The two ways to capture what's on your iPad screen

iPad gives you two separate tools: Screenshots capture a still image of what you see right now, and Screen Recording captures video of everything you do for as long as you let it run. Which one you use depends on what you need to save — a single moment or a sequence of actions.

Both tools are built into every iPad. You don't need to read anything or pay for an app. The buttons or key combinations to start them are always in the same place, though the exact method varies slightly depending on which iPad model you own.

Key Takeaways

  • Screenshots on iPad use either the power button plus volume up (newer models) or the home button plus top button (older models), and save automatically to your Photos app.
  • Screen Recording is found in Control Center and captures video of your screen, including audio from apps and your voice if you turn the microphone on.
  • Both tools work offline and store files on your device — nothing is sent anywhere unless you choose to share it.
  • You can edit screenshots when ready after taking them, or find them later in the Screenshots album in your Photos app.

How to take a screenshot on iPad with Face ID

If your iPad has Face ID (iPad Pro 11-inch or 12.9-inch from 2018 onward, or iPad Air from 2022 onward), press the top button and the volume up button at the same time. Hold them for less than a second — you'll see a white flash and hear a camera sound.

The screenshot appears in the bottom left corner of your screen for a few seconds. Tap it to open the editing tools, or let it disappear and find the image later in your Photos app under the Screenshots album. If you tap the thumbnail, you can crop it, draw on it, add text, or magnify part of it before saving.

How to take a screenshot on iPad with a Home button

If your iPad has a home button (iPad Air 2 or earlier, iPad mini 4 or earlier, or iPad 5th generation or earlier), press the home button and the top button (or power button) at the same time. You'll see the same white flash and camera sound.

The screenshot saves the same way — it appears briefly in the corner, and you can edit it or find it in Photos later. The only difference is which buttons you press; everything that happens after that works identically.

How to record your screen using Control Center

Screen Recording is accessed through Control Center, the panel that slides up from the bottom of your screen (or down from the top right on newer iPads). If you don't see a Screen Recording button there, you need to add it first.

Swipe up from the bottom (or down from the top right) to open Control Center. Look for a circle with a dot inside it — that's the Screen Recording button. Press and hold it for a moment; a menu appears asking whether you want to record with or without microphone audio. Tap the red record button to start. A countdown appears, then recording begins. The status bar at the top turns red to show recording is active.

To stop recording, tap the red status bar at the top or open Control Center and tap the Screen Recording button again. The video saves to your Photos app automatically.

Adding Screen Recording to Control Center if it's missing

Open Settings and tap Control Center. Scroll down to "More Controls" and look for "Screen Recording." Tap the green plus button next to it. The button now appears in your Control Center the next time you open it.

If you've already added it but can't find it, scroll through Control Center — it may be below the buttons you see at first glance. The order of buttons can be rearranged by opening Settings > Control Center and dragging the three horizontal lines next to Screen Recording up or down.

What gets recorded and what doesn't

Screen Recording captures everything visible on your screen, including app content, notifications, and anything you type or tap. It also records audio from apps — music, video sound, or notification sounds — automatically.

Your voice is not recorded unless you turn on the microphone. When you press and hold the Screen Recording button, the menu that appears has a microphone icon. Tap it to turn the microphone on (it turns red), then tap the red record button. Now your voice and any sounds around your iPad are captured along with the screen.

Screen Recording does not capture anything outside the iPad itself — it cannot record your face, your hands, or anything happening in the room. It only records what's on the screen.

Finding and sharing your screenshots and recordings

Both screenshots and screen recordings save to your Photos app in the same place. Open Photos, tap the Albums tab at the bottom, and look for "Screenshots" — that album holds all your still images. Screen recordings appear in your main photo library, usually at the top under "Recents," labeled as video files.

To share either one, tap it to open it, then tap the share button (a square with an arrow pointing up). You can send it via email, Messages, AirDrop, or save it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Google Drive. You can also delete it here if you change your mind.

Screenshots and recordings stay on your iPad until you delete them. They don't upload anywhere automatically, and they don't use cloud storage space unless you choose to save them there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?

Not with the built-in screenshot tool — it always captures the whole screen. However, after you take a screenshot, you can edit it when ready by tapping the thumbnail in the corner and using the crop tool to select only the part you want to keep.

Does screen recording include passwords or sensitive information I type?

Yes. Screen Recording captures everything on your screen, including text you type into password fields or forms. Be careful what you record, and delete recordings that contain sensitive information you don't want to keep.

How much storage do screen recordings use?

A one-minute screen recording typically uses 50 to 100 megabytes, depending on how much motion is on screen and your iPad's resolution. A five-minute recording might use 250 to 500 megabytes. Check your iPad's storage in Settings > General > iPad Storage if you're running low on space.

Can I edit a screen recording after I save it?

The built-in Photos app lets you trim the beginning or end of a video, but not edit the middle or add effects. For more detailed editing, you can use the free app iMovie or a third-party video editor, then save your edited version back to Photos.

What if my screen recording has no sound?

Check that you turned on the microphone when you started recording — the microphone icon should have turned red. If you didn't, the recording will have app audio but not your voice. You cannot add sound to a recording after it's saved using the built-in tools.