When you want to record something on your Windows PC’s screen, you need a tool or method that’ll best fulfill your needs, and makes the process easy and fast.
Many modern PCs feature a webcam or microphone and other recording hardware, but don’t have screen recording software. In Windows 10 though, you’ll find a built-in screen recording tool, which doesn’t always come standard with other computers.
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Thankfully, there are alternative free and paid third-party apps that offer more and advanced features, and can do a better job at it.
Benefits Of a Windows 10 Screen Recorder
A Windows 10 screen recorder comes in handy when you want to demonstrate how something is done, for instance in creating a how-to video guide or tutorial. It’s also used to document malfunctioning websites or apps and other technical problems for troubleshooting purposes.
If you’re a marketer, you can record your computer screen for various reasons including recording product demos, teaching new hires how to use certain tools in the organization, explaining complex topics or projects where an email can’t, among other use cases.
Sometimes it can be used to capture live game action, or even catch and verify intruder activity.
No matter what you need a screen recorder for, our list of Windows 10 screen recorder programs will do the job.
Windows 10 Screen Recorder Software
1.Xbox Game Bar
2.OBS Studio
3.FlashBack Express
4.Apowersoft
5.TinyTake
6.Camtasia
7.Icecream Screen Recorder
8.Screencast-O-Matic
9.Bandicamm
10. DU Recorder
Xbox Game Bar
Xbox Game Bar is the built-in Windows 10 screen recorder tool designed to capture your screen while recording and streaming video games or anything else you want. It comes handy when you’re in a pinch but not as a long-term screen recording solution.
- To open and use the Game bar, go to Settings and click or tap Gaming.
- Next, click the Game bar tab and enable the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar slider.
- If you want to open the Game bar settings overlay, press the Windows + G keys.
- If it’s your first time using this shortcut, you’ll see the Gaming features not available message, plus some options. To make the features work, check the box next to the Enable gaming features for this app to record gameplay option.
- When you want to start a recording, just press Win+Alt+R shortcut, or set one that you like by going to the Settings page.
- Press Win+G keys before you start recording, and tailor the audio levels for your outputs and apps to a suitable volume. You can also record audio from a microphone by going to the Game bar options and clicking the Mic icon, or press Win+Alt+M on your keyboard.
- When you’re done recording, press Win+Alt+R again to stop your recording, and go to C:\Users\USERNAME\Videos\Captures to find your saved recording.
The Game Bar screen recorder is free and convenient to use without installing any software. Plus, it’s ad-free, has no time limits and doesn’t add watermarks to your recordings. You can also trim your clips after recording.
However, it’s limited in terms of features. For example, there’s no pause function, and you can only record the screen at the resolution of the size of the target app.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio is an open source Windows 10 screen recorder software designed for live streaming and video recording. It offers more tools compared to the Xbox Game Bar such as video editing, customizable transitions, and much more so you can tinker on different aspects of your recording.
If you’re a gamer, you can record and stream yourself playing video games for free without any restrictions on the length or number of creations. You can record and live stream in HD to YouTube gaming, Twitch, or Facebook Live, save your projects and get back to them later or encode in FLV format and save to your computer.
Unlike Game Bar that captures your screen resolution size based on the target app, OBS Studio can capture full-screen mode recordings as it records from your graphics card at 60FPS or more. It also utilizes multi-core CPUs for better performance.
Besides recording from multiple sources like your webcam and external microphone, the software also provides visual filters including image masking and color collection.
It’s ad-free, and has no watermarks or time limits, but it lacks a pause function and video editor, and it may be difficult for newbies to use its advanced functions.
FlashBack Express
FlashBack Express is another good Windows 10 screen recorder program that’s ideal for capturing footage from a webcam and recording games.
It’s packed with features and tools despite being a free version of the paid FlashBack Express program, and doesn’t add watermarks or impose time limits for your recordings.
Unlike the intimidating OBS Studio interface, this tool has a well-designed interface that makes it easy to use whether you’ve used a screen recorder or not. You can also record in full-screen, or from a selected area, window or your webcam.
Once you’re done recording, a simple editor is available for you to trim or crop the clip to suit your needs, after which you can export it to your PC, YouTube or an FTP server.
It can also automatically obscure passwords on the screen, where you’re recording a game or tutorial video that has a login screen. Plus, it allows you to break up your lengthy recordings into chunks, and export it in MP4, WMV and AVI formats so you don’t have to use a separate video converter for this purpose.
