From basic video tutorials to more complex live-streamed walkthroughs, there are all sorts of reasons you might need to record your screen on your Android device. But how can you screen record on Android? What is the best tool to screen record Android devices?

Android 11 brought a screen recorder to Android devices on September 2020. This tool is fairly basic, but it’s great for capturing gameplay footage or creating video tutorials on your phone. But if you’re on an older version of Android or need more sophisticated features, you’ll need to use a third-party screen recording app, such as ScreenPal’s Android screen recorder app.

With the built-in Android screen recorder, you can record your screen in high definition, with optional audio from your microphone. You can also choose to record touches on your screen, which can help create instructional videos. But it doesn’t allow you to add music, use video effects, add text overlays, or do any number of other things necessary to create a video.

This article describes how to screen record on Android using two tools — the built-in Android screen recorder and the ScreenPal Android screen recorder app. We also describe the features available in both screen recording tools to help you select the appropriate screen recording tool for your purposes. Finally, we end with some valuable Android screen recording tips.

How to screen record on Android’s app

•   Access your Android device
•   Swipe down from the notification panel twice to bring up the Quick Settings
•   Select the Screen Record icon from the settings menu
•   Give permission to start recording your device
•   Select the sound setting — no sound, media sound, or media sounds and mic
•   Tap Start Recording to start recording your screen
•   Tap the Pause button to pause the recording temporarily
•   Tap the Facecam button to record the front-facing camera footage
•   Tap the Toolbar button to start drawing on the screen
•   Tap the Stop button to stop the recording

How to screen record on Android with ScreenPal screen recorder

•   Download the ScreenPal screen recorder app on Google Play
•   Launch the ScreenPal app
•   Tap the red Rec button at the bottom of the screen to launch the screen recorder
•   Toggle Record Microphone if you want to record the microphone and add narration
•   Toggle Record System Audio if you want to record the Android device’s audio
•   Select the type of recording — Screen Recording, Camera Recording, or Camera & Screen
•   Tap the red Rec button again to stop recording

Benefits of ScreenPal’s screen recorder

Both ScreenPal and the native Android screen recorder are great options when it comes to recording your screen. But it’s worth noting that the Android screen recorder has limited features, such as recording full screen, recording with or without audio, drawing on the screen, recording the camera, and recording in various resolutions. These features should be enough if you’re creating a basic video for personal purposes.

But if you’re preparing a video for social media, you’ll need access to many more tools. Below, we describe the features of the Android screen recorder and the ScreenPal Android screen recorder. You should review the features and determine which is better for your goals. Also, the Android screen recorder and ScreenPal are free, so the cost shouldn’t be a factor in your consideration.

Android screen recorder’s limited features:

•   Record your entire screen
•   Record your screen with or without sound
•   Record your screen with media audio
•   Record your screen with media audio and external microphone audio
•   Temporarily pause or stop screen recording Android
•   Record the screen or the front-facing camera’s footage
•   Use the toolbar to draw on the screen
•   Record in 480p or 720p resolutions

The Android screen recorder is a great tool but has limitations. For one, it’s only available for Android 11 and higher. That means if you’re using an older version of Android, you’re out of luck. Additionally, it can’t add music or text overlay, cut or trim videos, or add video effects, features that you need to produce compelling tutorials and social media content. If you need a screen recorder for any purpose beyond personal use, you’re better off with ScreenPal’s Android screen recorder app.

ScreenPal’s screen recording features:

•   Record your entire screen or a part of the screen
•   Recorder microphone
•   Record system audio
•   Record screen, front-facing camera, or both
•   Overlay webcam footage on the screen recording
•   Add music from your library of the ScreenPal stock library
•   Overlay text on the video to add titles, captions, or watermarks
•   Select different fonts and color palettes for the text
•   Blur and obscure sensitive information or faces in real time
•   Hide areas of your screen while recording
•   Add video clips and recordings from the ScreenPal stock library
•   Add fun shapes, stickers, emoticons, and interactive icons to the video
•   Trim and cut different parts of your video to remove unwanted sections
•   Crop and rotate your video to focus on a specific area
•   Adjust the playback speed of the video
•   Enhance the screen recording with video filters
•   Directly upload the video to social media or other apps

ScreenPal’s Android screen recorder is definitely the way to go if you’re looking for a more feature-rich screen recorder than the default Android one. ScreenPal’s advanced features are great for creating how-to videos, product demos, or recording yourself playing a mobile game. And since it’s a web app, you can use it on any device with a web browser, including your Android phone or tablet.

