How do I record my screen and audio on Android?
Screen recording on Android allows users to capture video and audio of their device’s screen. This can be useful for creating tutorials, recording gameplay, documenting issues, or sharing visual information with others. Android has built-in screen recording capabilities, though third-party apps can provide more options. The process involves selecting settings like video resolution and bitrate, choosing an audio source, starting and stopping recordings, and troubleshooting any issues. This guide will provide an overview of recording your Android screen and audio using both built-in tools and third-party apps.
Prerequisites
Before you can record your Android screen, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met:
Android version requirements: Most built-in screen recorders require Android 5.0 or later. Some third party apps may support older versions. According to StatCounter, Android 8.0-8.1, 7.0-7.1 and 6.0 have the largest market shares as of December 2022.
Permissions: You’ll need to grant permissions for the screen recording app to capture audio and video from your device. This usually includes enabling settings like ‘Display over other apps’ and ‘Accessibility services’. The specific permissions vary by Android version and app.
Using Built-in Screen Recorder
Many newer Android devices have a built-in screen recorder that can be easily accessed from Quick Settings. This allows you to record your screen without needing to download a third-party app.
To access the built-in screen recorder on supported devices like Samsung Galaxy and LG phones running Android 10 or higher, swipe down from the top of your screen to open Quick Settings, then tap the “Screen recorder” tile to begin capturing your display (1). A red timer dot will appear in the status bar to indicate recording has started.
While recording, you can tap the timer dot to open an overlay control panel. This lets you pause or stop recording, toggle sound and microphone audio, draw on the screen, and more. Tap “Stop” when you are finished capturing the desired footage.
The built-in Android screen recorder provides a handy way to record your on-screen activity without any additional apps. Just open Quick Settings, start recording, and customize controls as needed for an optimized capturing experience right from your device.
Recording with Third-Party Apps
There are several excellent third-party apps that can be used for screen recording on Android devices. Some of the top options include:
AZ Screen Recorder – This highly popular app is free and easy to use. It provides features like drawing, facecam, microphone audio, and video editing within the app. AZ Screen Recorder can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
DU Recorder – DU Recorder is another free app with advanced options like video resolution up to 1080p, bitrate adjustment, and no time limits on recordings. This app also has no watermarks. DU Recorder is available on the Google Play Store.
Mobizen Screen Recorder – Mobizen provides not just screen recording, but also screen mirroring to PC and live streaming capabilities. The app is free to download with some advanced features available via in-app purchases. Get it on Google Play.
Google Play Games – Google’s built-in gaming app for Android has a screen recording function to record your gameplay. This is handy for capturing video to share online. The app comes pre-installed on most Android devices.
To install any of these apps, open the Google Play Store app on your Android device and search for the app by name. Tap on the app in search results and tap Install. The app will begin downloading. Once installed, you can open the app to begin using it and enable screen recording.
Setting Resolution and Bitrate
When recording your Android screen, it’s important to choose the right resolution and bitrate for your needs. Here are some recommendations:
Resolution
For most use cases like tutorials, gameplay videos, etc, 720p or 1080p resolution is recommended. Recording at your device’s native resolution can take up a lot of storage space without much visual benefit.
720p (1280 x 720 pixels) provides a good balance of quality and file size for general use.
1080p (1920 x 1080) is recommended for high quality recordings where fine details are important.
For 4K resolution screens, 1440p can be a middle ground between quality and file size.
Frame Rate
30fps is standard for most recordings. 60fps captures smoother motion but doubles the file size.
For games and apps where high frame rates matter, 60fps is recommended.
24fps gives a cinematic look but can look choppy for real-time recording.
Bitrate
Set the bitrate based on your video resolution. A higher resolution requires a higher bitrate to preserve quality.
For 720p, aim for 2500 – 4000 Kbps bitrate.
For 1080p, 4000 – 8000 Kbps is recommended.
Too low of a bitrate will result in compressed, blurry videos. Too high can create unnecessarily large files.
Finding the optimal balance for your needs may require some experimentation.
