A Guide to Screen Recording on All The Most Popular Devices

In this in-depth guide series, you will learn how all of the major devices enable you to record your screen on video.

Whether you want to record a product demo, create a quick how-to video tutorial or provide feedback to a colleague on a project, we'll show you how to do it on the device of your choice.

You'll also learn what type of screen recording software is right for you and get some tips for screen recording.

When someones ask you to record your screen, that means they would like to see what you are seeing on your device and or computer. This allows them to see what you see as you do specific tasks.

Rather than taking static screenshots, you can walk someone through actions you're taking on-screen. You may also narrate it with your voice (audio) to explain what they see in greater detail. We get more into audio recording below.

Screen recording is a versatile tool for teaching, presenting, and training people and personal use. Screen recordings are also known as screencasts, screen capture videos, or recorded computer screens.

So what actually happens when you record your screen?

Screen capture applications all function in the same way. In reality, your graphics card will be utilized to capture a video of your desktop or application in action.

After you've started recording, the recorder will start capturing everything that happens on your screen until you stop it. You can generally choose to record the entire screen, just a selected portion, or even a single window.

When you're finished, the recording will be saved as a video file on your desktop (MP4 format is common). You can then share it with others or post it online.

Record your screen and microphone at the same time

Imagine attending a lecture where the lecturer draws things on a whiteboard but does not explain what they are doing. How much more would you understand if they spoke about what they were drawing?

The same applies to screen recording.

As the name implies, screen recording entails capturing what's on the screen (often without sound). However, people frequently need help understanding what you're showing on your screen.

That's why it's critical to incorporate audio of your voice speaking through what you're demonstrating on-screen with your screen recording.

Fortunately, some screen recording tools allow you to record your microphone audio simultaneously.

This will ensure that viewers not only see what you're doing on-screen but also hear you explaining it in detail.

According to PwC’s US Remote Work Survey (June 25, 2020), 83% of workers in the office wish to work from home at least once a week. Furthermore, 55% of employers anticipate that most of their workers will do so long after COVID-19 is not a concern.

Screen recording is more useful and necessary than ever before as business teams have become increasingly distributed. Workers are also collaborating across several software programs.

Everyday use cases for screen recording in the workplace

There are lots of reasons why you might want to record your screen. Here are some common use cases for remote workers:

Product demos Showcase the features of your product or service.

Sales presentations Present a sales proposal and receive feedback on it from your client or team.

Soliciting client feedback Capture and respond to customer feedback.

Share tutorials On how to use specific programs, apps, etc.

Customer onboarding When you need to show a customer how to do something, e.g., give you access to a specific tool.

Requesting product support When you need to demonstrate an error message or bug in your software.

Team training Recording training videos for employees who are unable to attend the live session.

Remote collaboration and feedback Rather than try and explain changes required for a design project or content piece, why not show your designer or content creator precisely what you're referring to on the screen?

Marketing Create demos for marketing materials, including webinars and product videos.

Team updates Share what you're working on at any given moment without having to upload files to an external service.

Remote hiring Conduct a partial or complete candidate interview through screen recording software

We're sure there are many more uses for screen recording, so please send us a Tweet if you have a different use case that isn't mentioned here.

Have you ever watched a colleague's screen recording and been sidetracked by unclear video or an unrelated popup notification?

If the goal of your screen recording is to clearly communicate with your team, improve productivity, and so on, you'll want to make sure that it's easy to follow.

Here are seven tips to make your screen recording more effective.

1. Increase your screen resolution

A blurry or pixelated video is going to be challenging to follow. Make sure your screen resolution is set to the highest possible setting before you start recording.

2. Use a simple background.

A busy or distracting background will also be a distraction for viewers. Choose a simple background or use a green screen to avoid unwanted visual noise in your video.

3. Remove clutter from your desktop.

A cluttered background can be distracting and makes it difficult for viewers to focus on what's happening on-screen. Choose a plain background or one with a simple pattern.

Disable notifications and other pop-ups

Close any unnecessary programs or tabs before you start recording and disable notifications, so they don't distract from your video.

If you've got an app that displays phone SMS messages on your desktop screen, turn it off before you hit record on your screen recording software.

Don't forget to disable phone calls, instant messaging, and text message alerts too.

5. Get to the point quickly

Screen recordings are a great way to communicate, but they're useless if nobody watches them! So avoid waffling or ranting.

