# How to record your screen with the TextPort recorder

## Quick answer

In TextPort's **Scroll Capture** screen:

1. Tap **Start Screen Recording**, then **Start Broadcast**.
2. Tap **Open Messages**, or the app you picked.
3. Open the chat. Scroll down slowly.
4. Go back to TextPort. Tap **Stop Recording**.
5. Tap **Stop Broadcast**.

**Trim Recording** then opens.

## What you need

- TextPort on your iPhone, with iOS 17.5 or newer
- The chat in its app, ready to scroll

## Steps

1. Tap **Add Chat**

   Open TextPort. It is at the bottom of **Saved Chats**.

2. Tap **Import with Scroll Capture**

   For apps other than Messages, the card says **On Your iPhone**. **Scroll Capture** opens.

   Tip: If the sheet shows **Import from WhatsApp**, tap the app name at the top. Tap **Other**.

3. Tap **Start Screen Recording**

   It is the blue button at the bottom. An iOS sheet for screen recording opens.

   Tip: Before iOS 26, the button says **Start Recording**.

4. Tap **Start Broadcast**

   A 3-second countdown runs. Then TextPort shows **Recording** and the time.

5. Tap **Open Messages**

   It names the app you picked, like **Open Instagram**. The chat app opens.

   Tip: If you picked **Other**, it says **Open Messages**. Open your chat app yourself.

6. Open the chat

   Go to the oldest message you need.

7. Scroll down slowly

   Keep each message on screen for about 1 second.

8. Tap **Stop Recording** in TextPort

   Go back to TextPort. It is the red button at the bottom.

9. Tap **Stop Broadcast**

   TextPort shows **Preparing Recording...**. Then **Trim Recording** opens.

10. Tap **Start Processing**

    It is the blue button at the bottom. TextPort shows **Processing screen recording...**.

    Tip: To cut off the start or end first, see [Trim a recording](https://textport.com/guides/trim-a-recording-before-processing.md).

## Done

You have a screen recording of the chat. TextPort reads it and saves the chat in Saved Chats.

## Problems

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **Recording Error** shows on the **Scroll Capture** screen. | Tap the arrow next to it to read why. Then tap **Start Screen Recording** to record again. |
| The iOS sheet does not show TextPort. | Close the sheet. Restart your iPhone. Then do step 3 again. |
| TextPort does not show **Recording** after the countdown. | The recording did not start. Do steps 3 and 4 again. Tap **Start Broadcast**, not outside the sheet. |
| **Clip limit reached** | The recording stops by itself after 15 minutes. Tap **OK**. Process this part. Then record the rest of the chat. |
| **Recording Couldn't Be Recovered** | The video did not save in full. Tap **Discard Recording**. Then record the chat again. |
| You see **Unfinished recording** in **Saved Chats**. | TextPort kept a recording that you did not finish. Tap **Continue** to pick it up. |
| You picked WhatsApp, and there is no Scroll Capture card. | Tap the app name at the top. Tap **Other**. Or [export the chat from WhatsApp](https://textport.com/guides/export-a-whatsapp-chat-to-textport.md). |
| There is no **Scroll Capture** at the top of the screen. | Scroll Capture needs iOS 17.5 or newer. Update iOS. Or [import from screenshots](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-from-screenshots.md). |
| None of these match. | Email [support@textportapp.com](mailto:support@textportapp.com). Say which step you were on. Say what you saw. We usually reply within a day. |

## Questions

### Does the recorder record my whole screen?

Yes, while it is on. You start it and you stop it. Close other apps and turn on Do Not Disturb first, so no other messages show.

### How long can a recording be?

Up to 15 minutes. For a longer chat, make two recordings and process each one.

### Can I use the iPhone's own screen recorder instead?

Yes. Save the recording in Photos. Then [import it from Photos](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-screen-recording-from-photos.md).

## Next guides

- [How to import a chat with Scroll Capture](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-with-scroll-capture.md): You will get a chat from any app saved in TextPort, made from a screen recording of you scrolling.
- [How to trim a recording before processing](https://textport.com/guides/trim-a-recording-before-processing.md): You will cut your recording so it starts and ends on the chat, then send it to be read.
- [How to import a screen recording from Photos](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-screen-recording-from-photos.md): You will get a saved chat in TextPort from a screen recording that is already in Photos.

TextPort guide for iPhone. Updated 2026-11-05. Web page: https://textport.com/guides/record-your-screen-with-the-textport-recorder