Recording Internal Audio
To record internal audio from your Android device along with your screen capture, you need to enable a few permissions in your recorder app of choice. Here are the steps to allow internal audio recording using the popular AZ Screen Recorder app:
First, open the AZ Screen Recorder app settings and enable ‘Record Audio.’ Then tap on ‘Audio Source’ and select ‘Internal Audio.’ This allows the app to access and record audio playing on your device from sources like music apps, videos, game sounds, etc.
You may need to grant the app permission to access your microphone and storage as well. Go to your Android device’s Settings app > Apps & Notifications > AZ Screen Recorder > Permissions and enable Microphone and Storage access. Having microphone access allows the app to include your voiceover or other ambient sounds in the recording.
With these permissions configured, the AZ Screen Recorder can now capture both the on-screen video as well as internal audio playing on your Android device. The audio gets synced and embedded into the screen recording file. Just make sure your phone is not muted when you start the screen recording.
Recording External Audio
Most Android devices have a built-in microphone that can capture audio during screen recordings. However, using an external microphone allows you to record higher quality audio. Here’s how to connect and enable permissions for an external microphone when screen recording on Android:
To connect an external microphone like a lavalier or headset mic, you’ll need an adapter suited for your Android device. Popular options include USB-C or 3.5mm headphone jack adapters. Once connected, open your Android settings and navigate to Apps > App Permissions > Microphone. Make sure to enable microphone access for the screen recording app you plan to use.
Additionally, open the screen recorder app and look in its settings for an option to switch audio input to the external microphone. For example, the Google Play Games screen recorder has a microphone selector in its advanced audio settings. This ensures the app uses your connected external mic instead of the built-in microphone.
Lastly, adjust the input volume within the screen recorder app settings as needed before starting your recording session. With the proper connections and permissions set up, you can now capture high-quality audio from external microphones on an Android device.
Starting Recording
To start recording your Android screen and audio, you will first need to open the screen recorder controls.
On most Android devices, you can access the screen recorder by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping the “Screen record” icon (it looks like a circle inside of a square). This will open the screen recording interface.
Before recording begins, you will see a 3 second countdown. This gives you a moment to prepare and get the app or content ready that you want to capture in the video. Once the countdown reaches zero, recording of your screen and audio will start automatically.
Some Android devices may have slightly different ways to start screen recording, like needing to open a notification panel first. But generally there will be a clearly marked “Screen record” option that activates the recording when tapped.
Stopping Recording
To stop recording on Android’s built-in screen recorder, open the notification shade and tap the “Stop” button on the screen recording notification. This will finalize and save the recording to your device’s storage. If you cannot find the stop button overlay, try swiping down from the top a second time to expand the quick settings shade, as the stop button may be hidden at first.
Some Android skins, like Samsung’s OneUI, may have additional methods to stop a recording, like pressing the power and volume down buttons simultaneously. Refer to your device manufacturer’s instructions for any special key combinations to stop recording.
Third party recording apps generally also include a persistent stop button overlay or notification that can be tapped to end recording. Again, check any app-specific instructions for the proper way to finalize a recording.
Overall, the key is finding the stop button overlay or notification as the last step to properly end and save your Android screen recording. This ensures the video file is not corrupted or lost.
Troubleshooting
If you run into issues while recording your Android screen, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:
For audio issues, make sure your phone’s volume is turned up and that the app has permission to access your microphone. Try toggling the audio source between internal and external to see if that helps. Restarting your phone can also fix microphone glitches.
For video issues like a black screen, verify that you enabled screen recording permissions for the app in your phone’s settings. Toggle between full screen and split screen recording modes. Consider reducing video resolution and bitrate if quality settings are too high. Restarting the app and your phone may help too.
If your recordings are not saving properly, check that you have enough storage space available. Try saving to internal rather than external storage. Make sure the app has write permission enabled for storage access. If needed, free up space or migrate recordings to another device.
For more help, consult the app developer’s website and community forums. Screen recording capabilities vary across Android devices and troubleshooting steps can differ. Always keep your Android OS and apps updated for optimal performance.