How to Screen Record on iPhone — With or Without Sound

Step 1: Add Screen Recording to Control Center

Before you can screen record, you need to add the button to Control Center (you only do this once):

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Control Center
3. Scroll down and tap the green + button next to Screen Recording

On iOS 18+, you can also customize Control Center by long-pressing on the Control Center screen and tapping "Add a Control."

Step 2: Start a Screen Recording

1. Open Control Center:
   • Face ID iPhones: Swipe down from the top-right corner
   • Home Button iPhones: Swipe up from the bottom edge
2. Tap the Screen Recording button (circle with a dot inside)
3. A 3-second countdown appears — get to the screen you want to record
4. The status bar turns red to indicate recording is active

Step 3: Record WITH Microphone Audio

By default, screen recording captures only system audio (sounds from apps). To add your voice:

1. Open Control Center
2. Long-press (press and hold) the Screen Recording button
3. Tap the Microphone icon at the bottom to turn it On (it turns red)
4. Tap Start Recording

Now the recording captures both screen activity and whatever you say. This is perfect for tutorials, voiceovers, or recording a video call.

Step 4: Stop the Recording

Two ways to stop:

• Tap the red status bar at the top of the screen, then tap Stop
• Open Control Center and tap the Screen Recording button again

A notification appears confirming "Screen Recording video saved to Photos."

How to Edit Your Screen Recording

1. Open the Photos app and find your recording
2. Tap Edit in the top-right corner
3. Drag the handles at either end of the timeline to trim the beginning and end
4. Tap Done → Save as New Clip (keeps the original too)

For more advanced editing (adding text, transitions, or combining clips), use the free iMovie app from the App Store.

How to Share Your Recording

From the Photos app, tap the Share button (square with arrow) to:

• Send via iMessage, WhatsApp, or email
• AirDrop to a nearby Apple device
• Save to Files or a cloud service
• Upload directly to YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram

Troubleshooting

• Screen recording button is grayed out? Some apps (like Netflix, Disney+, banking apps) block screen recording for copyright/security reasons. This is normal.
• No sound in the recording? Make sure you long-pressed the button and turned the microphone ON before starting.
• Recording stops immediately? Check if you have enough storage (Settings → General → iPhone Storage). Screen recordings can be large files.
• Can't find Screen Recording in Control Center settings? Make sure you're running iOS 11 or later. Screen recording isn't available on older iOS versions.

Need Help With Your iPhone?

If your microphone, speakers, or buttons aren't working properly, we can help.