How to record a mobile bug on iPhone and Android

To make a useful screen recording bug report, start recording before the action that fails, show the result and attach the clip with written steps, the app build and device details. On iPhone, start from Control Centre; on Android, use Screen record in Quick Settings where available. Watch the saved clip before sending it so you know the failure is visible and no private information has slipped in.

When should you record a bug instead of taking a screenshot?

Use video when the developer needs to see what changed. A screenshot can show the wrong screen; a recording can show that tapping Back led there. For a fixed layout problem, one clear image may be easier to inspect than a clip.

What the tester sees	Useful evidence	What to explain alongside it
A label is cut off	Screenshot	The label's full text and relevant text-size setting
The keyboard hides Submit	Recording of opening the keyboard	Which field has focus and whether scrolling helps
A spinner remains after Retry	Recording including the wait	How long you waited and what should have completed
A saved choice disappears after reopening	Recording of saving and reopening	Whether you closed the app or sent it to the background

Apple's guide to filing useful bug reports recommends visual evidence for UI issues alongside detailed steps and expected results. The recording shows what happened; your description supplies the setup the clip doesn't show.

What should you prepare before pressing Record?

Return to the screen just before the failure. Use a test account with data you can share, and keep unrelated messages and notifications out of view. Check the microphone setting too: only include narration if it helps explain the issue.

Write down conditions you won't see in the clip. These might include an upgrade from an earlier build, a permission you denied yesterday or a feature enabled for this account. If changing the setup makes an intermittent bug disappear, keep the original observation and describe what changed rather than repeatedly resetting the app to get a tidier recording.

How do you record a bug on iPhone?

Use the built-in Screen Recording control:

1. Open Control Centre and tap the Record button. Add the control if it isn't present.
2. Wait for the three-second countdown, then return to your app.
3. Perform the failing action and leave its result visible.
4. Stop using the recording control at the top of the screen or the red Record button in Control Centre.
5. Find the clip in Photos and play it back.

To add narration, touch and hold the Record control and enable Microphone before starting. Apple notes that some apps restrict audio or video capture and that screen recording cannot run alongside screen mirroring. See Apple's recording instructions for the controls on your device.

How do you record a bug on Android?

On devices with the built-in recorder:

1. Swipe down twice to open Quick Settings and choose Screen record. You may need to edit the tiles to add it.
2. Choose the recording options, then tap Start and wait for the countdown.
3. Return to the app and reproduce the failure.
4. Stop from the Screen recorder notification.
5. Open the saved recording and check the result. Google's Photos instructions place recordings under Collections → On this device → Movies.

Where offered, showing touches can make taps easier to follow. Audio is optional. Controls and availability vary by phone; Google's Android capture guide notes version requirements for some steps on Pixel devices. If Screen record is missing, check your manufacturer's instructions.

What makes the clip useful to a developer?

Show one failure per report, with enough lead-in to understand it. Pause briefly on the starting screen, perform the action and let the result remain visible. If the problem is a delay, include the wait or state clearly where you shortened it. Speeding up a loading failure without saying so changes what the evidence appears to show.

Add a timestamp for the moment to inspect. Here is a fictional example for a shopping app:

Title: Returning from delivery options clears the basket note
Build: 3.6.0 (412), internal test build
Device: Pixel 8, Android 15
Setup: Signed-in test account; one item in basket

Steps:
1. Enter a basket note and tap Save.
2. Open Delivery options.
3. Return to the basket using Back.

Expected: The saved note remains visible.
Actual: The note field is empty.
Clip: 00:06 shows Save; 00:14 shows the empty field after returning.
Frequency: Seen twice in three attempts on this build.

That report gives the developer a sequence to try without making them transcribe the video. The good bug report guide covers the other fields if your team needs a shared format.

What should you check before sharing the recording?

Watch the exported file from beginning to end. Check that text is readable, the failing action is visible and the sound contains only what you intend to share. Look for notifications, account details and information revealed while switching apps.

If a clip contains private information, recreate it with safe test data where possible. Check every frame and its audio; redacting a single screenshot won't clean the rest of the clip. Keep evidence in the access-controlled location your team uses for reports.

Check the destination's file limits before uploading. If you need a shorter clip, retain the action and result that demonstrate the bug. Don't remove the only part that explains how you reached the broken state.

How can you attach a recording to a BugScreen report?

In a video-capable BugScreen SDK reporter, choose an existing MP4 or MOV from the attachment picker, wait for preparation and preview it before submitting. Images and videos share four visual slots, including any automatically attached screenshot. File size and duration limits apply, and videos cannot be marked up. The Android and iOS video guides explain the workflow for compatible SDK builds.

The separate companion video guide explains release availability: an older store build may offer images only. The companion cannot read the tested app's build metadata or logs, so include the build number yourself. BugScreen doesn't start a screen or microphone recording; you choose a clip you've already captured.

For your next test round, give testers the beta issue template and ask for a timestamp beside each recording. If collecting that evidence is slowing the team down, create a BugScreen workspace to try the reporting workflow with a compatible app build.