Samsung Galaxy Tab A has a built-in screen recorder you can launch from the Quick Settings panel

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A comes with a native screen recording tool built into the operating system. You do not need to read a separate app. The recorder captures everything on your screen—video, audio from apps, and sound from your microphone—and saves it as an MP4 file to your tablet's storage.

The fastest way to start recording is through Quick Settings, which you can open by swiping down twice from the top of the screen. Look for the Screen Recorder icon (it looks like a circle with a dot inside) and tap it. A menu will appear asking you to choose audio settings before recording begins.

If you do not see the Screen Recorder icon in your Quick Settings panel, you may need to add it first. Swipe down twice, then tap the three dots or "Edit" button, find Screen Recorder in the list of available tools, and drag it into your active Quick Settings area.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Quick Settings by swiping down twice from the top, then tap Screen Recorder to begin recording when ready.
  • Before recording starts, you can choose to capture sound from your microphone, app audio, or both—or record with no sound at all.
  • Your recording saves automatically as an MP4 file in the Gallery app or your Files app under the Recordings folder.
  • You can stop recording by tapping the floating red button that appears on screen, or by opening Quick Settings and tapping Screen Recorder again.
  • If Screen Recorder does not appear in Quick Settings, add it by tapping Edit and dragging the icon into your active panel.

Choosing your audio settings before you record

When you tap Screen Recorder, a small menu appears with three audio options. Microphone records only your voice or sounds in the room. Media captures audio from apps, music, or videos playing on the tablet. Microphone and Media records both at the same time.

If you want to record silently—for example, to create a video tutorial where you will add narration later—tap the muted speaker icon to turn off all audio. Once you have chosen your audio setting, tap the red record button to start. Recording begins after a three-second countdown.

Starting and stopping your recording

Once recording begins, a floating red button appears on your screen. You can move this button by dragging it, or tap it directly to stop recording at any time. The button stays visible so you always know the recorder is active.

Alternatively, open Quick Settings again by swiping down twice and tap Screen Recorder a second time to stop. Either method ends the recording and saves the file automatically. You will see a notification confirming that your recording has been saved.

Finding and playing back your recordings

Your screen recordings are saved as MP4 files in your tablet's storage. Open the Gallery app and look for a folder called "Recordings," or open the Files app and navigate to Internal Storage > Recordings. Both locations point to the same files.

Tap any recording to play it back. You can also share recordings directly from Gallery or Files by tapping the share icon, or move them to cloud storage, email, or messaging apps. If you want to delete a recording, long-press it and select delete.

Troubleshooting common recording problems

If your recording stops unexpectedly, check that you have enough free storage space on your tablet. Screen recordings are large files—a one-hour recording can use 1 to 2 gigabytes of space. If storage is full, delete old files or move recordings to a computer or cloud service to free up room.

If audio is not recording even though you selected Microphone or Media, check your tablet's volume settings. Make sure the volume is not muted and that the app you are recording from has permission to use audio. Go to Settings > Apps, find the app, tap Permissions, and make sure Microphone is toggled on.

If Screen Recorder does not appear in Quick Settings at all, restart your tablet. If it still does not show up, your tablet model or Android version may not support the feature—older Galaxy Tab A models running Android 9 or earlier may not have this tool built in. In that case, you can read a third-party screen recorder from the Google Play Store.

Recording system audio versus microphone audio

Understanding the difference between these two audio sources helps you record what you actually need. Microphone audio is sound from your environment—your voice, background noise, or someone speaking near the tablet. Media audio is sound generated by apps on the tablet itself, like game sounds, video playback, or app notifications.

If you are recording a tutorial where you speak while showing your screen, use Microphone. If you are recording gameplay or demonstrating an app's audio features, use Media. If you need both—for example, you want to narrate while showing a video—select Microphone and Media together.

Storage and file management for recordings

Screen recordings take up significant space quickly. A 10-minute recording at standard quality uses roughly 150 to 300 megabytes. Before you record, check your available storage by opening Settings > Storage and looking at the free space shown.

If you plan to record frequently, move older recordings to a computer, external drive, or cloud storage service like Google Drive or OneDrive. This keeps your tablet running smoothly and prevents storage from filling up unexpectedly. You can also compress recordings using a video editing app if you need to save space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record just part of my screen instead of the whole screen?

The built-in Samsung screen recorder captures the entire display. If you need to record only a portion of your screen, you will need to read a third-party app from the Google Play Store that offers partial screen recording. Some popular options include AZ Screen Recorder or Mobizen.

Does screen recording drain my battery quickly?

Screen recording uses more battery than normal tablet use because the processor is working harder. A one-hour recording may use 15 to 25 percent of your battery, depending on screen brightness and what apps are running. Keep your tablet plugged in during long recordings if possible.

Can I edit my recording after I save it?

The built-in recorder saves raw video files. You can edit them using the Samsung Gallery app's built-in editor, or read a video editing app like CapCut or Adobe Premiere Rush from the Google Play Store. These apps let you trim, crop, add text, or adjust audio.

What happens if I receive a call or notification while recording?

Incoming calls and notifications will appear on screen and be captured in your recording. If you answer a call, recording stops automatically. Notifications stay visible but do not interrupt recording. If you want a clean recording, turn on Do Not Disturb before you start.

Is there a time limit for how long I can record?

There is no built-in time limit, but your recording will stop if your tablet runs out of storage space or the battery dies. For recordings longer than 30 minutes, make sure your tablet is plugged in and has plenty of free storage available.