You are recording a two-hour event, and halfway through you need to check a message, look something up or write down a name. On iPhone, the obvious move — switching to another app — ends the recording. Here is what you can do instead, and how to set things up so a long recording does not end by accident.
Why switching apps stops the video
iOS only lets the app on screen use the camera. The moment you switch away, capture stops, in the Camera app and in every other app. Can an iPhone record video in the background? has the details.
What happens to the file depends on the app. The Camera app saves what it has recorded so far. A carefully built third-party app closes the file straight away; a careless one can leave a file that will not open. Either way, the recording is over — so the trick is not to leave the recording app at all.
What does and does not interrupt a recording
These end a video recording:
- Switching to another app, or going to the Home Screen.
- Locking the phone, with the side button or through Auto-Lock.
- Tapping a notification or a link that opens another app.
- An incoming phone call.
These do not:
- A notification banner appearing at the top of the screen.
- Changing settings inside the recording app.
- Moving between screens inside the same app, provided the app keeps recording across them.
Put the tools inside the recording app
The way around it is an app that brings the things you need inside itself. In NoLight, that is Workspace:
- Web — a browser for looking something up.
- Notes — for writing things down while it records.
- Clock — to keep an eye on the time.
Step by step in NoLight
- Start recording on the Camera tab, with Start recording — or Record with screen dark if the room is dark.
- Switch to the Workspace tab. The recording keeps going.
- Open Web, Notes or Clock.
- A floating control stays on screen with REC, Dark screen and Stop. Tap Dark screen to go dark again without leaving Workspace, or Stop to finish.
- To start a recording without going back to the Camera tab, use the quick record button in Workspace. If the Camera tab is set to Photo, the same button takes a single photo instead.
Using Workspace while a recording runs, including the quick record button, is part of NoLight Pro. In the free version, the recording carries on while you stay on the Camera tab.
Things to watch while you browse
- Links that open other apps. A link that hands off to another app — a map, a store page, a video app — takes you out of the recording app, and that ends the recording. Stick to ordinary web pages.
- Sound on web pages. A page that plays audio can compete with the microphone. Keep pages silent while you record.
- Knocks on the table. Tapping the screen is quiet, but a phone lying on a hard table picks up every bump. A stand, or a folded cloth underneath, helps.
If you only need the audio
Voice Memos keeps recording in the background and with the phone locked, because iOS lets audio run in the background. Start a recording there and use any app you like alongside it; the orange dot at the top of the screen shows the microphone is still in use.
Which option fits
| You need | Use |
|---|---|
| The sound only, and any app alongside | Voice Memos |
| Video, plus a quick look-up, note or the time | Tools inside the recording app |
| Video, plus real work in another app | A second device for the other work |
| Video, and you have to switch apps | Stop, switch, and start a new recording |
Habits that help
- Turn on airplane mode or a Focus before you start, so fewer notifications tempt you out of the app.
- Use a stand, so you are not holding the phone steady and typing at the same time.
- Stop before you switch. If you really need another app, stop the recording first and start a new one afterwards. Two clean files beat one that ended by accident.
- Check the storage and battery first. Keeping the app open for longer means a longer recording, and more of both.
Short answers
Can I use another app while recording video on iPhone? Not without stopping the recording. Use tools inside the recording app instead.
Does a notification stop the recording? A banner appearing does not. Tapping it and opening another app does.
Does locking the screen stop a video recording? Yes, in every app.
Can I record audio and use other apps at the same time? Yes. Voice Memos keeps recording in the background.