Learn how to record your phone screen natively without using an app. Also learn how to record video on older versions of Android
The phone screen recording feature is a very useful native tool for users of phones with Android 11+ operating systems. In addition to guaranteeing a range of benefits to you with the latest update, from commands to language improvements to performance improvements, users will have another plugin on their smartphone that better suits their needs.
In fact, this tool has appeared in early Android versions of Samsung devices. If you don’t already know this mechanism on your device or haven’t tried it – whether from Samsung or any other company – you can check out our super easy and complete step-by-step guide below to get started with it today.
How to find out if your Android has a native screen recorder
Before recording your device’s screen without an app, you should first check if your phone actually includes the mechanism. so:
- 1. Swipe down twice to enter the device notification shade.
- 2. Search for “screen recording”symbol
If you can’t find it, your phone may not have downloaded and updated the latest version of the operating system. To ensure this, you should check your device’s settings:
- 1. Open ‘Configuration.’ from your smartphone.
- 2. Scroll to the System tab.
- 3. Click Advanced, and then click System Update.
In this way, you can check the Android version your phone currently supports. For some phones, though, the action is slightly different. This is precisely due to the design and location of information in different versions of the operating system.
If your phone doesn’t have Android 11, you can most likely check for this in the way we just described. If your phone has been updated to the latest version, please follow the steps below to confirm your device version:
- 1. Open ‘Configuration.’ from your smartphone.
- 2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap About Phone. The most important information about the device is collected there.
- 3. Click “Software Information” and check your Android version.
Here’s how to record your screen natively on Android
This screen recording step only works on phones running Android 11 and higher. If that’s not your case, we’ll tell you about other alternatives later. If your device fits, check out our step-by-step guide on how to use this tool:
- 1. Swipe down twice to open the panel and its main tools. Click “Screen Recorder”.
NOTE: It may not appear in the first quadrant of the feature. If so, swipe until you find it. If it’s not there, click the “+” and drag the screen recording function to the quick settings.
- 2. There is an option to choose the resolution of the video before starting. To do this, click the name “Screen Recorder” instead of the tool’s icon. Available options include: 1080p, 720p and 480p.
- 3. After opening, you will be prompted whether you want to use pictures and sounds when using the app, only once or never. Choose one of the first two options.
- 4. The tab related to the sound you want to record will open. Choose your preferred setting: Mute, Recorded Media Sound, or Media and Microphone Sound.
- 5. Start recording. A three-second timer will then appear. It can be ignored. While recording, you can use the top right widget to draw, write, and even use the front-facing camera to appear in the recording. Recording can also be paused and resumed.
- 6. If you decide to stop recording, you have two actions to choose from: click or drag the frame in the widget down once, then click the red notification to stop recording. In both cases, the recording is automatically saved.
- 7. To access registered content, visit your gallery or the Photos application, depending on your preference. It can be used for editing, sharing and uploading in the Screen Recordings folder.
How to Record Phone Screen with 3rd Party Apps and More
Don’t worry if your phone doesn’t have the latest version of Android. Screen recording is possible through third-party applications. Some even offer various additional features to suit each user’s needs. All the apps below are free and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
Screen recorder
Screen Recorder is a very simple and very intuitive application. All you need to do is to minimally configure it by clicking the blue button in order to use it continuously. You can take screenshots and use the front or front camera while recording.
AZ recorder
Another super handy option is AZ Recorder. Its biggest difference is that it offers the possibility to pause and resume recording without restarting it. Other interesting aspects are time-lapse photography (the famous “fast camera”), recording and checking the FPS rate of the recording.
Mobizen Screen Recorder
Our last tip is Mobizen’s Screen Recorder. Essential for those looking for utility, as the app has a very simple interface. When you record your screen, you can use the camera if you want, and you can still edit the recording with the basic tools that users have at their disposal.
