It’s no secret that rooting gives you access to more Android features than ever before. But screen recording is one root-only feature you might not have considered.
Today, all major Android screen recording apps require root access in order to work. Before the KitKat update, you couldn’t even record your Android screen without first connecting your device to a PC.
Google was kind enough to add native screen recording support in Android KitKat – although you still required root access.
Screen Recorder Apps Require Full Access to your Device
Recording a virtual screen may seem like a basic task, but it’s not. Screen recorder apps require access to all levels of your device. Some screen recorder apps can listen for microphone data, for example.
But all screen recorder apps, by nature, must record all levels of the device. So whether you’re on the homescreen, using an app, browsing the settings menu, or opening files and folders, the screen recorder must be able to work at all times. It also needs to be able to measure and record your inputs.
Technically, it is possible to create a screen recorder app that doesn’t require root access. The problem is that the app would just be severely restricted and difficult to make.
Top 3 Screen Recorder Apps for Rooted Android
After Google released the KitKat update and allowed native screen recording, developers released a number of great root-only Android screen recorder aps. Here are our top 5 favorite screen recorder apps for rooted Android devices:
3) Rec.
Rec. may be the prettiest screen recorder on this list. It’s also stupidly easy to use: just open the app, adjust the bit rate and duration according to your preferences, and then tap the “Record” button on the bottom to start.
Rec. also has a really convenient time delay feature. After you press the record button, you have 10 seconds to prepare (you’ll see a countdown). So if you’re making a video of the settings menu, you have enough time to get to the homescreen or the settings menu before the recording starts.
If you’re using the free version of Rec. you can only record video for 5 minutes and audio for 30 seconds.
2) Screen Recorder for KitKat
This app lets you record for up to 180 seconds for free. Just open the app, customize your resolution, time, bitrate, countdown, and rotation, then hit the Record button.
It’s clean, quick, and easy-to-use. Once your recording is complete, you’ll get a sound and vibration notification. Then, you can watch your video from the /sdcard/ScreenRecorder folder.
1) Shou
Shou has no time limits and it’s also the most customizable screen recorder. You can choose which source engine, encoding engine, and orientation you want to use – along with other expected customization methods like bitrate.
It’s also free to use. When you install the app, it’s okay to be scared: the app asks for an almost overwhelming number of permissions. It seems to be a safe app and only needs access to your permissions so it can record your screen and voice data. But still, if you’re concerned about privacy, then you might not want to use Shou (or really any of the other screen recorder apps here).
Shou also acts as a screencast app and lets you stream mobile games and watch live broadcasts from other mobile gamers. You can download Shou for free here.
New App May Not Require Root Access to Record your Screen
Up until this month, all Android screen recorder apps required root access in order to work. There were no apps on the Google Play Store that worked on non-rooted devices.
But things changed at the beginning of May 2015. A company called Rivulus Studios released an app called Lollipop Screen Recorder.
That app lets you record your screen without rooting. It looks almost identical to the screen recording apps listed above. You open the app, then customize your screen recording experience by choosing your resolution, orientation, and microphone audio.
By default, the recorder will record everything on your screen – including your interactions.
The only complaint about Lollipop Screen Recorder is that you can’t easily stop the recording. You have to drag down the notification shade and hide the “Stop” button. That footage appears at the end of your video, so you have a small bit of editing work to do.
You can download Lollipop Screen Recorder from here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rivulus.screenrecording&hl=en
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