Android does not record your taps by default, so a playback of your tutorial shows menus opening with no visible reason why. There are exactly two ways to fix that: Android’s own “Show taps” developer setting, or a recorder that draws its own tap dots, like DemoScope’s Touch Indicators.
Short answer: For Android screen recording, show taps by enabling Developer options, then Settings, System, Developer options, Show taps. Those dots are captured by any recorder. DemoScope (HD Face Cam Screen Recorder on the App Store and Google Play) also draws its own customizable Touch Indicators during in-app recording on Android and iPhone, alongside a face cam overlay.
Last updated: November 2026.
The two ways to get tap dots into an Android recording
Android’s “Show taps” is a system-level developer setting that draws a small circle wherever your finger touches the display. Because the dots are rendered by the OS into the actual display output, any screen recorder captures them, including the built-in recorder in your quick settings panel.
DemoScope’s Touch Indicators are app-level animated circles drawn during recording inside DemoScope. They are customizable (you can change the indicator color) and they work in DemoScope’s in-app recording mode on both Android and iPhone.
The honest limitation, and it matters: DemoScope cannot draw its own touch dots over other apps on Android. Android does not permit it. In DemoScope’s Other App mode, which records anything on your phone with a floating face cam, the app points you to Android’s “Show taps” setting instead, and those system dots do get recorded. On iPhone, Other App mode has no touch indicators at all and no workaround, since iOS has no equivalent of Show taps.
How to turn on Show taps on Android
- Open Settings, then About phone.
- Tap Build number seven times until you see “You are now a developer.”
- Go back to Settings, then System, then Developer options.
- Scroll to the Input section and switch on Show taps.
- Start your recording. Every touch now draws a dot that the recording captures.
Exact menu paths shift by manufacturer (Samsung tucks Build number under Software information), but the setting is called “Show taps” on essentially every Android 16 device.
Turn it back off when you are done. Live Show taps dots on a phone you hand to someone else look like a bug, not a feature.
How to record with DemoScope’s Touch Indicators on Android
- Open DemoScope and choose the in-app recording source rather than Other App.
- Turn on Touch Indicators and pick an indicator color that contrasts with your UI. Dark blue dots on a dark app are invisible.
- Position the face cam bubble: drag it to a corner, pinch to resize, and pick a shape (circle, square, vertical or horizontal rectangle).
- Optionally paste your script into the Teleprompter. It auto-scrolls on screen for you and is not recorded.
- Hit record, then export to your camera roll as MP4.
DemoScope vs the built-in recorder vs Loom
| DemoScope | Android built-in recorder + Show taps | Loom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap dots over any app | Via Android’s Show taps setting | Yes, Show taps | Not a mobile tap-indicator tool |
| Own customizable tap dots | Yes, in-app recording (color adjustable) | No, dots are system-styled | No |
| Face cam overlay | Yes, draggable and resizable PiP | Front camera support varies by OEM | Yes, desktop/web focused |
| Teleprompter over other apps | Yes, on Android | No | No |
| Price model | Free with watermark and 10-minute cap; Pro $19.99 one-time | Free | Subscription |
My recommendation: use Show taps for anything where you leave DemoScope to record another app, and use DemoScope’s Touch Indicators when you are recording inside DemoScope and want colored dots that match your branding. The trade-off with Show taps is that you get no control over dot size or color, and you have to remember to toggle it off.
Why your taps still are not showing up
- You enabled Show taps after starting the recording. Toggle it on first, then record. Reopen your recorder fresh.
- You are in Other App mode on an iPhone. iOS has no system tap indicator, so there is nothing to capture. Record inside DemoScope if you need touch indicators on iPhone.
- The dots are there but invisible. System tap dots are low-contrast grey on light backgrounds. If viewers still cannot follow along, switch to DemoScope’s Touch Indicators and pick a saturated color.
- Developer options got reset. Some OEM updates and factory resets wipe them. Recheck before a long take.
Taps on iPhone work differently
On iPhone there is no Show taps equivalent, so touch indicators have to come from the recorder itself. DemoScope’s Touch Indicators work in iPhone and iPad in-app recordings, but not in Other App mode, which is a real iOS broadcast-extension limit rather than a missing feature. If you record on both platforms, the iphone built-in screen recorder vs third-party apps comparison and the broader ios screen recorder guide: built-in tool vs dedicated apps cover what the stock recorder leaves out.
For gameplay specifically, where tap visibility and reaction cam matter together, see best screen recorder with face cam for mobile games. And a lot of the practical stuff that ruins takes (mic routing, storage, framing) is collected in 10 iphone screen recording tips that actually make a difference.
Get Show taps switched on before your next walkthrough, and if you also want a face cam, a teleprompter and colored tap dots in the same take, DemoScope’s free tier records with a watermark up to 10 minutes so you can see whether the workflow fits before paying $19.99 once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Show taps on Android slow down my phone?
No. Show taps is a lightweight system overlay in Developer options and has no meaningful performance cost. The only real downside is that the dots stay visible outside recording until you switch the setting back off.
Can DemoScope show taps while I record a different app on Android?
No. Android does not allow DemoScope to draw touch dots over other apps, so in DemoScope’s Other App mode you use Android’s own “Show taps” developer setting, and those dots are captured in the recording. DemoScope’s floating control panel, teleprompter, drawing and laser pointer do work over other apps on Android.
Can I change the color of Android’s tap dots?
Not with the system Show taps setting, which uses a fixed grey circle. DemoScope’s Touch Indicators let you choose the indicator color for in-app recordings, which helps when your app UI is light grey and system dots disappear into it.
Do touch indicators work when live streaming?
Yes, in DemoScope’s Stream mode the face cam overlay, touch indicators and top and bottom text overlays are part of the RTMP stream to Twitch, YouTube Live, Facebook Live or a custom server. Streaming another app uses the Other App source, where the same platform limits apply.
Is DemoScope the same app as HD Face Cam Screen Recorder?
Yes. DemoScope is listed as “HD Face Cam Screen Recorder” on both the App Store and Google Play, and it runs on iPhone, iPad (iOS 15+) and Android phones (Android 16+).