Screen recording is built into every iPhone — you just need to turn it on

Apple includes screen recording as a standard feature on all iPhones running iOS 11 or later. You don't need to download anything or pay for an app. The tool captures everything on your screen — video, audio, taps, and gestures — and saves it as a video file you can edit, share, or keep for reference.

The feature lives in Control Center, the panel you swipe down from the top-right corner (or up from the bottom on older iPhones). By default, screen recording isn't visible there. You have to add it first, which takes about a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Screen recording is a built-in iPhone feature that captures video, audio, and everything you tap on your screen.
  • You must add the screen recording button to Control Center before you can use it — this is a one-time setup.
  • Once added, you can start recording by opening Control Center and tapping the screen recording button, then tapping "Start Recording" in the popup.
  • The recorded video saves to your Photos app and can be trimmed, edited, or shared like any other video on your phone.
  • You can choose whether to record internal audio (sounds from your phone) or microphone audio (your voice) or both.

Add screen recording to Control Center

Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Control Center. Tap it. You'll see two sections: "Included Controls" (features already in Control Center) and "More Controls" (features you can add).

In the "More Controls" section, look for Screen Recording and tap the green plus button next to it. That's it — the button is now added to Control Center and ready to use.

Start a screen recording

Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center. You should now see a circle icon labeled "Screen Recording" (it looks like a filled circle inside a larger circle). Tap it once.

A popup will appear with a three-second countdown and a "Start Recording" button. Tap "Start Recording" to begin. The countdown gives you time to navigate to whatever you want to record — a conversation, a game, a website, or an app — before the recording actually starts. Once the countdown ends, everything on your screen is being recorded.

Stop recording and find your video

To stop recording, open Control Center again and tap the screen recording button (it will now be red or highlighted). A popup will ask you to confirm — tap "Stop" to end the recording.

Your video is automatically saved to the Photos app in the Videos album. Open Photos, go to the Videos tab, and you'll see your recording at the top of the list with today's date. You can play it, trim it, or share it from there.

Choose what audio to record

By default, screen recording captures internal audio — the sounds coming from your phone's speaker. If you want to add your voice (for a tutorial or explanation), you need to enable the microphone.

To do this, press and hold the screen recording button in Control Center instead of just tapping it. A menu will appear with a microphone toggle. Turn it on, then tap "Start Recording." Now your voice will be recorded along with the phone's audio. If you only want your voice and not the phone's sounds, you'll need to edit the video afterward or use a third-party app.

Common reasons screen recording might not work

If you tap the screen recording button and nothing happens, check whether an app is blocking it. Some apps — particularly banking apps, streaming services, and apps with copy protection — prevent screen recording for security reasons. You'll see a message saying "Unable to Record" if this happens. You can't override this; it's a deliberate restriction built into those apps.

If Control Center itself won't open, make sure you're swiping from the correct corner. On iPhones with Face ID (iPhone X and newer), swipe down from the top-right. On iPhones with a home button, swipe up from the bottom. If you're still having trouble, restart your phone and try again.

What to do with your recording after you save it

Once your video is in Photos, you can trim it by opening the video, tapping "Edit," and dragging the timeline handles to remove the beginning or end. You can share it directly to Messages, Mail, or social media by tapping the share button. You can also upload it to cloud storage like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

If you want to add text, music, or effects, you can use the built-in editing tools in Photos or move the video to a dedicated editing app like iMovie (free, made by Apple) or CapCut (free, third-party). Most people find the basic trim-and-share workflow in Photos is enough for quick recordings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record my screen while using FaceTime or a phone call?

Yes, screen recording works during calls and video chats. The person on the other end won't know you're recording, but you should check your local laws — some places require consent from all parties before recording a conversation.

Does screen recording drain my battery?

Screen recording uses more battery than normal use, but not dramatically. A 10-minute recording typically uses 5 to 10 percent of your battery. If you're recording long videos, plug in your phone or have a charger nearby.

Why does my screen recording have no sound?

You likely have your phone on silent mode. Screen recording respects your mute switch — if the physical switch on the side of your phone is set to silent, internal audio won't record. Flip the switch to unmute, or use the microphone toggle in Control Center to record your voice instead.

Can I record just one app, or does it record everything on my screen?

Screen recording captures everything visible on your screen, including the status bar and any notifications that pop up. You can't isolate a single app. If you want to record only part of your screen, you'll need a third-party app from the App Store.

How much storage does a screen recording use?

A one-minute screen recording typically uses 40 to 100 MB of storage, depending on your phone model and screen resolution. A 10-minute recording uses roughly 400 MB to 1 GB. Check your available storage in Settings > General > iPhone Storage if you're recording long videos.