How to Record Your iPhone Screen for App Videos (2026 Guide)
If you are building an iOS app, your App Store preview video needs to show the actual iPhone experience. Here is how to get your iPhone screen onto your Mac and turn it into a polished, cinematic app video.
Why you need proper iPhone screen recording for app videos
The built-in iPhone screen recording (accessible from Control Center) saves a video to your Camera Roll. That is convenient for personal use, but it has real limitations for creating app videos. The output is a raw recording at your iPhone's resolution with no zoom, no cinematic motion, no interaction highlights, and no App Store-compliant export preset.
For an App Store preview video that actually converts — one that autoplays in search results and makes someone stop scrolling — you need the same tools you would use for a Mac app video: zoom points on key interactions, 3D window motion, custom background, and H.264 export at the right specs.
The workflow is: mirror your iPhone screen to your Mac, then record it with cursiq. You get the full iPhone experience captured as a Mac screen recording, with all of cursiq's cinematic effects applied on top.
Step 1 — Mirror your iPhone screen to your Mac
There are two ways to get your iPhone screen onto your Mac. Use whichever fits your setup.
Option A — iPhone Mirroring (macOS Sequoia and later)
If you are running macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later on an Apple Silicon Mac, iPhone Mirroring is built in. Open the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac, connect to your iPhone over Wi-Fi, and your iPhone screen appears in a window on your Mac. You can interact with it directly from your Mac keyboard and trackpad — which makes it very easy to control the recording while you demonstrate your app.
Requirements: iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18, Mac with Apple Silicon running macOS Sequoia, both devices signed into the same Apple ID, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled on both.
Option B — QuickTime Player (all Macs)
Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a Lightning or USB-C cable. Open QuickTime Player, go to File → New Movie Recording. In the recording options (click the arrow next to the record button), select your iPhone as the camera source. Your iPhone screen appears in the QuickTime window at full resolution.
This method works on any Mac running macOS Mojave or later and does not require Apple Silicon. It does require a cable and that you trust the Mac on your iPhone.
Step 2 — Record the iPhone screen with cursiq
Once your iPhone screen is mirrored in a window on your Mac, cursiq records it exactly like any other window — because to the Mac, it is just another window.
Open cursiq and select Window recording mode
In cursiq, choose to record a specific window rather than the full screen. Select the iPhone Mirroring window or the QuickTime window showing your iPhone. This keeps the recording tight on the iPhone screen with no desktop visible.
Set up your zoom points
Place zoom points on the interactions you want to highlight — a button tap, a swipe, a key screen state. Cursiq tracks every click and touch on the mirrored window, so interaction highlights work the same as with Mac app recordings.
Choose a background
Pick a background gradient or upload your own. Since the iPhone screen has a portrait aspect ratio, a custom background helps frame it cleanly against the 16:9 video format that App Store previews use for iPhone apps.
Record your demo
Hit Record and use your iPhone (or the mirrored window) to walk through the key flows. Aim for 15–30 seconds for App Store previews. Show three to four features, move deliberately, and let each interaction land before moving on.
Export for the App Store
Use the App Store export preset. For iPhone apps, Apple requires H.264, specific resolutions per device size (e.g. 886×1920 for iPhone 6.7-inch), duration between 15 and 30 seconds, and file size under 500 MB. Check the App Store preview video specs guide for the full breakdown.
iPhone Mirroring vs QuickTime: which should you use?
| iPhone Mirroring | QuickTime | |
|---|---|---|
| Mac requirement | Apple Silicon only | Any Mac |
| Connection | Wi-Fi (wireless) | Cable required |
| Control from Mac | Yes — keyboard & trackpad | No — use iPhone directly |
| iOS version needed | iOS 18+ | Any modern iOS |
| Best for | Controlled demos | Natural touch demos |
For App Store preview videos, iPhone Mirroring is generally easier because you can control everything from your Mac while cursiq captures the window. For recordings where you want natural finger interactions on the physical phone, QuickTime captures those via the cable connection.
Tips for better iPhone app video recordings
Set your iPhone to Do Not Disturb
Notifications, calls, and alerts will appear on the mirrored screen. Enable Focus mode on your iPhone before recording to keep the screen clean during your demo.
Use a clean battery percentage
A very low battery indicator in the status bar can distract viewers or raise questions. Charge your phone before recording, or hide the status bar in your app if possible.
Front-load your best feature
App Store preview videos autoplay in search results. Most viewers decide in the first two to three seconds whether to keep watching. Open with your most compelling feature, not a splash screen or loading state.
Check Apple's device-specific resolution requirements
iPhone app previews have different resolution requirements depending on the device size you are targeting. Make sure you create preview videos for every screen size you support. See the full specs guide for the exact requirements.
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Turn your iPhone screen into a cinematic app video
cursiq records iPhone screens mirrored to your Mac and applies the same zoom, motion, and interaction highlights as Mac app recordings. App Store-ready export included — no video editor needed.
Free to try. Mac App Store. No subscription required.