How to Screen Record on an iPhone, Pixel or Galaxy Phone

How to Screen Record on an iPhone, Pixel or Galaxy Phone
Contributor: Asha Barbaschow

If you were ever wondering how to screen record on your phone, it’s actually super easy, and you can do it on an Apple iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy device.

It’s one of those phone features that you either use a lot or not at all, either way, it’s beneficial to know how to do it, in case there’s a reason you need to screen-record something.

A while back I discovered that I had been dragging iPhone apps the hard way for my entire adult life. And I certainly wasn’t the only one.

To demonstrate the easier way to do it, I took a screen recording of my phone. As it turns out, not everyone knows how to do this.

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to screen record on your iPhone/Pixel/Galaxy, but whatever the reason, it’s really easy to do. So here’s an explainer.

How to screen record on your phone

Screen record on Apple iPhone

Before you go on a screen recording frenzy, you’ll want to set it up.

Open Settings, go to Control Centre and then tap the + (plus) icon next to Screen Recording. These instructions will also work for iPad and iPod Touch.

screen record iPhone pixel samsung galaxy
Setting up your iPhone to screen record. Image: Gizmodo Australia

How to use it

For iOS 12 and later you’ll see the round recording icon when you swipe down from the top right corner of your screen (above image, far right).

If you’re on iOS 11 or earlier, you’ll need to swipe up from the bottom edge of your screen to find the record icon.

Tap the icon to trigger a 3-second countdown. Your screen will then start recording. Tap the red icon (on some iPhones, this is in the top left corner, with iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, it will be in your Dynamic Island) when you want to stop recording.

The footage will save in the photos app.

Screen record on Google Pixel

Unlike with an iPhone, the ability to screen record on a Google Pixel is already in your pull-down menu.

To screen record from your Pixel, swipe down twice from the top of your screen. Then, tap the circular Screen record icon (you might need to swipe right to find it, but if it’s not there, tap the pencil edit icon and drag the screen record icon to your Quick Settings).

From here, you simply choose what you want to record and tap Start. The recording begins after the countdown.

screen record iPhone pixel samsung galaxy
How to screen record on a Google Pixel. Image: Gizmodo Australia

To stop recording, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the Screen recorder notification.

Screen record on your Samsung Galaxy

Screen recording on a Samsung smartphone is much the same as it is on a Pixel, which again, you don’t need to set up a screen record feature like you do on an iPhone.

To screen record from your Samsung phone, swipe down twice from the top of your screen. Then, tap the Screen recorder icon (you might need to swipe right to find it). Then, set your screen up to show what you’d like to record, tap Start then recording will begin after the countdown.

screen record iPhone pixel samsung galaxy
How to screen record on a Samsung phone. Image: Gizmodo Australia

To stop recording, swipe down from the top menu screen and select the screen recorder button. To find your saved screen recordings, open your phone’s Photos app.


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