Your phone almost certainly already has a screen recorder built in, and it is the best option for most people. On Android 11 and newer, swipe down twice to open Quick Settings and tap Screen Record; no app or root needed. Samsung phones have had their own version even longer, since One UI 2.0 in 2019, and One UI 8.5 added the ability to record just part of the screen. Install a dedicated app only if you need something native recording lacks: a facecam overlay, in-app editing, or direct live streaming. AZ Screen Recorder and XRecorder are the two current apps worth that trade-off. One name from the original version of this list, DU Screen Recorder, is no longer on the Play Store at all and should not be sideloaded from anywhere else.
Use the built-in recorder first
On stock Android 11 or newer, pull down the notification shade twice to reach Quick Settings, then tap the Screen Record tile. If you do not see it, tap the pencil or edit icon to add it to your quick-settings tiles. It records straight to your gallery, includes an option to capture microphone or in-app audio, and needs no permissions beyond the recording itself.
On a Samsung phone, this has existed even longer: One UI added its own version starting with One UI 2.0 in 2019 and 2020, reachable the same way through Quick Settings. Samsung’s One UI 8.5 update, arriving with the Galaxy S26 line in 2026, added the ability to record just a selected portion of the screen rather than the whole display, which is useful for capturing a single app window without your notification bar or other apps in view.
When a dedicated app is actually worth it
The native recorder covers the basic job well, but it does not do everything. Reach for a separate app if you specifically need a facecam overlay while recording gameplay, built-in video editing before you export, or one-tap live streaming to a platform.
AZ Screen Recorder remains a solid, current choice, actively updated with around 100 million installs and a rating in the high 4-star range. It offers a floating control panel, basic editing, and live streaming without watermarking your output.
XRecorder is the newer alternative worth considering alongside it, with a similarly strong current rating and frequent updates. Between the two, try whichever one’s interface you prefer; their core feature sets overlap closely.
What to avoid, and why
The original version of this article recommended DU Screen Recorder. It is no longer available on the official Play Store at all; fetching its listing directly returns a not-found page. Its publisher, then operating as DO Global under a partial Baidu ownership stake, was the subject of a 2019 BuzzFeed News investigation that found several of its other apps running ad fraud and concealing their ownership from users, after which Google removed roughly 600 million installs’ worth of the company’s apps. DU Screen Recorder itself was not one of the apps directly named in that fraud finding, but its own developer confirmed at the time that it was pulled from Play as collateral from the same enforcement action. Since it is not on the Play Store today, using it now means sideloading an APK from an unofficial mirror, which is a real risk on its own regardless of that history.
The original list also included Twitch as a screen recorder, which was simply a mistake. Twitch’s Android app is a live-streaming platform; it has never had a general local screen-recording feature for non-Sony devices. The single exception was a 2015 companion app Twitch built jointly with Sony for one generation of Xperia phones, long discontinued and unrelated to the main Twitch app.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need root to record my screen? No. Both the native OS recorder and every app named above work on an unmodified, non-rooted phone.
Why would I use an app instead of the built-in recorder? Mainly for features native recording does not offer: a facecam, in-app trimming and editing before export, or a one-tap route to a live-streaming platform.
Is DU Screen Recorder safe if I already have it installed? Since it has been removed from the Play Store, it will not receive further security updates through Google’s own review process. Switching to an actively maintained app is the safer choice going forward.
Akshay Mhatre is a Tech Journalist who likes to keep up with the latest from the tech world. He has worked at many popular news portals like BGR and TechRadar before joining TheLeaker as a News writer and journalist. A writer by day and a VFX artist by night. In his free time, he also likes to make motion graphics and concept art. You can find him on Instagram @akshayrazr_95 and contact him on akshaymhatre[@]theleaker.com.