The two ways to capture what's on your iPad screen
An iPad has two built-in capture tools: screenshot, which saves a still image of what you see right now, and screen recording, which captures video of everything you do for up to two hours. Both save to your Photos app automatically. Which one you use depends on whether you need a single image or a video showing movement and actions.
The steps differ slightly depending on which iPad model you have, because the buttons are in different places. But the process itself is the same on all current iPads.
Key Takeaways
- Screenshots save as still images in your Photos app; screen recordings save as video files that you can trim, share, or delete later.
- On iPads with a home button, use the top or side button plus the home button; on newer iPads without a home button, use the top button plus the volume up button.
- Screen recording is turned off by default — you need to add it to your Control Center first, which takes less than a minute.
- Both tools work even when your iPad is locked, so you can capture your lock screen or the moment an app opens.
How to take a screenshot on any iPad
The button combination depends on your iPad model. If your iPad has a home button (the round button at the bottom), press the top button (or side button on older models) and the home button at the same time, then release both. If your iPad does not have a home button, press the top button and the volume up button at the same time, then release both.
You will see a small preview of the screenshot appear in the bottom left corner of your screen for a few seconds. Tap it to open the screenshot in an editor where you can crop, draw on it, or add text. If you do nothing, it saves automatically to your Photos app in a folder called Screenshots. You can also swipe the preview away to dismiss it and keep the original unchanged.
The screenshot captures exactly what is on your screen at that moment — including notifications, the time, your battery level, and anything else visible. It does not capture things that are off-screen or hidden behind other windows.
How to set up screen recording on your iPad
Screen recording is not in the main Control Center by default, so you need to add it first. Open Settings, tap Control Center, then tap the green plus button next to "Screen Recording." This takes about 30 seconds and you only have to do it once.
After you add it, swipe down from the top right corner of your screen to open Control Center. You will see a circle with a dot inside it — that is the screen recording button. Tap it once to start recording. A red bar appears at the top of your screen showing that recording is active. Tap the red bar or open Control Center again and tap the recording button to stop.
Your recording saves automatically to your Photos app as a video file. You can trim it, share it, or delete it like any other video. Recordings can be up to two hours long, though longer videos take up more storage space on your iPad.
What gets recorded and what does not
Screen recording captures everything you see and do: taps, swipes, typing, app switches, and any audio playing through your iPad's speakers. It does not record audio from your microphone unless you turn that on separately in Control Center before you start recording.
Some apps block screen recording for security reasons — banking apps, streaming services, and password managers often prevent it. If you try to record while one of these apps is open, you will see a message saying recording is not allowed, and the recording will not capture that app's screen. You can still record other apps normally.
Editing and sharing your captures
Screenshots and recordings both appear in your Photos app when ready after you create them. For a screenshot, tap it to open the editor, where you can crop, rotate, draw with different colors and tools, add text, or add a signature. Changes save automatically unless you tap "Revert" to go back to the original.
For a screen recording, tap it to play it back. Tap Edit to trim the beginning or end — drag the sliders at the bottom of the video to choose where it starts and stops. You can also share the recording directly from Photos by tapping the share button, then choosing how you want to send it: email, Messages, AirDrop, or cloud storage.
If you want to delete a screenshot or recording, tap it in Photos, tap the trash icon, and confirm. It goes to your Recently Deleted folder and stays there for 30 days before disappearing permanently.
Troubleshooting common capture problems
If your screenshot or recording does not appear in Photos, check that you have enough storage space on your iPad. Go to Settings, tap General, then About to see how much space is available. Screenshots and recordings need free space to save. If your iPad is almost full, delete old photos or videos to make room.
If screen recording is not working, make sure you added it to Control Center (see the setup section above). If you added it but the button is grayed out, restart your iPad by holding the top button and a volume button until the power-off slider appears, then drag it to turn off the iPad. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on.
If an app is blocking your recording, there is no way around it — that is intentional on the app's part. You can record other apps, but not that one. If you need to capture something from a blocked app, take a screenshot instead, which sometimes works when recording does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I record my screen with audio from my microphone?
Yes. Before you start recording, open Control Center and press and hold the screen recording button. Tap the microphone icon to turn it on, then tap Start Recording. Your voice and any sounds around you will be recorded along with the screen.
Where do my screenshots and recordings actually save?
Both save to your Photos app in the main library. Screenshots also appear in a folder called Screenshots if you want to find them all in one place. You can move them to albums, share them, or delete them like any other photo or video.
Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?
The full-screen screenshot captures everything visible. After you take it, you can crop it to show only the part you want by tapping the preview, then tapping Edit and dragging the corners inward. This is faster than trying to capture only part of the screen in the first place.
What happens if I take a screenshot while an app is blocked from recording?
Screenshots usually work even when screen recording is blocked. The app may still prevent you from capturing sensitive information like passwords or payment details, but most of the time a screenshot will go through. Try it — if it does not work, you will see a message saying the screenshot could not be taken.
How much storage space do screen recordings use?
It depends on the length and quality. A one-minute recording typically uses 5 to 15 megabytes. A 10-minute recording might use 50 to 150 megabytes. If you record a lot, check your storage regularly and delete old recordings you no longer need.