Save Video and change your mind, open the video, tap the edit button, and tap Revert. A video saved as a new clip cannot be reverted to the original, although the original is still in your library in that case.

How to Share a Screen Recording

Open the recording in Photos and tap the Share button (a square with an arrow pointing up). From the share sheet you can send it with AirDrop to a nearby Mac, iPhone or iPad, attach it to a message or an email, or save it to a cloud storage app you already use. Long recordings make large files, so for anything more than a few minutes, a shared link from iCloud Drive or another storage app is usually easier than an email attachment. Trim the clip first so the person does not have to sit through the countdown.

Tips for a Cleaner Recording

• Silence notifications first. Banners that appear on screen end up in the video. Open Control Center, tap Focus, and tap Do Not Disturb before you start. Tap it again afterward to turn it off.
• Use the countdown. Open the app you want first, so the 3 seconds are enough to close Control Center and get ready.
• Plan what you will show. For a how-to video, run through the taps once before you record, so the final clip is short and has no wrong turns.
• Check your free space. Long recordings are large video files. Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage to see what is available; checking storage on your iPad walks through that screen.
• Need a still image instead? A screenshot is quicker than a video. Read about taking a screenshot on an iPad.

Troubleshooting Screen Recording on iPad

Problem	What to check
The Screen Recording button is missing	Add it to Control Center using the steps above for your iPadOS version.
Control Center will not open inside an app	Go to Settings > Control Center and turn on Access Within Apps, or start from the Home Screen.
The video has no voice	Touch and hold the Screen Recording button and turn on Microphone before you start.
An app records as blank or silent	Some apps might not allow you to record their content. Streaming video apps commonly protect what they play, so you may see a black screen. There is no setting that changes this.
Recording will not start while the iPad is on a TV	You cannot record your screen and use screen mirroring at the same time. Stop mirroring first.
The recording did not save	Check free space in Settings > General > iPad Storage, then record again.
The button does nothing at all	Restart the iPad, then try a short test recording.

If the button is present but will not work on a child’s iPad or one managed by a school or employer, a restriction may be the cause. Apple’s parental controls list a Screen Recording setting with the Game Center restrictions in Screen Time, and only the parent or administrator who manages the device can change it.

If you aren’t sure how to stop mirroring, screen mirroring an iPad to a TV shows how.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does screen recording on iPad record sound?

It can. To include your voice, touch and hold the Screen Recording button in Control Center, tap Microphone to turn it on, and tap Start Recording. Some apps might not allow their audio or video to be recorded.

Can I screen record on an iPad (6th generation)?

Yes. The recording steps are the same: open Control Center, tap the Screen Recording button, and wait for the countdown. The difference is where you add the button. Its newest supported version is iPadOS 17, so go to Settings > Control Center and tap the + next to Screen Recording.

Is there a time limit for iPad screen recordings?

Apple’s screen recording pages do not list a time limit. In practice a recording needs free storage space, so check Settings > General > iPad Storage before a long session.

Why is there a red button at the top of my iPad screen?

It means a screen recording is in progress. Tap the red button, then tap Stop to end the recording and save it to Photos.

Do other people know when I record my screen?

Apple’s screen recording pages do not say that iPadOS notifies anyone. Individual apps set their own rules, and some block recording entirely. If you record a call or another person’s content, ask for permission first, because recording laws and app terms vary.

How do I screen record on an iPhone?

The steps are almost the same: open Control Center and tap the Screen Recording button. The full steps are in the article on screen recording on iPhone.

Related Guides

• How to change iPad camera settings
• How to check storage on your iPad
• How to screen record on Android
• How to make an iPad wait longer before it auto-locks

Add the Screen Recording button to Control Center now, make a 10-second test recording, and find it in Photos so you know the whole path works before you need it.