How to record your phone's screen on iPhone and Android, no extra apps required

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Both iPhone and Android now have screen recording built directly into the operating system, so there's no real need to install a separate app unless you want extra editing features. On iPhone, the feature first needs to be added to Control Center through Settings, then Control Center, where Screen Recording sits under More Controls and gets enabled by tapping the green plus symbol next to it. From there, swiping down from the top right corner of the screen on iOS 12 or later opens Control Center, and tapping the screen record icon, shown as a white dot surrounded by a ring, starts a three second countdown before recording begins. To capture audio alongside the screen, press and hold the screen record button before starting and enable the microphone option, and it helps to lower any in-app volume first so your own voice narration stays clearly audible over whatever sound the app itself is making. Stopping the recording is done either by returning to Control Center and tapping the icon again, or by tapping the red status bubble that appears near the clock, and finished recordings save automatically to the Camera Roll, where they can be watched, trimmed or shared through the Photos app.

On Android 11 and later, the process is built into the notification shade rather than Control Center. Dragging down from the top of the screen, sometimes needing a second swipe or a two finger gesture to reach the full quick settings menu, reveals a Screen Recorder icon that looks like a small film camera inside a dotted frame, scrolling sideways through the available icons if it isn't immediately visible. Tapping it brings up a choice between recording with no sound at all, or capturing media sounds and microphone narration together, followed by the same three second countdown before recording starts, and a small floating control tab appears on screen throughout that lets you pause or stop at any point. Finished Android recordings can be found afterward in the Gallery app, Google Photos, or the My Files app depending on the specific device and manufacturer.

For anyone who wants more editing control than the built in tools offer, several free third party options are available on the Google Play Store, including X Recorder, VidmaRecorder and Screen Video Recorder, though it's worth noting these free apps commonly include advertising or place some additional features behind a paywall.

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