How-Tos / Tech

How to record your screen on any device

Posted by

Last updated on August 4th, 2019

There are countless reasons where you want to record your device’s screen. Here is how you can record screen on your computer’s desktop, your smartphone’s screen, or your tablet’s display.

We’ll cover:

  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Windows

Windows 10

Windows 10 includes a built-in tool that allows for screencast recording. Use the GameDVR tool to create a quick desktop recording. It can record any application.

Steps

  • Press the following shortcut on your keyboard: Windows Key + G.
  • A pop-up window will now appear, asking if you want to open Game Bar. Click on the checkbox labeled Yes, this is a game.
  • A miniature toolbar will appear, containing several buttons and a checkbox. Click on the Record button, represented by a small red circle.
  • The toolbar will now relocate to a different part of the screen and recording of the active program will begin immediately. When you’re done recording, click on the stop (square) button.
  • If successful, a confirmation message will appear in the lower right-hand side of your screen informing you that the application and all movement and actions within it have been recorded. Your new screencast file can be found in the Captures folder, a sub-folder of Videos.

Note: It only records the active application, not your full screen.

To record your full screen or to utilize advanced screen recording functionality, you may want to try one of the free screen recording apps (Bandicam, Fraps) available for Windows.

Mac OS

Apple has added the screen recording feature to QuickTime Player in Snow Leopard. It lets you create easy screen activities and share with others.

Steps

  • Launch QuickTime Player, select File > New Screen Recording.
  • A screen recording window will open. Before you begin to record the screen, you can click the small triangle button on the right to set a few settings.

Screen Recording Mac OS

  • Hit the red “Record” button to start capturing your screen, you will get a hint to ask whether capture the entire screen or only a portion of the screen.
  • Click “Stop” button once you finish the screen recording. Then you can preview and export the recorded video to save.

Tips: QuickTime Player also allows you to record the audio and movie.

iOS

Recording video of your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch screen can be difficult, relatively speaking, if you are running an operating system older than iOS 11.

Older Than iOS 11

  • Plug your iPhone into a computer using your USB-to-Lightning cable.
  • Open Quicktime. Once Quicktime is open and your iPhone or iPad is plugged into your computer, look to the menu bar at the very top of your screen.
  • Click File, and select New Movie Recording (NOT New Screen Recording.) This will open the recording box.

  • Tap the down arrow next to the big red Record button. Under Camera, click on your device. In this case, I’m selecting Conner’s iPhone 7 Plus. You can also select the Microphone input if needed.
  • Tap the red Record button to begin recording your iPhone screen.

Movie Recording Select Device

  • Do what you need to do on your iPhone to record. When you’re done, return to your computer and tap the Record button to stop recording.
  • You can then preview what you just recorded by tapping the Play button. If you’re satisfied, click File and Save.

iOS 11

In iOS 11, you can create a screen recording and capture sound on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Record your screen

  • Add Screen Recording to Control Center.
    Go to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls, then tap next to Screen Recording.
  • Open Control Center.
  • Tap, then wait for the three-second countdown. To capture sound while you record, press deeply on and tap Microphone Audio.
  • To stop recording, open Control Center and tap . Or tap the red status bar at the top of your screen and tap Stop.
  • You can find your screen recording in the Photos app.

Android

Capturing the screen on your Android device is a similar process just with different software. Record the screen on an Android device using the right apps like  DU Recorder, AZ Screen Recorder and Mobizen Screen Recorder.

Linux

Linux does not offer native screen recording functionality. There are some easy-to-use, free applications like Byzanz, Kazam, RecordMyDesktop, ScreenStudio and SimpleScreenRecorder  that provide fairly robust feature sets when it comes to capturing video of your screen.