How to screen record on iPhone and Windows (built-in tools)

How do I screen record on an iPhone?

This is the process on Apple's "Take a screen recording on iPhone" page (read October 20, 2026). We cannot run an iPhone on our servers, so these steps come from Apple's page and are not our own test.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge instead (Apple, Control Center page).
2. Tap the Screen Recording button. If you do not see it, add it first (next section).
3. Wait for the 3-second countdown, then swipe up to close Control Center and do what you want to record.
4. To stop, on an iPhone with a Dynamic Island tap the red circle, then tap the stop button. On other models tap the red timer at the top left of the screen, then tap Stop.
5. Find the video in the Photos app: tap Collections, scroll to Media Types, tap Screen Recordings.

How do I record the iPhone screen with sound or my voice?

Apple's page gives one extra step: turn on the microphone before you start.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
2. Touch and hold the Screen Recording button.
3. Tap Microphone to turn it on, then tap Start Recording.
4. Wait for the 3-second countdown and record. Stop the same way as above.

With the microphone on, your voice is added to the video. Apple also states that some apps might not allow you to record their content, so a recording from such an app may fail or come out blank. The page does not describe how in-app sound is handled, so listen to a short test clip before a long recording.

Why is there no Screen Recording button on my iPhone?

Apple says to add the control to Control Center if you do not see it. Open Control Center, tap the edit button to start editing, then tap Add a Control at the bottom of the screen to open the controls gallery and tap Screen Recording. Close Control Center by swiping up from the bottom center when you are done (Apple, "Use and customize Control Center on iPhone").

How do I screen record on Windows 10 and Windows 11 with Xbox Game Bar?

Microsoft's page "Use a screen reader to record your screen with Xbox Game Bar" (dated January 15, 2026, applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10) gives these steps, which are the same without a screen reader. We could not run Windows here, so they are from that page and not our own test.

1. Turn Game Bar on once: open Windows Settings, search for xbox and switch on Enable Xbox Game Bar.
2. Go to the game or app window you want to record.
3. Press Win+Alt+R to start recording a clip.
4. Optional: Win+Alt+M turns the microphone on and off during the recording, and Win+G shows the Game Bar controls.
5. Press Win+Alt+R again to stop.
6. Open Videos, then the Captures folder. The clip is an MP4 whose name has the app or game name and the date and time.

To record all computer sounds, Microsoft says to open Game Bar with Win+G, open its Settings, go to Capturing and select the All option.

A screenshot of the same window is Win+Alt+Print Screen; it is saved to Captures as a PNG.

What can Game Bar not record?

Microsoft's steps tell you to go to "the game or app you want to record", so Game Bar is built around one game or app window at a time. The Microsoft pages we read do not list a limit on the desktop or File Explorer, so we cannot cite one. If you need to record an area or a window the Record button does not work in, use Snipping Tool below.

Game Bar also needs Windows 10 22H2 or newer for some features, according to the Xbox support page (see sources).

How do I record part of the screen on Windows with Snipping Tool?

Microsoft's Snipping Tool page (dated October 9, 2025, applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10) describes a video snip: a recording of a rectangular selection of any part of the screen. Not run by us; steps are from the page.

1. Open Snipping Tool, select the Record button, then select New. Or press Win+Shift+R.
2. Select the area of the screen you want to record, then select Start.
3. When you are done, select Stop.
4. Save the recording as it is, or select Edit in Clipchamp to add captions or audio.
5. It is saved to your Screenshots folder automatically. Select See More, then Settings, to change that folder, or use Save as for another copy.

The page does not say whether Snipping Tool records the microphone or system sound while you record. If you need your voice on the clip, use Game Bar, or add audio in Clipchamp afterward as the page describes.

Which built-in tool should I use?

These tools make plain recordings. For a polished tutorial, trim the video, add captions or cut it to vertical for Shorts, Reels and TikTok; see the related guides below.