The free version is limited in features, video output formats and editing tools, but you can get the paid version and unlock other tools such as ability to blur sensitive details, frame-by-frame editing, picture-in-picture, and smoothing out erratic cursor movements among others.
Apowersoft
This in-browser screen recorder works with several operating systems including Windows 10.
The web-based software doesn’t need downloading or installation like others on this list, but it’s more powerful than many desktop apps.
You can record your screen for as long as you want, select the area of your screen to record, capture audio and video simultaneously and even add annotations while you record.
Like other screen recording programs, Apowersoft doesn’t have watermarks or time limits, and it allows you to record from your webcam by inserting it into your screen to explain what you’re doing.
It also offers lots of export options including MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV and many others, and you can save your recording as a GIF or video file, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo, or store it in cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive.
The downside with this Windows 10 screen recorder tool is that it’s not suitable for recording or streaming games.
Camtasia
Camtasia is a paid screen recording program you can also use to record your screen in Windows 10. It’s an all-in-one tool with a screen recorder and video editor, plus themes that give your videos a consistent look and feel if you’re recording a series of clips.
You can use it to record full screen, a region or window, and use your microphone and webcam while recording. It also allows you to record your phone’s screen for mobile how-to’s and demos. Other features include video editing tools to cut, trim, or split your clips, green screen effect, and free video image and audio assets like customizable intros or outros and lower thirds, music sound effects, motion backgrounds and much more.
However, it only works with the 64-bit version of Windows, and is one of the highest-priced screen recorders available. You can take it for a spin with its 30-day trial though that comes with watermarks.
Get The Best Tool For The Job
We hope you now know the best Windows 10 screen recorder tools to use on your PC. If you want to crop or clip your footage after recording, check out our guide on the best open source video editors.
No matter what you want to do with the recordings, any of these screen recorders will help you produce a professional product. If you have experience using these or other screen recorders for Windows 10, we’d love to hear your recommendations. Let us know in the comment section below. Thank you for reading.
FAQs
What is the best way to record screen Windows 10? ›
- Go to Settings. In Windows 10 or 11, go to Settings > Gaming > Captures. ...
- Enable your recording options. ...
- Enable capture and control audio during screen recording. ...
- Turn off Capture mouse cursor when recording a game. ...
- Control keyboard shortcuts.
- Loom (Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone/iPad, Chrome)
- Camtasia (Windows, Mac)
- OBS Studio (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Movavi Screen Recorder (Windows, Mac)
- Zappy (Mac)
ScreenRec is one of the best free screen recorders with no watermark and no time limit. This option is great for those who want to capture videos and quickly share them.
What is the best free screen recorder for Windows 10? ›- VEED Screen and Webcam Recorder + Editor.
- Loom.
- Screencast-O-Matic.
- Bandicam.
- Screencastify.
- AnyMP4 Screen Recorder.
- FlexClip's Screen Recorder.
The native recorder for Windows 10 will not record your entire screen, making it difficult to use in any screen recording scenarios besides gaming. You can only set Game Bar to record for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours, with 4 hours being the maximum recording length.
Does Windows 10 have its own screen recorder? ›If you're using the Windows 10 operating system, you already have an internal screen recorder called Xbox Game Bar. If needed, you can find a brief guide on how to screen record on Windows 10 at the end of this article.
Which is the No 1 screen recorder app? ›SCR Screen Recorder
SCR Screen Recorder is one of the most recommended Android cellphone screen recorders. You can record audio, video and also have the option of using the camera during the recording. The downside is that in order to access the app, you need root privileges, i.e., enable super user features.
Click the Start Recording button or use the Win + Alt + R keyboard shortcut to capture your screen activity. Now perform whatever screen actions you want to capture.
Is there a 4K screen recorder? ›NVIDIA ShadowPlay is a powerful and free 4K screen recorder application for recording games. Also, this application comes with a live-streaming feature besides recording in 4K.
Is there a screen recorder for PC no limits? ›EaseUS RecExperts is one of the best screen and audio recorder with no time limit, which can work well on both Windows and Mac computers. This tool lets you record your screen for as long as you want without a bit of hassle, and you can use it to make your long screen recordings.
Which screen recorder has unlimited recording time? ›
1. OBS Studio. OBS or Open Broadcaster Software is a free screen video recorder that offers both recording and streaming in high definition, with no limits on the length of your videos.
Can I screen record for 4 hours? ›With the right screen recording software, you can screen record indefinitely. As long as the action continues on your screen, you can continue to capture it. However, that does not necessarily mean that you can always capture hours upon hours of footage.
