iOS comes with a handy new Control Center function that allows you to record what you're doing on your screen. It's great if you want to capture gameplay, walk someone through a tutorial in an app, demonstrate a bug, and more, and it's available on both iPhones and iPads.


Enabling Screen Recording Button

If you don't have the screen recording icon in Control Center, you can add it in the Settings app.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Choose Control Center.
  3. Select "Customize Controls." ios11enablingscreenrecording
  4. Tap the + button next to "Screen Recording" to add it to the "Include" section.

How to Record Your Screen

  1. Bring up the Control Center.
  2. Tap the icon for screen recording. It's two nested circles. ios11screenrecording
  3. Your iPhone or iPad will start recording video of your screen automatically following a three second countdown.

While screen recording is turned on, a red bar is plastered across the top of the display so it's clear when you're recording and when you're not.

ios11screenrecordingredbanner

Ending a Recording

To stop recording the screen, you can go back to Control Center and toggle the screen recording icon, or your can tap the red bar at the top of the screen and confirm you want to end the recording. The video you made is then saved to the Photos app.

screenrecordingsavedios11

Screen Recording Options

There are a few options that are available when making a screen recording, which can be accessed directly in the Control Center. To bring up these options, simply 3D Touch on the screen recording icon.

ios11screenrecording3dtouch
From this menu, you can start a screen recording and toggle microphone audio on or off. These are the only options that are available for the feature -- it's fairly basic.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Top Rated Comments

rob.james.arias Avatar
97 months ago
Aka “How to record those Snaps”
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trusso Avatar
97 months ago
I get that exact same option on my iPhone 6+ by just tapping and holding on the screen recording icon.

Really haven't felt I've been missing out on anything over the past several years by not having 3D touch on my iPhone.
You're not. I upgraded to a 6S last year for the larger internal storage, and I've forgotten 3D touch was even a thing. I never use it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
97 months ago
Starting a Recording
[LIST=1]
* Bring up the Control Center.
* Tap the icon for screen recording. It's two nested circles.

Dear UI vetters at Apple (if you even exist any more):

Please add labels to all your icons, so that people who don't memorize them, and/or older people like my Mom, can figure out what the heck each icon does.

Thank you. Oh, and don't let Ive design any part of an UI any more, please.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
97 months ago
Accessing Screen Recording Options

There are a few options that are available when making a screen recording, which can be accessed directly in the Control Center. To bring up these options, simply 3D Touch on the screen recording icon.



From this menu, you can start a screen recording and toggle microphone audio on or off. These are the only options that are available for the feature -- it's fairly basic.
I get that exact same option on my iPhone 6+ by just tapping and holding on the screen recording icon.

Really haven't felt I've been missing out on anything over the past several years by not having 3D touch on my iPhone.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
97 months ago
I get that exact same option on my iPhone 6+ by just tapping and holding on the screen recording icon.

Really haven't felt I've been missing out on anything over the past several years by not having 3D touch on my iPhone.
Contextual previews (linked webpages or maps for example) are a Godsent.

I used to be pretty indifferent about them, thinking it might be a cool feature, but ever since I got my 6S Plus I can honestly say it made iOS a lot more convenient to me.

My iPad Air feels outright awkward without it.

Glassed Silver:win
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aircanman Avatar
97 months ago
I’d like to see an option where it highlights where on the screen you press. This would make it easier for creating tutorial videos.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
m2 pro mac mini

Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

Saturday February 15, 2025 9:58 am PST by
A few days ago, we reported that Apple's refurbished Mac mini pricing had a problem, and it appears that Apple has taken note. Apple was offering a refurbished Mac mini with the M2 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $559, which was $50 more than a refurbished Mac mini with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. All other key specifications were equal. That's no longer...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

Apple's Next iPhone SE Launching on Wednesday - Here's What We Know

Friday February 14, 2025 4:04 pm PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an Apple announcement that's coming on Wednesday, February 19, and it's looking like that mystery announcement will be the next-generation iPhone SE. We've been hearing about the iPhone SE 4 for quite some time now, and we essentially know everything to expect. If you want a sneak peek at what's coming, read on. Naming Apple first introduced the iPhone SE in...