Tips for screen recording on Android

It’s easy to record your screen on Android, but you must select the correct app to start. As we have already discussed, the native Android screen recorder is only suitable for basic, short videos. You must rely on powerful third-party apps, such as ScreenPal, for sophisticated screen recording capabilities. But producing an effective video is about much more than simply hitting the record button. Below, we offer valuable tips for screen recording on Android.

1. Turn on do not disturb – When recording your screen, you want to avoid any distractions that can come from incoming notifications. To avoid this, make sure to turn on Do Not Disturb mode on your phone. This will ensure that you won’t be interrupted by any notifications while recording. Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap the Do Not Disturb icon. You can also schedule Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at certain times.
2. Lock your screen orientation – You also want to ensure that your screen doesn’t accidentally rotate while recording. To avoid this, lock your screen orientation. Go into your phone’s Settings and look for the Display section. Here, you should see an option to Lock Screen Orientation. Turn this on, and your screen will stay in one orientation while recording.
3. Clear screen clutter – When recording your screen, you want to make sure that the screen is as clean as possible. This means removing any unnecessary icons and decluttering the screen. If you’re making a tutorial, you must ensure the viewer’s attention doesn’t stray, and a cluttered screen is a huge source of distraction. You can declutter your screen by hiding certain icons from the Display section in your phone’s Settings.
4. Choose an appropriate wallpaper – Knowing that others might see your screen recording, choosing an appropriate wallpaper is a good idea. This means avoiding personal photos and opting for something professional and/or neutral. Removing personal photos is important because they may reveal aspects of your identity that you’d prefer to keep private. For example, using solid colors for your background might be advisable because they won’t draw your viewer’s attention.
5. Decide if you want to mute the audio – Recording a video takes a lot of time and effort. And there’s nothing as frustrating as recording the video and playing it back, only to realize that your phone was muted throughout. So if you want the media audio to be included in your recording, make sure that you don’t have mute on. This way, you’ll be able to capture any sound that is playing on your device.
6. Check system resources – Before you start recording, checking your system resources is a good idea. This means turning off any unnecessary apps and processes that are running in the background. This will ensure that your recording is smooth and uninterrupted. This tip is particularly valuable if you intend to record yourself while playing video games or using other apps that require heavy processing power. Ensure that most of your phone’s processing power is devoted to video recording.
7. Plan your recording – We all know how important it is to be well-prepared before starting any project. The same goes for when you want to record a video on your Android device. Even though it may seem like a simple task, there are many things you need to consider before starting the recording process. For example, what is the purpose of the video? Are you recording a tutorial? A game walkthrough? A vlog? Once you know the purpose of the video, you can start planning the content. What do you need to include in the video to get your point across? It would help if you also considered the length of the video. For example, how long do you want it to be? Remember that people have a limited attention span, so try to make your videos as concise as possible. For example, if you’re recording a tutorial, make sure to break it down into manageable steps that viewers can easily follow.
8. Use the correct equipment – Before starting the recording process, you must ensure you have all the necessary equipment. Do you need to use a tripod? Do you need to mount your phone on something so you can film your hands? Do you need any special lighting? Once you have everything you need, you can finally start recording your video on Android.
9. Save storage space – Screen recordings can take up a lot of storage space, so it’s a good idea to save storage space before you start recording. After all, you don’t want to run out of space in the middle of your recording! There are a few ways to save storage space on your Android device before you start screen recording. For example, you can delete photos, videos, and screen recordings that you don’t need. If you have a lot of unused apps, you can also delete them to free up space. You can also clear your Android’s cache to help it run more efficiently. If you have a lot of photos and videos, you can also try backing them up to a cloud service, like Google Drive or Dropbox. But you don’t need to worry about cloud storage if you’re screen recording on Android with the ScreenPal app. ScreenPal can host and manage your screen recordings, so they don’t have to take up your storage space!

Screen recording can be a great way to save important information, create helpful how-to videos, and gain a massive following on social media. However, it’s important to use the correct tools and follow a streamlined strategy to ensure high-quality recordings. But most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the process of screen recording Android!