How to Use Samsung’s Built-in Screen Recorder: A Complete Guide

Screen recording on your Android phone might sound like another run-of-the-mill feature with little use. That is until you need to capture a special video call with your long-distance friend, show tech support the exact error that appears on your device, or create a tutorial for your grandma on how to change her wallpaper. Suddenly, screen recording becomes less of a mundane feature and more of a must-have.

Thankfully, modern Samsung Galaxy phones come complete with a built-in screen recorder ready for use whenever. It does more than just record your screen, though. It also allows you to draw on the screen during the recording, show a selfie video on the screen, and even choose only a portion of the screen to capture. This partial screen recording option is actually one of the coolest new features Samsung recently added to your Galaxy phone. But unlike full-screen recordings, partial screen recordings don’t support displaying a PiP selfie video or annotating the screen.

Your Samsung Galaxy’s screen recorder is pretty accessible and intuitive. Here’s how to use it.

How to Use Samsung’s Built-in Screen Recorder

Screen recording on your Galaxy phone is easy to do from the Quick Settings panel.

Steps to start a screen recording:

Pull up what you want to screen record – an app, a website, or just your home screen.
Open the Quick Settings panel by swiping down from the top of the screen.
Tap on the Screen recorder tile. If you can’t immediately see it, expand the controls panel or edit the Quick Settings to add it.
Choose your screen recorder configuration, including:
- Area to record: Full screen or partial screen
- Audio to record: None, Media, or Media and mic
- Show taps and touches: Toggle on/off
Hit Start recording when ready.

If you selected partial screen:

Adjust the recording frame to your preferred size.
Press, hold, and drag the white circle to reposition the frame before pressing Record.
Note: You can’t change the selected area during the recording.

If you went with full screen:

You’ll automatically see a three-second countdown after starting the recording.

Advanced Features During Full-Screen Recording

While recording in full screen, you can use these additional tools:

Feature	Icon	Description
Draw on screen	Pen icon	Annotate the screen with custom line colors and widths
Selfie video overlay	Person icon	Adds a small video of yourself in a corner of the recording (drag to reposition anywhere on screen)

Note: Partial screen recordings do not support drawing or selfie video overlay.

How to Change Default Screen Recording Settings

Every time you start a screen recording, you’ll be prompted to choose preferred settings. You can customize the default settings so you can start a recording fast.

Steps to customize default settings:

Open Settings.
Go to Advanced features.
Tap Screenshots and screen recordings.
Under Screen recordings, adjust the following:

Setting	Options	Description
Audio to record	None, Media, Media and mic	Choose what audio is captured
Video quality	High (1080p), Medium (720p), Low (480p)	Adjust recording resolution
Selfie video size	Small to large slider	Resize the selfie video overlay
Show taps and touches	Toggle on/off	Show or hide on-screen interactions
Save screen recordings in	Folder selection	Default: Internal Storage > DCIM > Screen recordings

When you start a screen recording, you’ll still see the setup prompt, but you can skip it and go right to hitting the start button.

Quick Reference: Screen Recording Options at a Glance

Feature	Full-Screen Recording	Partial-Screen Recording
Drawing on screen	✅ Yes	❌ No
Selfie video overlay	✅ Yes	❌ No
Area adjustment	N/A	✅ Yes (before recording)
Audio options	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Show taps/touches	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a screen recording on my Samsung Galaxy phone?
Swipe down to open Quick Settings, tap the Screen recorder tile, choose your settings, and tap Start recording.

Can I record system audio (media sound) along with my screen?
Yes. In the recording setup, select Media or Media and mic under audio options.

Does the screen recorder capture my face?
Yes. You can enable the selfie video overlay by tapping the person icon during full-screen recordings.

Can I use the screen recorder while using another app?
Yes, the floating menu allows you to control the recording while using other apps. The selfie video overlay and drawing tools are accessible via the same floating menu.

Where are screen recordings saved on my Samsung Galaxy phone?
By default, they are saved in Internal Storage > DCIM > Screen recordings. You can change this location in Settings > Advanced features > Screenshots and screen recordings.

Can I stop a screen recording without the floating menu?
Yes, you can stop a recording by pulling down the notification panel and tapping the stop button, or by using the floating menu if it’s visible.

Summary

Access the screen recorder from Quick Settings (swipe down twice to see all tiles).
Choose your recording mode (full or partial screen).
Select audio source (none, media, or media + mic).
Tap start – the recording will begin after a 3‑second countdown.
Use the floating menu to draw, show selfie video, or pause/stop the recording.
Customize default settings in Settings > Advanced features > Screenshots and screen recordings.

Conclusion

Samsung’s built-in screen recorder is a powerful and versatile tool that goes beyond simple screen capture. With features like partial screen recording, drawing tools, selfie video overlay, and customizable settings, it’s perfect for everything from quick tutorials to capturing important moments. And by adjusting the default settings, you can streamline the process to start recordings faster than ever.