As the world becomes increasingly entertainment-focused and sharing what you see is the new wave, screencasting is a crucial asset to have in your technological arsenal. But what is screencasting, and how can you do it? Canstar Blue is here to answer these questions, and more.
What is a screencast?
A screencast is when you record a video of what’s happening on your device’s screen, usually of your computer or phone. Alternatively known as screen recording or screen capturing, screencasting is useful for showing others what you’re doing on your screen – such as an easy-to-follow how-to guide – or simply sharing videos with friends.
Screencasting could also mean broadcasting your phone to another screen, such as a TV, to showcase what you’re doing to a larger audience. This can be helpful in a team meeting environment, or in a more relaxed setting to showcase the latest social media video, or even to simply give you a larger display of your phone for convenience.
How can I screencast from my phone?
How you screencast from your phone will depend on if you want to record your phone screen or simply broadcast what you’re doing, as well as vary on what operating system your phone uses. Read on below on how to screencast from your phone.
How to record your phone’s screen
To record what’s happening on your iPhone screen, simply swipe up from the bottom of your screen and select the screen record icon at the bottom right of the display. This should be a filled-in circle surrounded by a larger circle. Once you tap this, a three-second countdown will begin, before the recording starts. When you would like to conclude the recording, simply tap this icon again. The video will be stored in your photo gallery, where you can then edit and polish up if needed.
For Android users, swipe down twice from the top of the screen. Tap the screen record icon, followed by ‘Start’. Again, there will be a countdown, followed by the recording. Once you are finished recorded, swiped down from the top of screen again and tap the screen record icon to conclude the video.
How to screencast onto a TV
For iPhone users wanting to mirror their phone’s display onto a TV, the process is simple, although you’ll have to have an Apple TV or compatible Smart TV. Simply open the Control Centre (which means swiping down from the upper-right corner for iPhone X or later models), or for iPhone 8 or earlier models swiping up from the bottom of the screen. From here, tap Screen Mirroring. Select the TV you would like to mirror with from the options, and then you should be able to see your phone screen up on the big screen.
Android users running devices 5.0 or later can cast their phone screen to a compatible Smart TV. You must first turn on your Microphone permissions by going to Settings – Apps – Google Play Services -Permissions. From here, tap the Microphone slider to turn it on if it’s not already. To cast your screen, open the Google Home app, tap the device in which you want to stream your screen, and then tap Cast Screen. Depending on your TV, you may need a Google Chromecast dongle, which will need to be connected to your TV, Wi-Fi connection and then controlled through the Google Home app.
Why isn’t my AirPlay or screencasting working?
There could be a few reasons as to why your screencasting isn’t working. If you’re trying to record your own screen, the storage on your device may be full, and therefore the file cannot be saved. To amend this, delete some unwanted videos or photos to free up some space.
If AirPlay isn’t working, your TV and phone may be on different WiFi networks. Make sure the devices are on the same network. Alternatively, your WiFi may be too weak, in which case restarting or upgrading your modem may be a better option.
Photo Credit: sdx15/shutterstock.com, diy13/shutterstock.com
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