Pixel Screen Reactions: how to record your screen and selfie camera together

Reaction videos usually need two apps and some editing: one to play the clip and one to film your face. Android 17 puts both in the screen recorder on Pixel. Google calls it Screen reactions in its announcements and Show selfie camera in the help page, and it is the same thing. Below are the exact steps, the rule that stops it from working for many people, and what to check if the option is missing.

What are Pixel Screen reactions?

Google describes Screen reactions as a way to make reaction videos without switching apps or setting up a green screen. In a few taps you record yourself and your screen at the same time, so your face sits on top of a video, a comment section or anything else you want to react to. Google's June 2026 post says it is a Pixel first experience that started rolling out to Pixel phones that month.

How to record your screen with the selfie camera

These steps come from Google's Pixel Phone Help page. Your Quick Settings may look slightly different on your Pixel.

What do the three switches record?

The Screen record menu has three separate switches, and people often turn on the wrong one.

• Record device audio: sound that plays from the phone, such as the clip you are reacting to.
• Record microphone: your voice, through the phone's microphone.
• Show selfie camera: your face, in the bubble on the screen.

For a reaction video you usually want all three. If the clip is silent in the finished video, device audio was off. If the clip is fine but we cannot hear you, the microphone was off. If your face is missing, check that you chose the entire screen.

How to record just one app instead

The same Google page covers single app recording, which is what you want when you are not making a reaction video and want to keep the rest of the screen out of it.

Why does it only work when you record the entire screen?

Google does not explain the reason. Its blog post simply states the rule, and the help page lets you choose between a single app and the entire screen. If you pick A single app, your selfie camera will not appear in the video, so choose Entire screen when you want your face in it. This is the most likely reason the option seems not to work.

How to move, resize and turn off the selfie camera

• Resize: pinch the selfie bubble.
• Move: drag it to a new position while you record.
• Change the look: Google says you can change the background color and the shape of the bubble.
• Turn it off during a recording: tap the recording indicator, tap Settings, then turn off Show selfie camera.

What limits does Google list?

• The selfie feature does not support front camera zoom.
• Large video files may not be shareable through some services. Google suggests sharing a link from the Photos app instead.
• The help page does not list an Android version or Pixel model. Google's blog says Screen reactions need Android 17 or newer.

Where is the recording saved?

Open the Photos app, tap Collections, tap On this device, then tap Movies. You can edit, trim and share it from there. If you want to keep the video private, check who the share link is visible to before you send it.

The option is missing: what to check

• Check your Android version. Open Settings, tap About phone and look at Android version. Screen reactions need Android 17 or newer. Our guide on an Android 17 update that does not show covers the waiting game.
• Update the phone. Open Settings, tap System, then System update. See how to update an Android phone.
• Record the entire screen. A single app recording does not include the selfie camera.
• Look in the right place. The control is inside the Screen record menu in Quick Settings, not in the camera app.
• Restart the phone. A restart clears many Quick Settings glitches, though Google's page does not list it as a fix.

Tips for a clean reaction video

• Turn on Do Not Disturb first. A screen recording captures what appears on screen, including notifications.
• Use headphones if you play audio. Recording device audio and your microphone together can pick up the speaker twice.
• Keep your face in good light. The selfie camera is a normal front camera, so a dim room will look noisy.
• Place the bubble away from the action. Drag it to a corner that does not cover subtitles or buttons.

A simple way to make a reaction video

1. Turn on Do Not Disturb so no notification appears in the recording.
2. Open the clip you want to react to and pause it at the start.
3. Open Quick Settings, tap Screen record and choose the entire screen.
4. Turn on device audio, the microphone and Show selfie camera, then tap Start.
5. Wait for the countdown, press play on the clip and react.
6. Stop the recording from the notification, open it in Photos and trim the start and the end.

Plan for a short clip. Long recordings make large files, and Google warns that some services cannot share very large videos. Sharing a link from Photos is the fix Google gives.

Common problems and quick fixes

Google's help page has no troubleshooting section, so these are general suggestions rather than official fixes.

• The selfie bubble covers the clip. Drag it to a corner, or pinch it smaller.
• Your face looks dark. Face a window or a lamp. The front camera works in the same light you do.
• The recording will not start. Free up storage space, then try again. A recording needs room to save.
• The video is too big to send. Share a link from Photos instead of the file.

Some apps block screen recording

Google's pages do not list apps that refuse to be recorded. In general, some streaming and banking apps block screen capture on purpose, and you may see a black area or an error. If the clip you want to react to will not record, play it in a browser instead, or check the app's own rules. Only record content you have the right to use.

Is it only for Pixel phones?

Google calls Screen reactions a Pixel first feature, and its pages talk about Pixel phones. Whether other Android makers add it is not stated on the pages we read. Samsung phones have their own recorder, and our guide to screen recording on a Samsung shows how it works. This page covers Pixel only.

Privacy: what ends up in the video

A screen recording with a selfie camera records your face, your voice if the microphone is on, and anything shown on screen. Check the screen for names, messages and account details before you share the file. If you want to keep a call private instead, see how recording a call works on Android.