How do I record my screen on Windows 10 without an app? ›Hit the "Start Recording" button or press the Win + Alt + R keys. After that, simply hit Escape or Win + G again to exit the Game bar and begin recording your screen.
Is Bandicam still good? ›For beginners as well as professionals, it is a great choice for making high-quality tutorials and gameplay videos, which can be easily shared on social media platforms. The best thing is that its user interface is easier to learn. Finding settings and configuring options in the menu is user friendly.
How do I record my screen on Windows 10 without anyone knowing? ›- Step 1: Open Gamebar. Press "Windows logo key + G" for this.
- Step 2: Start Screen Recording: For this purpose, when you're over the targeted app, just click on the "Red Dot"in order to start screen recording in Windows 10.
When background recording is turned on, you can record up to 30 minutes. Recordings automatically turn off after 30 minutes.
How Long Can Windows Recorder record for? ›Sound Recorder is an app you can use to record audio for up to three hours per recording file.
How do I record more than 2 hours on Windows? ›...
Under "Record this," use the Maximum recording time drop-down menu to select the time length:
- 30 minutes.
- 1 hour.
- 2 hours.
- Launch Bandicam and select the suitable recording mode, such as "Rectangle on a screen" or "Fullscreen."
- After selecting the recording region, press the "REC" button to start recording.
1) Does Windows 10 have a screen recorder with audio? Windows 10 comes with a built-in screen recorder called Xbox Game bar. This screen recorder can record screen, webcam and audio. It's easy to use, but comes with many disadvantages.
How to record your PC screen? ›
- Swipe down from the top of the screen. ...
- Find Screen Record, and drag it to the top.
- You will now have a Screen Record icon, which you can use anytime by swiping down from the top of your screen. ...
- Tap it, and you can start recording.
So, if you use a screen capture software like NinjaCapture to snap a photo or record the web page on your desktop or mobile phone, they won't be able to detect it. So, in this sense, the answer is no; websites cant detect user activities like screen capture.
How can I record high quality? ›- Record in a quiet location. ...
- Avoid echo. ...
- Invest in a decent microphone (if you can) ...
- Get a microphone stand. ...
- Use a pop filter. ...
- Stay close to your microphone. ...
- Use a mixer to split up audio channels. ...
- Make a test recording.
- Download this recording app from Google Play Store or App Store.
- Launch the app and you will see an overlay with four buttons appear. ...
- Go to Video & Settings to set up recording resolution, frame rate, and others and tap back to the home screen.
OBS Studio is a really great software for recording screens and makes it easier for me to start streaming. it is kinda hard to set up obs for the first time, once you successfully manage your screen and allow your mic, you are all set to start streaming and recording your screen.
Should I record in 4K or 1080p? ›Because 1080p is four times smaller than 4K, in most cases the workflow is faster and far less time consuming. In addition to saving time you also save money, since you don't need to have such an expensive editing computer to work around the footage.
What screen recorder do gamers use? ›- Bandicam.
- Wondershare DemoCreator.
- VideoProc.
- HitPaw Screen Recorder.
- Gecata.
- Icecream Apps Game Recorder.
- Apowersoft Mac Screen Recorder.
- Mirillis Action.
1Screen Recorder Feature
If you are unsure if you can screen record on TikTok or which third-party app is best for you to record the screen, then your most obvious option is using Android's built-in feature. Here's how to do it: Swipe once and then one more time from the top of the phone's screen.
OBS Studio is a no watermark screen recorder. It's totally free and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. Main features: Open-source.
How can I record my screen without getting caught? ›- Turn on airplane mode on your phone. ...
- Turn off your phone's Wi-Fi to disconnect from the Internet. ...
- Use a built-in screen recorder on your phone. ...
- Use a third-party screen recorder app. ...
- Mirror your phone to a PC. ...
- Use another phone to record the snap.
How big is a 1 hour screen recording? ›
Video Centric Recording:
360p (High Quality) video: 40 MB per hour. 720p (High Definition) video: 220 MB per hour.
Is OBS really free? Absolutely! OBS is open-source software developed by volunteer contributors around the world in their free time. OBS is distributed under the GPLv2 license.
How do I record a long video on my computer? ›- Screencapture.com screen & webcam recorder.
- Windows Game Bar.
- Movavi Screen Recorder.
- Microsoft Office PowerPoint.
- OBS Studio.
- Awesome Screenshot & Screen Recorder.
- Windows 10 Camera app.