6. Keep it short

Screen recordings can quickly become overwhelming if they're too long. Try to keep your videos between five and fifteen minutes, if possible.

Here, a helpful tip is to stick to a single topic per screen recording.

Screen recordings work best when they focus on a specific task and show the viewer exactly what needs to be done.

So instead of introducing several new things within the same video, split your screen recording into separate videos, so the viewer only has to remember one topic at a time.

7. Re-record 2 or 3 times before sending it to a colleague

A significant advantage of screen recordings versus live instruction is that you may re-record if something goes wrong or you make a mistake.

Re-recording also allows time for you to think through your final message with each take, making sure that you're getting your point across as clearly as possible.

Screen recording is typically done one of two ways:

• Desktop software These are applications that are pre-installed on your computer or that you'd need to download and install locally on your computer.

• Browser-based software These tools don’t require anything to download or install.

Clarityflow is a browser-based screen recording tool. This makes it ideal when you need to ask clients to record their screen by simply sending them a link they can open in any web browser.

How to decide on the right screen recording tool for your needs

It all depends on whether you want to use a built-in screen recording feature in whatever platform you're using (Windows, Mac, iPhone, etc.) vs. a specialized tool that makes it easier to share your recordings with others.

Benefits of built-in screen recording apps include:

• Screen recordings are easily accessible within the platform in which you create them.

• No additional software installation is required.

• Screen recordings may be saved to your system drive for easy access and distribution to others on your network or an intranet.

Benefits of browser-based screen recording tools include:

• It is more easily shared with anyone, regardless of what device they're using to view your video.

• Screen recording tools often offer higher-resolution output than built-in capabilities, resulting in an improved viewing experience.

• Screen recording tools often include features that aren't found in built-in screen recording apps, such as the ability to add annotations, voiceovers, and music.

• The ability to combine your camera, screen, microphone, text, and attachments into a single asynchronous conversation thread. Clarityflow is built specifically for this.

How to use screen recordings in asynchronous conversations

Most of the time, your screen recording needs a response back from someone, and that’s where asynchronous communication comes into play.

Asynchronous communication refers to a communication style where the sender does not expect an immediate response.

This type of communication is perfect for screen recordings because:

• It allows people to watch and digest your video at their own pace.

• Remote team members in different time zones will no longer have to deal with scheduling difficulties typical for synchronous gatherings.

• You reduce the risk of zoom fatigue.

Async meetings work as follows:

1. You create a screen recording during your workday and send the video over to your colleagues.

2. When your teammates are ready, they can watch your screen recording and respond to you during their local work hours.

3. You can then view their response in your own time and respond with another screen recording as needed.

Do you find yourself needing to share screen recordings with your colleagues or customers? And need a way for them to send their screen, camera, or mic responses back to you? Try out Clarityflow for free.

Do you wish to learn how to create a screen recording video for your particular device? We've prepared step-by-step guides on each of the major devices and platforms. Check out the relevant guide for your device and operating system:

How to record your screen in Windows 10

This guide will show you how to record your screen in Windows 10. The process is relatively simple and can be done with a few clicks of the mouse.

Read our guide to screen recording in Windows 10

How to record your screen on macOS

Want to know how to record your screen on a Mac? Screen recording in OS X is not tricky. In this guide, we'll show you how to use QuickTime Player.

Read our guide to screen recording on Mac OS

How to record your screen on iPhone

This guide will show you how to record your screen on an iPhone. Screen recording is a built-in feature of iOS. If you can't find the Screen Recording option, refer to this guide for help.

Read our guide to screen recording on iPhone

How to record your screen on iPad

This guide will show you how to record your screen on an iPad. Screen recording is a built-in feature of iOS.

Read our guide to screen recording on iPad

How to record your screen on Android devices

This guide will show you how to record your screen on Android devices. Screen recording is not a built-in feature of Android, but you can use a few methods to get the job done.

Read our guide to screen recording on Android

Free software for recording your screen

Don’t forget to catch our in-depth guide to whether you should use the free screen recording tools that are built-in with your computer or device, or consider upgrading to a premium service that can help with sharing screen recording videos with others.

Read our guide to free screen recording software

Final thoughts

Now that you know how to record your screen, what are you waiting for? Screen recordings can be an extremely valuable asset in any workplace, so start using them today!

Do you find yourself needing to share screen recordings with your colleagues or customers? And need a way for them to send their screen, camera, or mic responses back to you? Try out Clarityflow for free.