Google Pixel phones have a built-in screen recorder in Quick Settings. On Android 14 and later you can record one app or the whole screen, with or without sound, and choose whether to show your taps.
Quick Answer
Swipe down twice from the top of the screen, tap Screen record, choose one app or the entire screen and audio options, then tap Start. To stop, swipe down and tap the Screen recorder notification.
How to Screen Record on a Google Pixel
- Swipe down twice from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
- Tap Screen record. If you do not see it, tap the pencil icon and drag it into your tiles.
- Choose Record one app or Record entire screen.
- Turn on Record audio (device audio, microphone, or both) and Show touches if needed.
- Tap Start, and pick the app if you chose one app.
- To stop, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the Screen recorder notification. The video saves to Google Photos.
Recording Options
| Option | Use |
|---|---|
| Record one app | Keep notifications and other apps private |
| Record entire screen | Show everything |
| Device audio | App and game sound |
| Microphone | Your voice |
| Show touches | Tutorials and demos |
How to Find, Trim and Share a Recording
- Open the Google Photos app.
- At the bottom, tap Collections, then On this device, then Movies.
- Tap the recording to play it.
- Tap Edit to trim the start and end, then Save copy so the original stays untouched.
- Tap Share to send it through Messages, Gmail, Drive or another app.
Screen recordings can be large, especially long ones at high resolution. If you only need a still image, a screenshot is much smaller: press the Power and Volume down buttons together.
Tips for a Better Screen Recording
- Turn on Do Not Disturb first. When you record the entire screen, incoming notifications appear in the video. Recording one app avoids this, but Do Not Disturb is a good backup.
- Choose audio carefully. Device audio captures app and game sound cleanly. Microphone picks up your voice and the room. Use both for commentary over gameplay or a tutorial.
- Use Show touches for tutorials. Viewers can see exactly where you tap, which makes step-by-step demos much easier to follow.
- Check your storage. Open Settings > Storage before a long recording so it doesn’t stop partway through.
- Close sensitive apps. Anything visible on screen is captured, including passwords you type in plain text fields, banking details and private messages.
Why Some Apps Record a Black Screen
Streaming services and some banking or security apps mark their screens as protected. When you record them, the video shows a black screen or the audio is missing. This is how the app is designed to protect copyrighted or sensitive content, and the Pixel recorder respects it. There’s no setting on the phone that changes it; if you need to show a problem in one of these apps, describe it or record a different screen that shows the same issue.
Screen Recording on Other Devices
The steps are similar on most Android phones, though the tile may be called Screen recorder and live in a slightly different spot. On an iPhone, you add the Screen Recording control to Control Center first; see how to add screen recording on iPhone. On a computer, see how to screen record on Windows 11 with audio.
Troubleshooting
- No Screen record tile: edit Quick Settings and add it.
- No sound in the recording: some apps block audio capture for copyright reasons.
- Recording stops: free up storage and close heavy apps.
- Recording on a PC instead? See how to screen capture video on Windows or how to record your screen or audio in Windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a time limit?
No fixed limit; storage is the practical limit.
Where are recordings saved?
In Photos, under Movies or Screen recordings.
Does this work on other Android phones?
Most Android 11 and later phones have a similar Quick Settings recorder.
Can I trim the video?
Yes, with the Edit button in Photos.
Summary
- Swipe down twice.
- Tap Screen record.
- Choose app or entire screen.
- Set audio and touches.
- Stop from the Screen recorder notification.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.