To screen record on an iPhone, open Control Center, tap the Screen Recording button (a solid circle inside a ring), and wait for the 3-second countdown. To stop, tap the red circle in the Dynamic Island or the red timer at the top left of the screen, then tap Stop. The video saves to the Photos app.
To add your voice, touch and hold the Screen Recording button, turn on Microphone, then tap Start Recording. Leave the microphone off if you only want the screen and whatever sound the app itself allows.
These steps follow Apple’s Take a screen recording on iPhone guide and its Record the screen on your iPhone article.
What you need before you start
Screen Recording is built into the iPhone, so there is no app to install. The steps below are written for iOS 27, and Apple’s guide shows the same steps for iOS 26 and iOS 18. Older versions work a little differently, and those differences are called out where they matter.
- The Screen Recording button in Control Center. Control Center is the panel of quick controls that opens when you swipe down from the top-right corner. If the button is not there, add it once using the steps below.
- Free storage. Recordings are video files, and long ones take up a lot of room.
- No screen mirroring. Apple says you can’t record your screen and use screen mirroring at the same time.
- An app that allows recording. Apple notes that some apps might not allow you to record their content.
How to screen record on an iPhone
- Open the app or screen you want to capture.
- Open Control Center. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom.
- Tap the gray Screen Recording button. A 3-second countdown starts.
- Swipe up to close Control Center, then do what you want to record. Everything on the screen is captured from this point, including Control Center if it is still open.
- To stop on an iPhone with a Dynamic Island (the pill-shaped area at the top of the screen), tap the red circle, then tap the stop button. On other models, tap the red timer at the top left of the screen, then tap Stop.
You can also stop by opening Control Center and tapping the red Record button. Either way, the recording is saved to your photo library automatically.
Notifications that arrive while you record can show up in the video. If you plan to share the recording, silence notifications on your iPhone first, and close anything private that you do not want on screen.
How to screen record with sound from your microphone
A plain tap on the button starts a recording without the microphone unless you turned it on earlier. To narrate while you record:
- Open Control Center.
- Touch and hold the gray Screen Recording button until a larger panel opens.
- Tap Microphone to turn it on.
- Tap Start Recording, then wait for the 3-second countdown.
- Close Control Center and start talking. Stop the recording the same way as before.
With the microphone on, the recording picks up your voice and any other sound around you, so a quiet room gives a cleaner result.
This switch is for screen recordings only. Apps that record on their own, like voice memo or meeting apps, use their own permission; see how to turn microphone access on or off for apps. If you only need sound and no video, see how to record audio on an iPhone.
How to screen record without sound
To keep your voice and the room out of the video, turn the microphone off before you start.
- Open Control Center.
- Touch and hold the Screen Recording button.
- If Microphone is on, tap it to turn it off.
- Tap Start Recording.
Check this panel before you record anything you plan to share. The reviewed articles on this topic say the microphone setting carries over from your last recording, though Apple’s guide does not say either way, so it is safer to look than to assume.
Turning the microphone off does not always make the video silent. Apple says screen recordings may include audio as well as video, which means sound played by the app can still be captured when the app allows it. Apple does not document a switch that removes app sound. If you want a recording with no sound at all, turn the volume all the way down before you start, then play the result to check. Some guides also suggest turning on Silent Mode, but Apple’s instructions do not confirm that it affects recordings.
Add it to Control Center. Apple explains this in its Use and customize Control Center guide.
iOS 18, iOS 26, and iOS 27
- Open Control Center.
- Tap the + in the upper-left corner to start editing.
- Tap Add a Control at the bottom of the screen. The controls gallery opens.
- Find Screen Recording and tap it. It is added to Control Center.
- Swipe up from the bottom center of the screen to finish. On an iPhone with a Home button, press the Home button.
To remove the button later, start editing the same way and tap the remove button at the upper left of the control. Removing it does not delete any recordings.
iOS 17 and earlier
- Open Settings.
- Tap Control Center.
- Tap the add button next to Screen Recording.
Where to find your screen recordings
Screen recordings are saved to your photo library with your other photos and videos. To see only the recordings:
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap Collections.
- Scroll down to Media Types and tap Screen Recordings.
On iOS 17, tap Albums instead, then tap Screen Recordings below Media Types. If the recording is there and plays back, it worked.
How to trim a screen recording
Most recordings start with Control Center closing and end with you reaching for the stop button. You can cut both off in Photos.
- Open the Photos app and open the recording.
- Tap the Edit button.
- Drag either end of the frame viewer below the video to set the new start and end, then tap Done.
- Tap Save Video to keep only the trimmed part, or Save Video as New Clip to keep both versions.
To undo a trim later, open the video, tap Edit, then tap Revert. A video saved as a new clip can’t be reverted to the original. These steps come from Apple’s Trim video length on iPhone guide.
Change the recording format (SDR or HDR)
On iOS 26 and iOS 27, you can choose how screenshots and screen recordings are saved. SDR is the standard format for most displays. HDR captures more brightness and color but needs an HDR display to show its full quality.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General, then tap Screen Capture.
- Choose SDR or HDR.
Apple’s screen capture settings page says HDR recordings play back with slightly reduced quality on standard displays. If you are not sure which to use, SDR is the format Apple describes as standard for most computer displays and mobile devices.
Screen recording not working?
The recording is black, or an app won’t record
Apple says some apps might not allow you to record their content. Streaming video apps are a common example. There is no setting on the iPhone that overrides this, and this guide does not cover ways around it. Use the app’s own download or share features if it offers them.
The recording has no sound
- Your voice is missing: the microphone was off. Touch and hold the Screen Recording button and turn on Microphone before you start.
- App sound is missing: turn the volume up and record a short test. Apple notes that some apps might not allow you to record audio, and you can’t change that.
Recording won’t start while you’re mirroring
You can’t record your screen and use screen mirroring at the same time. Stop mirroring first, then start the recording. See how to screen mirror an iPhone or iPad to a TV for where the Stop Mirroring button is.
The button is grayed out or does nothing
On a child’s iPhone, or one managed by a school or employer, screen recording may be restricted. Other guides point to the Screen Time content restrictions for this, but the exact menu path could not be confirmed in Apple’s current iOS 27 documentation, so look through Settings > Screen Time or ask whoever manages the device.
The recording stopped or did not save
Low storage is a likely cause, although Apple’s screen recording guide does not list one. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much space is free and review Apple’s recommendations, as described in its storage guide. Then record a short test clip.
Frequently asked questions
Does an iPhone screen recording include sound?
It can. Apple says screen recordings may include audio as well as video, although some apps might not allow one or the other. Your own voice is only recorded if you turn on Microphone by touching and holding the Screen Recording button before you start.
How long can you screen record on an iPhone?
Apple’s guides do not list a time limit. In practice a recording can only be as long as your free storage allows, so check your storage before a long session and consider recording in shorter parts.
Does the other person know if you screen record?
Apple’s screen recording guide does not describe any alert being sent to other people. Individual apps can handle this differently, so do not assume a recording is private. Ask for permission before recording a call or conversation with someone else; recording laws vary by location.
Do the same steps work on an iPad?
Mostly, yes. Apple’s support article covers iPhone and iPad together. See how to screen record on an iPad for the iPad version.
Next steps
Just need a still image? See how to take a screenshot on an iPhone. No working power button? See how to take a screenshot without the power button. Recording on another device instead? See how to screen record on a Windows PC or how to screen record on Android.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.