Screen recording on iPad works through the Control Center, a menu you pull down from the top-right corner

To record your screen, you open Control Center, tap the Record button, and stop it the same way. The video saves to your Photos app automatically. You do not need to download anything or change settings first — the feature is built in and ready to use on any iPad running iPadOS 11 or later.

The steps take less than a minute to learn, and once you know where the Record button lives, you can start a recording in about three taps. The recording includes everything on your screen and the audio playing through your iPad's speakers, but not audio from your microphone unless you turn that on separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Pull down from the top-right corner of your iPad to open Control Center, then tap the Record button to start capturing your screen.
  • The recording saves automatically to your Photos app as a video file you can share, edit, or delete like any other video.
  • By default, screen recording captures what you see and hear through your speakers, but you can add your voice by holding the Record button and toggling the microphone on.
  • Stop recording by opening Control Center again and tapping the Record button a second time, or by tapping the red timer at the top of your screen.

How to start a screen recording

Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPad screen. This opens Control Center, a panel of quick-access buttons. Look for a circle inside a circle icon — that is the Record button. Tap it once to begin recording.

Your iPad will count down three seconds, then the recording starts. You will see a red timer appear at the top of your screen showing how long you have been recording. Everything you do on your iPad from that moment forward appears in the video.

How to stop a screen recording

Open Control Center again by swiping down from the top-right corner, then tap the Record button a second time. The recording stops immediately and saves to your Photos app.

Alternatively, tap the red timer at the very top of your screen. This also stops the recording and saves it. Either method takes you to the same result — a new video file in your Photos app under the Videos album.

How to add your voice to a screen recording

By default, screen recording captures the audio playing through your iPad's speakers but not your voice. To include yourself speaking, hold your finger on the Record button in Control Center instead of just tapping it. A menu appears with a microphone toggle.

Turn the microphone on by tapping it, then tap Start Recording. Now your voice will be captured along with everything else on screen. This is useful if you are making a tutorial, explaining something, or recording a video call.

Where your recordings save and how to find them

Every screen recording automatically saves to your Photos app. Open Photos, tap the Albums tab at the bottom, then tap Videos. Your most recent recording appears at the top of the list. You can play it, share it to Messages or Mail, or delete it from there.

If you want to keep the recording but move it somewhere else, you can share it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Google Drive, or send it to another device. The video file is a standard MP4 that works with any video player or editing software.

Troubleshooting screen recording problems

If you do not see the Record button in Control Center, your iPad may be running an older version of iPadOS. Screen recording is built into iPadOS 11 and all newer versions. Check your iPad's software version by going to Settings, then General, then About, and looking at the iPadOS version number.

If the Record button is there but tapping it does nothing, try closing Control Center and opening it again. If recordings are not saving to Photos, check that you have enough storage space on your iPad — go to Settings, General, iPad Storage to see how much room is left. If your iPad is nearly full, delete old photos or videos to free up space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record just part of my screen instead of the whole thing?

No, iPad screen recording captures your entire display. If you need to record only a portion, you can edit the video after recording using the Photos app or a video editor, cropping out the parts you do not want.

Does screen recording slow down my iPad?

Screen recording uses some processing power, but most iPads handle it without noticeable slowdown. If your iPad feels sluggish while recording, close other apps first to free up memory.

Can I record audio from an app without recording my voice?

Yes. Leave the microphone toggle off in the Record menu, and only the audio from your apps will be captured. This is the default setting.

How long can I record for?

There is no time limit built into screen recording itself, but your recording will stop if your iPad runs out of storage space. A one-hour video typically uses 1 to 2 gigabytes of space depending on screen activity and resolution.

Can I edit my screen recording after I save it?

Yes. Open the video in Photos, tap Edit, and you can trim the beginning or end, adjust colors, or add filters. For more advanced editing, you can open the video in iMovie or another video editor.