Screen recorders that capture the sound from inside the app
Before Android 10 there was no way for an app to capture the audio another app was playing, so screen recorders used the microphone and picked up the room. The playback capture API changed that, with a catch: the app being recorded can opt out, and many media apps do. Understanding that explains most of the confusing results.
Which audio you can actually capture
| Source | Works? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Game audio | Usually | Most games allow capture |
| Your own app or a web page | Usually | Browser audio generally captures |
| Music and video streaming apps | Often blocked | They opt out of playback capture deliberately |
| Voice calls | No | Blocked at the system level |
| Microphone | Always | Available alongside internal audio in better recorders |
The recorders
AZ Screen Recorder. The most complete free option: internal audio, facecam overlay, trimming, and no watermark or time limit on the basics.
Mobizen. Long-standing, reliable, with a clean editing step afterwards. Watch the free-tier watermark setting.
DU Recorder. Solid capture with live streaming built in, useful if the recording is going somewhere immediately.
Minimal, open source, no advertising, and it exposes the encoder settings directly, which matters if you care about file size.
Recorder and editor in one, sensible if the clip needs trimming and captions before it goes anywhere.
Vidma Recorder. Clean recordings with internal audio on supported phones and a basic trimmer.
A popular recorder from the VideoShow team with a facecam overlay.
Straightforward recording with a floating button and no time limit.
Records with a facecam and microphone, suited to tutorials.
Recording and screenshots in one small app.
A simple recorder with drawing tools for pointing things out on screen.
Settings that decide the file size
- Match the resolution to the destination 1080p for anything going to a video platform. 720p is plenty for a bug report or a tutorial.
- Use 30 frames per second unless it is a game Sixty doubles the file for no benefit on interface recordings.
- Set the bitrate deliberately Around 8 Mbps at 1080p is generous. Automatic settings tend to be wasteful.
- Record in landscape if it is going to a computer screen Rotating afterwards costs quality and looks worse than recording correctly.
- Turn on the touch indicator for tutorials It is the difference between a viewer following along and guessing where you tapped.
- Internal audio
- Touch indicator, for how-to recordings
- Countdown before recording starts
- Pause and resume, if the recorder supports it
- Facecam, unless you actually need it
- Sixty frames per second for interface recording
- Automatic upload to a service you do not use
- The floating control bar, which appears in the recording
The recorder your phone already has
Android 11 and newer include a screen recorder in the quick settings panel, and most manufacturers had one before that. It captures internal audio, it has no watermark and no time limit, and for a quick clip it is the right answer.
Install a third-party recorder when you need what the built-in one lacks: separate audio tracks, a facecam, precise bitrate control, trimming afterwards, or scheduled recording. If none of those apply, the one already on the phone is fine.
Try the built-in recorder first. Move to AZ Screen Recorder when you need separate audio tracks or a facecam, and record at 1080p and 30 frames per second.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my recording silent?
Either internal audio is off in the recorder's settings, or the app being recorded opted out of playback capture. Streaming apps commonly do the latter.
Can I record a video call?
The screen, yes. Call audio is blocked at the system level, and recording other people has legal implications that vary by country.
Why do my recordings stutter?
The phone is encoding video while running the app. Lower the resolution or frame rate, close other apps, and avoid recording while charging.
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