Screen recording is built right into Android 16 on your Pixel 10a. You don't need any extra apps to capture your screen, whether you're making a quick tutorial or saving a live video moment. The tool lives in your Quick Settings and takes about two taps to start.
Open the Screen Recording Tool
Swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open the full Quick Settings panel. Look for the Screen record tile. On the Pixel 10a it's usually toward the bottom of the grid, but you can drag it higher if you want faster access.
If you don't see it, tap the pencil icon to edit your tiles. The Screen record option will be in the drawer of available tiles. Drag it into your active grid and you're set.
Set Up Your First Recording
Tap the Screen record tile and a popup appears with your audio options. You can record device audio (just the sounds from apps and games), device audio and microphone (app sounds plus your voice), or microphone only. There's also a toggle to show touches on screen, which is handy for walkthroughs.
Tap Start and a three-second countdown gives you time to switch to whatever app or screen you want to capture. The recording begins automatically after the countdown.
Capture Audio and On-Screen Touches
If you're narrating a tutorial or adding commentary to gameplay, select "Device audio and microphone" before starting. The Pixel 10a's microphone captures your voice clearly while still recording app sounds in the background. This works great for video calls, game streams, or walkthrough videos where your voice needs to match what's on screen.
The show touches option is worth turning on for tutorials. Every tap and swipe appears as a visible dot on screen, so viewers can follow exactly what you're doing.
End and Save Your Recording
When you're done, swipe down from the top and tap the Stop button in the screen recording notification. You can also tap the red recording indicator in the status bar. The video saves automatically to Google Photos.
Open Google Photos and your recording will be there, ready to watch or share. It shows up with a video icon and the date and time of the recording.
Trim and Polish in Google Photos
Tap the recording in Google Photos and hit Edit. The trimming tool lets you cut off the opening and ending where you set up or stopped the recording. You can also adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation if the video looks too dark or washed out.
Google Photos saves edits as a copy, so your original recording stays untouched if you want to go back and redo something.
Record Gameplay Without Lag
Open Google Play Games and select the game you want to record. Look for the recording option within the Play Games overlay. This method is optimized for gaming performance, so you won't see frame drops or stutter while recording.
You can also add a front-camera overlay if you want your face to appear in the corner of the recording. It's a nice touch for Let's Play videos or streaming.
Adjust Video Quality
Long-press the Screen record tile in Quick Settings to access the recording settings. You can change the resolution (higher for crisp video, lower to save space) and the frame rate (30fps is standard, 60fps is smoother for fast-paced games).
Higher quality settings create much larger files, so keep an eye on your storage if you record frequently. The Pixel 10a handles 60fps without issue, but longer recordings at that setting can eat through storage quickly.
Which Apps Block Screen Recording
Streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu show a black screen during recording. This is a DRM protection standard, not a Pixel 10a limitation. Banking and payment apps also block recording for security reasons.
Regular apps, games, web browsing, and messaging apps all work fine. Most third-party apps you use daily will record without any issues.
Send Your Recording Anywhere
Find the video in Google Photos and tap the share button. You can send it through Messages, email, WhatsApp, or upload directly to YouTube, TikTok, or other platforms. For longer recordings, consider compressing the video first to avoid file size limits on messaging apps.
Google Photos also offers a link-sharing option if you want to send a smaller version without attaching the full video file.
Other Recorder Options to Consider
The built-in screen recorder covers most needs, but if you want extra features like live streaming or a more detailed editor, apps like AZ Screen Recorder and XRecorder offer those options. They include no-watermark modes, internal audio recording, and more granular control over resolution and bitrate.
Install from the Play Store and grant the necessary permissions. Most third-party recorders can overlay a floating control panel, which makes starting and stopping recordings easier than going back to Quick Settings each time.
