Нow to record screen video on Аndroid

Sometimes, using the telephone, it becomes necessary to record video with actions on the screen. This can be a work need of QA or just a need of a regular user who wants to convey information to others. So, there is a question how to do that?

In some smartphones, such as Xiaomi, Huawei or Samsung, developers have worked hard and built-in utilities for on-screen recording, making life easier «out of the box» (OBB). There is no need to spend a lot of time learning about existing applications, their advantages and disadvantages, installation, setting, etc. Usually built-in application is placed somewhere on the phone’s main screen, in the notification panel or in the «Utilities» folder and it’s not hard  to find it.

What about other telephone manufacturers, in which such applications aren’t installed by default, there is something to talk and think about. Let’s watch the situation from the tester’s point of view , who pretty often uses the on-screen recording. The easiest way is to download a specialized application from the Store. Let's look through some of them.

DU Recorder. This is a free and simple utility. After the launch  the camera’s icon appears on the screen and  after tapping on it you can see the function menu. Tapping the «Record» button starts a countdown to on-screen recording start. Also, there is an ability to edit the video after recording. This software has proved that it is a reliable assistant in work, which doesn’t need any special knowledge or skills.

AZ Screen Recorder. Same to previous one, AZ Screen Recorder utility launches the camera’s icon with popping-up functions after tapping it. Also the application can be controlled from the notification panel.  Program has a standard scope of functions: start, stop and pause recording, cut after recording, add sound or video effects. It’s a full analogue to the DU Recorder application.

Mobizen Screen Recorder. This software has the same scope of functions, as the previous ones, but with the important difference - advertisement presence, which is placed on the video as a watermark. This feature may overlay the screen part with meaningful info. Application has the standard scope of functions. To the application’s disadvantages can be referred cases of crashes, difficulties of editing the video of  the several fragments.

Previously described variants have both advantages and disadvantages. To the advantages we can refer the process of  an  easy installation, usages and clear functions. The disadvantages may include the process of  saving a video in the phone memory, inconveniences during the video editing on the device. Also some of the important disadvantages are a need for some manipulations with connecting a phone and searching the needed file in the phone memory. Despite these nuances, these applications are often used and make life much easier for testers.

The next way to record the screen is to use  ADB. This approach has a wider range of functions than previous applications, but more time will be spent for configuring and preparing for recording. This function is available from the Android SDK. This package is required to be installed , so it can take a lot of time and disk memory. Also all Android versions support should be installed and only after the video recording will be pretty easy.

First of all, the mobile device should be connected to PC in USB debugging mode (during connecting the debugging will be asked which should be answered positively). Next, launch the command prompt (CMD) and open the folder with SDK installed, using the path:

C:\Users\your_user\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\platform-tools\

After that, execute the search of connected device with the command adb devices for telephone identification.

Then the screen recording is needed to be launched with the command adb shell screenrecord/sdcard/test.mp4. The placement and name of the file can be changed. This command will be recording a video for 3 minutes.

Using ADB, the user also can record  the logs, take screenshots and install builds on the phone. Among the utility’s advantages there is a huge set of functions and abilities. In the other hand, there is a difficulty of the installation and setting up the first time usage, requirement of command knowledge and also limit time of screen recording.

One more way to display the screen image is a broadcast to the PC. For this type of display are used such applications as Vysor. It can be installed on PC with Windows, Linux, Mac systems and also as a Chrome browser extension.

Device appears in the available device’s list right after the application launching. If this doesn’t happen, further steps are needed to be performed:

• approve enquiry of USB debugging;
• reconnect the device;
• install the ADB drivers (link is in the Vysor app).

If there are no problems with the device during the first launch, device name should be displayed in the upper part of the app. Broadcast will start after tapping the «View» button.

Instead of Vysor, there are other programs that can be used:

• Scrcpy. This application provides the display and control of Android-devices which are connected via USB or using TCP/IP (WiFi, SSH). This program works on GNU/Linux, Windows and Mac OS.
• Screencast. It is a simple and comfortable in use program for recording video from the PC screen and web-camera, which allows to capture the microphone sound too. Application is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chromebook.

Sometimes the customer's side wants to see not just recorded video with taps display, but exactly a real person to cooperate with the device’s touchpad. For this the tester must use  the tripod and device for video recording. Device for video recording is placed on the tripod and with the help of it, the tester can record a video of a mobile device with display tapping fingers.

Also after the video recording the tester to delete all sounds, add effects or just compress it for smaller size. In these cases other special programs are used:

• Camtasia. Program records a screen in the different formats video files. It has a function of the video editing, built-in Macromedia Flash (SWF) and video players. Camtasia captures actions and sounds in any part of Windows-system and saves them in the AVI-file;
• Movavi video suite. This package includes video editor, multimedia converter, utilities for screen or optical disks recording and also multimedia player. Set is created for PC with Windows platform.
• Mobizen for Windows. This program is made for remote control of mobile devices on the basis of Android and iOS systems. It can be used in standard mode, working with work spaces and applications and also in video recording and transferring files modes (last ones are fully compatible only with Android). Connecting to Mobizen is available via USB, WiFi, 3G or LTE on PC, Mac, iPad or tablets.

In each task the tester chooses a needed tool for them. But, in general, most people choose applications for Android for their usage simplicity, availability and reliability. On the second place is ADB tool. It is less popular because of complex installing process for the first time and also because of work in the console mode. The  least popular  among all of them are such programs as Vysor, Screencast, etc.