A short screen recording can explain a setting or a problem more clearly than a dozen screenshots. Decide what you want to show before you press Record. A focused twenty-second example is usually easier for a friend or support team to follow than several minutes of searching through menus.
Open Control Center and tap Screen Recording. For spoken narration, hold the recording control and enable Microphone before starting.
Go straight to the stepsBefore you begin
Hide private messages and account details. Ask permission before recording someone else’s private content or conversation. Some apps restrict recording.
What you’ll need
- An iPhone
- Enough available storage for a video
- The app or screen you want to demonstrate
Let’s do this
Step by step
- 01
Set up a short demonstration
Open the starting screen and rehearse the taps once. Close anything personal that might appear. Consider using a harmless sample document instead of your actual account.
- 02
Find Screen Recording
Open Control Center—swipe down from the top-right on Face ID iPhones, or up from the bottom on models with a Home button. Find the circle recording control; add Screen Recording to Control Center if it is missing.
- 03
Choose your audio
To record your voice, press and hold the control and turn Microphone on. Otherwise leave it off. App audio support varies, so make a short test if sound matters.
- 04
Start and finish
Tap the recording control and wait for the three-second countdown. Exit Control Center, perform the demonstration, then stop using the recording indicator or the red control in Control Center.
- 05
Play the saved video
Find the recording in Photos. Watch it from beginning to end and listen to the audio. Remove unnecessary footage before sending it, and confirm the recipient can open the video.
Plan a recording people can follow
Use a beginning, middle, and end: show the starting page, demonstrate the action, then pause on the result. If you are reporting a fault, include the error message rather than stopping the moment something goes wrong.
Narration does not need to describe every tap. Explain what you expected and what actually happened. For example: “I choose this folder, but the attachment list stays empty.” Keep passwords and personal information out of both the picture and your spoken explanation.
A quick final check
- The intended action is visible.
- Audio works if narration was needed.
- Private information is absent from the final clip.
Common questions & sticking points
Where does an iPhone screen recording save?
Look in your Photos library.
Why is the recording black or missing audio?
Some apps do not allow their content to be recorded. Apple also says screen recording and screen mirroring cannot run at the same time.
Sources & further reading Optional
References used to check this guide. Follow your product’s own safety instructions where its design differs.
Last source check: September 21, 2026