As a tech writer, I end up trying to show people what I’m doing onscreen quite a bit. That’s usually a screenshot and an annotation, but sometimes a video would be a better option. I went looking for a screen recorder app in the Play Store, but then found out that I should have checked my phone first. The button is hidden in Quick Settings, and once I found it, it’s become my favorite feature.
Android has had a built-in screen recorder since Android 11, requiring zero downloads and no watermarks you have to pay to remove. If your phone runs Android 14 or later, it’s even better: now you can record a single app instead of your entire screen, which means no accidental notification recording and cleaner captures. I’ve tested it on my Pixel 9 and OnePlus Open, and I have to tell you, I’m never going back to a third-party app.
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Why I almost downloaded a screen recorder app I didn’t need
The Play Store sent me the wrong way
Popping into the Play Store, I searched for “screen recorder” and had the same experience I always do when looking for an app in such a popular category. There are just so many of them, so many similar names, and such a long list. I don’t want to spend the time downloading and trying them all out. Even grabbing the top five apps in the list, installing them, then finding a ton of ads or paywalls doesn’t seem like a good use of my time. So, I went to my Settings instead. Turns out, there’s a built-in way to record my screen that can live in the Quick Settings.
The built-in recorder has been there since Android 11
What to do if the tile isn’t there
Android 11 and above includes a native screen recording feature you can access from the Quick Settings panel. You can record audio from the device, a connected microphone, or both. It can either show your taps or not, and there’s no time limit; the video goes right to your Gallery for easy access.
A 10-minute video at 1080p averages about 200-400 MB of storage, though, so keep an eye on that as you accumulate more recordings.
Now, if you’re like me, you swiped down twice from the top of your screen and didn’t find a Screen Record button. That’s because you might have to add it to your Quick Settings, which is fairly easy. Once you’ve swiped down twice, tap the little pencil icon, then scroll down to the Display section. You’ll see Screen record and you can tap it to add it to your Quick Settings screen. Once added, you can Edit the tile to whatever position in the order you like, and even tap on the button to make it larger (adding the label is helpful when you have a lot of buttons).
I put the large button just under Device control so it would appear on the first page of Quick Settings, with the larger button. Now anytime i need to record my screen, it’s right there.
How to start a screen recording on Android
A step-by-step walkthrough
Now that you have the button in Quick Settings, starting a screen recording is super simple:
- Swipe down twice from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings
- Find the Screen record tile and tap it
- Choose your audio source, then tap Start
- A countdown will begin, and then recording starts
- To stop, tap the red Screen recorder timer, then hit Stop Recording
You can do the same thing on Samsung and OnePlus. Samsung offers a floating toolbar with a few extra options like drawing on the screen or inserting a selfie overlay, while OxygenOS launches a floating bubble instead of going straight to the countdown.
Not all apps will allow you to record audio due to DRM protections, like streaming services or banking apps.
The upgrade that actually sold me: single-app recording
How to use it
iOS has had a built-in screen recorder since 2017 and iOS 11 in Control Center, but Android’s ability to capture a single app instead of the whole screen takes it to a whole different level. Capturing the errant notification or sensitive data when switching apps can be a real challenge, making you start over. It’s fairly simple to enable, too.
Quick Settings > Screen record > choose audio to record > select “Record one app” > Next > choose the app from the recent list > wait for the countown. This ensures that you’re only recording that specific app window without any surrounding interface elements, including notifications, other apps, and even the notification shade. Now I can share the steps I’m taking in a specific app without worrying about an embarrassing message coming through at the top of my screen. Yikes!
When a third-party app still makes sense
Know what you’re giving up
Of course, if you need more than a barebones recording of your screen or app, you might still want to check out a third-party app. Those can offer things like annotation tools, facecam overlays, or even higher frame rates. If these are necessary to your workflow, you might want to spend the time checking them out.
For my purposes, though, the built-in tool covers most of the bases for quick tutorials, bug reports, or even sharing a how-to with my mom.
The bottom line
Android’s screen recorder won’t have all the bells and whistles of an app you might find in the Google Play store, but it’s free (and ad-free), and is capable enough that most of us don’t need to look any further. Give it a try and see if it meets your needs before you go diving into the Play Store.