How to record screen and take screenshots, using Android API?

First step and the one which Ken White rightly suggested & which you may have already covered is the Example Code provided officially.

I have used their API earlier. I agree screenshot is pretty straight forward. But, screen recording is also under similar lines.

I will answer your questions in 3 sections and will wrap it up with a link. 🙂

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1. Start Video Recording

private void startScreenRecord(final Intent intent) {
 if (DEBUG) Log.v(TAG, "startScreenRecord:sMuxer=" + sMuxer);
 synchronized(sSync) {
  if (sMuxer == null) {
   final int resultCode = intent.getIntExtra(EXTRA_RESULT_CODE, 0);
   // get MediaProjection 
   final MediaProjection projection = mMediaProjectionManager.getMediaProjection(resultCode, intent);
   if (projection != null) {
    final DisplayMetrics metrics = getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
    final int density = metrics.densityDpi;

    if (DEBUG) Log.v(TAG, "startRecording:");
    try {
     sMuxer = new MediaMuxerWrapper(".mp4"); // if you record audio only, ".m4a" is also OK. 
     if (true) {
      // for screen capturing 
      new MediaScreenEncoder(sMuxer, mMediaEncoderListener,
       projection, metrics.widthPixels, metrics.heightPixels, density);
     }
     if (true) {
      // for audio capturing 
      new MediaAudioEncoder(sMuxer, mMediaEncoderListener);
     }
     sMuxer.prepare();
     sMuxer.startRecording();
    } catch (final IOException e) {
     Log.e(TAG, "startScreenRecord:", e);
    }
   }
  }
 }
}

2. Stop Video Recording

 private void stopScreenRecord() {
  if (DEBUG) Log.v(TAG, "stopScreenRecord:sMuxer=" + sMuxer);
  synchronized(sSync) {
   if (sMuxer != null) {
    sMuxer.stopRecording();
    sMuxer = null;
    // you should not wait here 
   }
  }
 }

2.5. Pause and Resume Video Recording

 private void pauseScreenRecord() {
  synchronized(sSync) {
   if (sMuxer != null) {
    sMuxer.pauseRecording();
   }
  }
 }

 private void resumeScreenRecord() {
  synchronized(sSync) {
   if (sMuxer != null) {
    sMuxer.resumeRecording();
   }
  }
 }

Hope the code helps. Here is the original link to the code that I referred to and from which this implementation(Video recording) is also derived from.

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3. Take screenshot Instead of Video

I think by default its easy to capture the image in bitmap format. You can still go ahead with MediaProjectionDemo example to capture screenshot.

[EDIT] : Code encrypt for screenshot

a. To create virtual display depending on device width / height

mImageReader = ImageReader.newInstance(mWidth, mHeight, PixelFormat.RGBA_8888, 2);
mVirtualDisplay = sMediaProjection.createVirtualDisplay(SCREENCAP_NAME, mWidth, mHeight, mDensity, VIRTUAL_DISPLAY_FLAGS, mImageReader.getSurface(), null, mHandler);
mImageReader.setOnImageAvailableListener(new ImageAvailableListener(), mHandler);

b. Then start the Screen Capture based on an intent or action-

startActivityForResult(mProjectionManager.createScreenCaptureIntent(), REQUEST_CODE);

Stop Media projection-

sMediaProjection.stop();

c. Then convert to image-

//Process the media capture
image = mImageReader.acquireLatestImage();
Image.Plane[] planes = image.getPlanes();
ByteBuffer buffer = planes[0].getBuffer();
int pixelStride = planes[0].getPixelStride();
int rowStride = planes[0].getRowStride();
int rowPadding = rowStride - pixelStride * mWidth;
//Create bitmap
bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(mWidth + rowPadding / pixelStride, mHeight, Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888);
bitmap.copyPixelsFromBuffer(buffer);
//Write Bitmap to file in some path on the phone
fos = new FileOutputStream(STORE_DIRECTORY + "/myscreen_" + IMAGES_PRODUCED + ".png");
bitmap.compress(CompressFormat.PNG, 100, fos);
fos.close();

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There are several implementations (full code) of Media Projection API available.
Some other links that can help you in your development-

1. Video Recording with MediaProjectionManager – website

2. android-ScreenCapture – github as per android developer’s observations 🙂

3. screenrecorder – github

4. Capture and Record Android Screen using MediaProjection APIs – website

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Hope it helps 🙂 Happy coding and screen recording!

PS: Can you please tell me the Microsoft app you are talking about? I have not used it. Would like to try it 🙂