How to screen record your app on iPhone and turn it into a polished walkthrough

If your app lives on a phone, or you just want to show it the way your customers use it, you don't need special software to record it. Your iPhone has a screen recorder built in. Record a run-through of your app, upload it to Puradoc, and you get a walkthrough video with a clean script and a natural voice, plus a written step-by-step guide. Here's how, start to finish.

Step 1: Add Screen Recording to Control Center

You only do this once. On recent versions of iOS:

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone to open Control Center.
2. Tap the + in the top-left corner, then tap Add a Control.
3. Search for Screen Recording and tap it to add the button.

Step 2: Get your app ready

• Turn on Do Not Disturb so texts and notifications don't pop up in your video.
• Open your app on the screen you want to start from, and log in to a demo or test account so no real customer data shows.
• Decide what you'll show. One task per recording works best, like "how to create your first project".

Step 3: Record your iPhone screen

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
2. Want to talk while you record? Tap and hold the Record button, then tap Microphone to turn it on.
3. Tap the Record button and wait for the three-second countdown.
4. Close Control Center and use your app the way a new customer would. Go a little slower than usual.
5. To stop, tap the red recording indicator at the top of the screen, then tap Stop.

Your recording is saved in the Photos app. Don't worry about the first and last second showing Control Center; you can trim those away in Puradoc.

Microphone on or off?

Either works. If you talk as you go, Puradoc turns what you said into a clean script, so you can ramble, say "um" and lose your place; that's fine. If you'd rather stay quiet, leave the microphone off and Puradoc writes the script from what's on your screen instead.

Step 4: Send the recording to your computer

The easiest way is AirDrop. In Photos, open the recording, tap Share, tap AirDrop and pick your Mac. It lands in your Downloads folder. On Windows, or if you use iCloud Photos, you can also download it from iCloud.com.

Step 5: Upload it to Puradoc

1. Sign in to Puradoc and choose Upload a recording.
2. Drag in your video or click Choose a file. iPhone videos (.MOV) work as they are; there's nothing to convert.
3. Puradoc writes the script, reads it in a natural voice and makes a step-by-step guide from your screens. It takes a few minutes.
4. Open it in the editor to trim the start and end, change any line of the script, pick a different voice or adjust the zooms.
5. Share it as a link, embed it on your site, or download the video and the guide.

On the free plan, each recording can be up to 5 minutes long; on Pro it's up to 10. See plans for the details.

Where to use your iPhone app walkthrough

• On your App Store page or landing page, so people see the app before they download it.
• In your welcome email, so new users know exactly what to tap first.
• As a reply to a support question you get every week.
• Sent to a lead who asked "how does it work?"

Your phone is already the easiest screen recorder you own. Record one walkthrough of your app today and see how it looks. Building for the web as well? Here's how Puradoc works as a screen recorder for SaaS apps.