How to Screen Record on iPhone or iPad (With Sound)

Short version: Add Screen Recording in Settings > Control Center, then open Control Center and tap the round record button. For your voice, press and hold the button first and turn Microphone On. Stop from the red status bar; the video saves to Photos.

iPhones and iPads have had built-in screen recording since iOS 11, but it’s off in Control Center by default and the microphone is a separate toggle — which is why so many people end up with a silent video. Here’s the full method, done right.

Step 1 — Add the control (one time)

1. Open Settings > Control Center.
2. Under More Controls, find Screen Recording.
3. Tap the green + to move it into your included controls.

Step 2 — Start recording

1. Open Control Center — swipe down from the top-right corner on Face ID iPhones/iPads, or up from the bottom on Home-button models.
2. Tap the round Screen Recording button.
3. A three-second countdown runs, then a red bar/clock shows you’re recording.

Step 3 — Record your voice (optional but usually wanted)

By default you’ll capture app audio but not your narration. To add your voice:

1. In Control Center, press and hold (or long-press) the Screen Recording button.
2. Tap Microphone so it turns red/On.
3. Then tap Start Recording.

Step 4 — Stop and find it

Tap the red status bar at the top (or the clock) and confirm Stop. The finished video lands in Photos, in your camera roll and a Screen Recordings album, where you can trim it and share.

If the recording has no sound

• App audio missing? Make sure the phone isn’t on silent, and note some apps (and DRM-protected video) intentionally block capture.
• Your voice missing? The microphone toggle resets — long-press the button and turn Microphone On before every recording where you narrate.

The same “system audio vs microphone” split trips people up on desktop too; we cover the desktop version in how to record system audio and your mic together.

Recording your iPhone screen on a computer

If you’re making a tutorial and want to edit, add zoom, or combine the phone with desktop footage, many people mirror the iPhone to a computer and record it there — which gives you a real editor and a bigger canvas.

KeepCast is a local-first screen recorder for Windows: it records your screen, system audio, and mic into one MP4, with zoom, a teleprompter, and a built-in editor — everything staying on your machine, no upload, no watermark. It’s Windows today (an iPhone-capture workflow via mirroring works now; native mobile apps are on the roadmap). If you’re on Windows, join the waitlist for early access. On a Mac? See how to screen record on Mac.

The bottom line

To screen record on iPhone: add Screen Recording to Control Center, tap to start, and long-press to turn the microphone on if you want your voice. The video saves to Photos. The single biggest gotcha is the mic toggle — set it before you start and you’ll never get a silent recording again.