How to Screen Record on an iPhone

Lights, iPhone camera, action! 

Screen recording capabilities on iOS are all kinds of useful. Whether you’re using this feature for business or for pleasure (we see you insta-stalkers!), this tool can help you store content, demonstrate tips and tricks, and save information before it disappears. Our very own social team has been using this feature like crazy this week to record all the awesome Instagram Lives and Takeovers we’ve had. 

We’ve laid out all the steps you need to take to get this awesome gadget into your tool belt.

How to set-up Screen Recording on an iPhone X or later

1. First thing’s first, head to your Settings. Click into your Control Center, then Customize Controls. Tap the green plus sign that appears next to Screen Recording. You’ve now enabled the Screen Recording function. 

2. To make sure your changes were saved, swipe up from the bottom edge of any screen — or if you’re using an iPhone X or later, swipe down from the upper right-hand corner of your screen. 

3. In the light gray box where you can adjust your brightness and volume, you’ll see a new symbol — an opaque gray circle and another one surrounding it. That’s your record button! 

4. Press on your brand-new button and tap Microphone — this will allow your screen-record to capture audio as well. 

5. Tap again. A red bar will appear at the top of your screen, displaying  a three-second countdown. Once the countdown is over, your screen will be recording! 

Ok great. But how do I stop it?

To stop recording, open your Control Center and tap your new symbol again. If you’re recording, the symbol will appear in red. You can tap that symbol or the red bar at the top of your screen to stop your recording. 

Um, where did my recording go? 

Don’t stress! You can find your recording in your Photos app, same as when you take a normal video using your camera. 

How to Capture Video Content Using Screen Record 

Like I said, our team has been using this feature like crazy this week to capture all the awesome Instagram Live content we’ve been putting out. If you need to capture something quickly, like a glitch on your latest YouTube video, or a super clear explanation of how to master RPMs on a social media guru’s Instagram Story, this feature is your new best friend. 

1. Open whatever content you’re trying to capture on your iPhone. 

2. Swipe appropriately (as stated above) and tap the screen record button. Wait for the countdown to finish, and then play the video. 

3. When you’re finished, drag the screen accordingly again and tap the button — or tap the red bar at the top of your screen. 

4. Viola! Your content is ready for sharing, trouble-shooting, or plain old enjoyment. 

Note: If you are recording someone else’s content, please respect the video makers’ copyright. 

We hope this information was helpful for you — we love to keep our community of creators strapped with all the best tidbits and tricks to help them succeed in their industries. For more content like this, check out the rest of our blog and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter too!