- BombBomb Video.
Screen recording on Windows FAQ
Windows 11 comes with a built-in screen recorder called Game Bar. Using the steps above, you can start recording your screen with audio in 3 easy steps. Just open the tool, choose your audio devices and screens, and start recording.
Press WINDOWS+G to open the Game bar. If required, select the “Yes, this is a game.” check box. Press the Start/Stop Recording button to start and stop a recording. Use the Turn Microphone On/Off button to toggle microphone if you wish.
Does Windows have a recording app? ›Voice Recorder is an app for recording lectures, conversations, and other sounds (previously called Sound Recorder). Hit the big Record button (1), and add markers (3) to identify key moments as you record or play (2).
What is better than Bandicam? ›Other important factors to consider when researching alternatives to Bandicam include user interface and tutorials. We have compiled a list of solutions that reviewers voted as the best overall alternatives and competitors to Bandicam, including Snagit, Camtasia, Screencast-O-Matic, and Movavi Screen Recorder.
Which is better OBS or Bandicam? ›Bandicam Screen Recorder has 88 reviews and a rating of 4.5 / 5 stars vs OBS Studio which has 898 reviews and a rating of 4.65 / 5 stars. Compare the similarities and differences between software options with real user reviews focused on features, ease of use, customer service, and value for money.
Can you screen record just audio? ›Look for the screen recorder entry in your quick setting tiles (you may need to add it by tapping the pencil icon at the bottom of the section) and hold it to head to its settings. There, you can choose internal audio as the source for your recording.
How can I record my screen without installing apps? ›- Search for Screenapp.io on your chrome or firefox browser.
- Click on the “Get Started” button. ...
- Choose one from the options given : Microphone audio, Browser audio or No Audio. ...
- Choose to share from the options given : Your entire screen, Application window or just the Chrome tab.
How do I record my screen on Windows 10 without installing software? ›
Use Game Bar on your Windows to record your screen. This is a built-in tool that's free to use on your PC. Press the Win + G keys and the Game Bar dialog box will appear. From here, you may choose to record or take screenshots of the apps on your Windows PC.
How do I record my screen for hours on Windows 10? ›Click on the Start menu and hit Settings. Click on Gaming. Under Captures will be the option for Background Recording. Select from the maximum recording time drop-down from 30 minutes to 4 hours.
How do I record directly on my computer? ›- To start recording, tap or click the circular button with a microphone in the center. This is your Record button. ...
- To pause recording, tap or click Pause.
- To resume the same recording you paused, tap or click Pause again.
- To save the recording tap or click Stop.
To start recording, use the combination Windows + Alt + R or press the Start recording button on the Bar. You can also take a screenshot by using the Windows + Alt + Print Screen combination or clicking the camera icon.
How do I record directly on Windows? ›- To open Voice Recorder, open the Start menu and type "Voice Recorder."
- Press "Enter" to open a window like the one shown below.
- Record sound by clicking the circle in the center.
- Pause the recording by clicking the smaller buttion containing the pause icon.
- Step 1: Choose what you want to record. Capturing video this Snagit only takes a few clicks. ...
- Step 2: Choose audio to record. ...
- Step 3: Start your screen recording. ...
- Step 4: Trim your video. ...
- Step 5: Save or share.
- Search for Screenapp.io on your chrome or firefox browser.
- Click on the “Get Started” button. ...
- Choose one from the options given : Microphone audio, Browser audio or No Audio. ...
- Choose to share from the options given : Your entire screen, Application window or just the Chrome tab.
Screen recording on Windows FAQ
Windows 11 comes with a built-in screen recorder called Game Bar. Using the steps above, you can start recording your screen with audio in 3 easy steps. Just open the tool, choose your audio devices and screens, and start recording.
...
1. Open the app: Swipe down twice from the top of your screen and tap Screen record.
- Open the app: Swipe down twice from the top of your screen and tap Screen record.
- __ 2. ...
- Start recording: Choose what you want to record and tap Start.
With the right screen recording software, you can screen record indefinitely. As long as the action continues on your screen, you can continue to capture it. However, that does not necessarily mean that you can always capture hours upon hours of footage.
How many hours can Windows screen record? ›
Including the camera in the recording is available only when recording the entire screen, not when recording an application window or browser tab. Screen recordings are limited to a maximum length of 15 minutes.
Can Microsoft record longer than 15 minutes? ›No, screen recordings in Microsoft are limited to a maximum length of 15 minutes. To record longer content, you may record shorter segments and combine them into one video.