Table of Contents

Screenshots and screen recording: important means for documenting AR visual anomalies

During the use of augmented reality (AR) applications, you may encounter visual experience issues such as model misalignment, content jittering, tracking loss, and occlusion anomalies. Since the effectiveness of AR content heavily depends on the device, environmental lighting, and algorithm performance, these problems are often transient and context-dependent. Vague textual descriptions (e.g., "the model drifted away") are insufficient to accurately convey specific details. Therefore, promptly using screenshot or screen recording features to document anomalies is crucial for subsequent problem diagnosis, technical reproduction, and user experience optimization.

Why are screenshots and screen recording needed?

When an AR application behaves unexpectedly, using screenshot and screen recording features serves the following key purposes:

  • Accurately reproducing the problem scenario
    Screenshots capture the exact moment an anomaly occurs (e.g., specific content jitter or model clipping), while screen recording comprehensively documents the entire process and environmental interactions leading to the anomaly.

  • Assisting development teams in technical diagnosis
    By reviewing your captured visual evidence, technical support teams or developers can quickly identify the root cause (e.g., device performance issues, SLAM tracking loss, or rendering pipeline errors), avoiding tedious speculation and repeated inquiries.

  • Preserving device environment information
    Screen recordings not only capture in-app visuals but often include the device’s system status bar (time, battery level, network signal), which is vital for diagnosing issues caused by device overheating throttling or network fluctuations.

Operation methods on common mobile devices

Before capturing screenshots or recordings, ensure the AR scene is fully loaded and anomalous behavior is occurring or about to occur. Keep the device stable for clear visuals.

Common operation principles

  • Screenshots: Suitable for capturing static visual errors (e.g., content clipping, model misalignment). Take multiple consecutive shots to cover different stages of the anomaly.
  • Screen recording: Ideal for capturing dynamic behaviors (e.g., screen shaking due to tracking loss, lag during interaction). Limit recordings to 15-30 seconds, focusing on the core problem occurrence.

iOS devices (iPhone/iPad)

Screenshots:

  • Devices with FaceID: Quickly press and release the side button + volume up button simultaneously.
  • Devices with Home button: Quickly press and release the side button + Home button simultaneously.
  • Screenshots are automatically saved to the Photos app .

Screen recording:

  1. Go to Settings > Control Center > More Controls, and add "Screen Recording".
  2. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
  3. Tap the record button to start; tap the stop button to end.
  4. Long-press the record button to enable system sound or microphone audio.
  5. Recordings are saved in the Photos app .
Note
  • Ensure Settings > Control Center > Access Within Apps is enabled before recording.
  • Performance limitations during recording may reduce effectiveness. Record immediately after reproducing the issue to avoid prolonged operation impacts.

Android devices (mainstream brands)

Screenshots:

  • Universal method: Quickly press and release the power button + volume down button simultaneously.
  • Some manufacturers support gesture screenshots (e.g., three-finger swipe down) or smart assistant shortcuts.
  • Screenshots are saved to Gallery > Screenshots.

Screen recording:

  • Stock Android (Android 11+):
  1. Swipe down the notification shade, locate the "Screen Record" shortcut (add via "Edit" if missing).
  2. Tap to start; optionally enable microphone audio.
  3. Tap the recording icon in the top-left corner to stop.
  4. Recordings are saved to Gallery > Movies.
  • Custom OS (e.g., Samsung One UI, HyperOS, ColorOS, OriginOS):
  1. Typically accessible via quick settings panel (add via "+" if missing).
  2. Tap to start recording.
  3. Tap the stop button (location varies by brand) to end.
  4. Recordings are saved to Gallery > Screen recordings.
Tip

Example paths:

  • Samsung: Swipe down notification panel > Screen recorder tool
  • Xiaomi/Redmi: Swipe down notification shade > Screen recorder
  • OPPO/Realme: Swipe top notification bar/down menu > Screen recorder
  • VIVO/iQOO: Swipe top-right down (or bottom-up on older models) > Super screenshot > Record screen
  • Huawei: Swipe top-right down > Screen recorder
  • Honor: Swipe down status bar > Screen recorder
Note
  • Some Android devices may restrict background recording during high-load AR apps. Disable power-saving mode and grant necessary permissions beforehand.
  • Performance limitations during recording may reduce effectiveness. Record immediately after reproducing the issue.

Best practice recommendations

Mastering these operations allows you to capture critical evidence at the first sign of AR anomalies, significantly improving issue communication and resolution efficiency. When submitting support requests, include screenshots/recordings, device model, OS version, EasyAR SDK version, and AR app logs to build a complete failure context.

For log collection methods, see: