How to Film Your Computer Screen on Windows and Mac

The fastest way to record your screen

Windows 10 and 11 have a built-in screen recorder called Xbox Game Bar that works without installing anything. On Mac, Screenshot (built into macOS Monterey and later) records video. Both are free, start recording in under five seconds, and save files you can edit or share when ready.

If you need more control—like recording just one window, adding your webcam, or editing before you save—third-party tools like OBS Studio (free, Windows and Mac) or Camtasia (paid, Windows and Mac) give you those options. But for a quick recording of what's on your screen right now, the built-in tools are faster and require no setup.

Key Takeaways

Windows 10 and 11 include Xbox Game Bar, which records your entire screen or a single window with one keyboard shortcut: Windows key + G.
Mac users can open Screenshot (Command + Shift + 5), choose "Record Selected Portion" or "Record Entire Screen", and save the video file directly to the desktop.
Built-in recorders save files in standard formats (MP4 on Windows, MOV on Mac) that play on any device and open in any video editor.
If you need to record your webcam alongside your screen, add a second monitor view, or edit before saving, free tools like OBS Studio let you do all three.
Most screen recordings use between 50 MB and 500 MB per minute depending on resolution and frame rate, so check your free disk space before you start.

Recording on Windows with Xbox Game Bar

Press Windows key + G to open Xbox Game Bar. A small menu appears in the top-left corner of your screen. Click the record button (a white circle inside a white square), or press Windows key + Alt + R to start recording when ready.

While recording, a timer shows in the top-left corner. To stop, press Windows key + Alt + R again, or click the stop button in the Game Bar menu. The video saves automatically to your Videos folder in a subfolder called Captures. File names include the date and time, like "2024-01-15 14-32-45.mp4".

By default, Game Bar records your entire screen at your monitor's native resolution. If you want to record only one window or app, open that window first, then open Game Bar and look for a dropdown menu labeled "Record this" or "Capture this". Select the specific window before you press record.

Recording on Mac with Screenshot

Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the Screenshot app. A menu bar appears at the bottom of your screen with six buttons. Click the fifth button (a rectangle with a red dot) to record your entire screen, or click the sixth button to record only a selected portion of your screen.

If you chose "Record Entire Screen", the cursor changes to a camera icon. Click anywhere on your screen to start recording. If you chose "Record Selected Portion", click and drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want to record, then click the blue "Record" button that appears inside the rectangle.

While recording, a red dot appears in the menu bar. To stop, click the red dot or press Command + Control + Escape. A thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner of your screen. Click it to preview the video, or wait a few seconds and it saves automatically to your desktop as a MOV file with the date and time in the name.

Using OBS Studio for more control

OBS Studio is free and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. read it from obsproject.com. After installation, open OBS and you see a window divided into sections: Sources (top-left), Preview (center), and Controls (bottom-right).

To record your screen, click the plus sign under Sources and select "Display Capture" (Windows) or "Screen Capture" (Mac). A dropdown menu asks which monitor to record if you have more than one. Select your main monitor and click OK. Your screen now appears in the Preview window.

To add your webcam as a second video box on top of your screen recording, click the plus sign under Sources again and select "Video Capture Device". Choose your webcam from the dropdown and click OK. In the Preview window, click and drag the webcam box to position it where you want it, and resize it by dragging the corners.

Click the "Start Recording" button in the Controls section. A timer shows how long you have been recording. When you finish, click "Stop Recording". The video saves to a folder you choose in OBS settings (File > Settings > Output > Recording Path). Videos are saved as MP4 files by default.

Choosing the right resolution and frame rate

Screen recordings use more storage the higher your resolution and frame rate. A 1920 × 1080 (Full HD) recording at 30 frames per second uses roughly 100 to 150 MB per minute. The same resolution at 60 frames per second uses 200 to 300 MB per minute. A 4K recording (3840 × 2160) at 30 fps uses 300 to 500 MB per minute.

For most purposes—tutorials, presentations, or sharing clips on social media—1920 × 1080 at 30 fps is enough. Use 60 fps if you are recording fast motion like gaming or scrolling through a document quickly. Use 4K only if you plan to edit the video heavily or display it on a large screen, because the file size is much larger and playback requires a faster computer.

Xbox Game Bar records at your monitor's native resolution and 30 fps by default. You cannot change these settings in Game Bar itself. Mac's Screenshot app records at your screen resolution and 30 fps. OBS Studio lets you set both resolution and frame rate in Settings > Video > Base Canvas Resolution and Common FPS Values.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common mistake is forgetting to check free disk space before recording a long video. A 30-minute recording at 1080p and 30 fps needs about 3 to 4 GB of free space. Check your disk space in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) before you start. If you run out of space mid-recording, the file may become corrupted and unplayable.

Another mistake is recording system audio without realizing it. On Windows, Game Bar records your speakers by default, so if you are playing music or have notifications on, they will be in the video. Mute your speakers or turn off notifications before you record. On Mac, Screenshot does not record audio at all—you need OBS Studio or another tool if you want sound.

A third mistake is recording at a resolution higher than your monitor supports. If your monitor is 1920 × 1080, do not set OBS to record at 4K—the video will be blurry and the file will be huge. Record at your actual monitor resolution or lower.

Editing and sharing your recording

After you stop recording, the video file is ready to play on any device. On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to Videos > Captures to find your file. On Mac, look on your desktop or in the folder where you saved it. Double-click the file to play it in your default video player.

To edit the video—trim the beginning or end, add text, cut out mistakes, or add music—you can use free tools like DaVinci Resolve (Windows and Mac) or Windows Photos (Windows only). Open the video in your editor, trim or cut as needed, and export it as an MP4 file. Most social media sites accept MP4 files directly.

To share the video, you can email the file if it is under your email provider's size limit (usually 20 to 25 MB), upload it to a cloud service like Google Drive or OneDrive, or upload it directly to YouTube, Vimeo, or another video platform. Compress the file first if it is very large—most video editors have an export option to reduce file size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record just one window instead of my entire screen?

Yes. On Windows, open the window you want to record, then open Xbox Game Bar and look for a dropdown that says "Record this" or "Capture this". Select the specific window before you press record. On Mac, use Screenshot (Command + Shift + 5) and choose "Record Selected Portion", then draw a rectangle around just the window you want. OBS Studio also lets you select a single window in the Sources menu.

Will my recording include audio from my microphone or speakers?

On Windows, Xbox Game Bar records your speakers (system audio) but not your microphone by default. On Mac, Screenshot does not record any audio. If you need both microphone and speaker audio, use OBS Studio and configure audio sources in Settings > Audio. You can add your microphone, speakers, or both before you start recording.

What format is my video file in, and can I play it on any device?

Windows Game Bar saves as MP4, and Mac Screenshot saves as MOV. Both formats play on Windows, Mac, phones, and tablets without converting. If you want to convert MOV to MP4 (for better compatibility with some websites), use a free tool like HandBrake or your video editor's export function.

How much disk space do I need to record a long video?

A one-hour recording at 1920 × 1080 and 30 fps uses roughly 6 to 8 GB of space. Check your free disk space in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) before you start. If you have less than 10 GB free, delete old files or move them to an external drive first.

Can I record my screen and my webcam at the same time?

Xbox Game Bar and Mac Screenshot cannot do this. Use OBS Studio instead. Add both "Display Capture" (or "Screen Capture" on Mac) and "Video Capture Device" (your webcam) to your Sources, position the webcam box where you want it in the Preview window, then start recording. Both video feeds will be in the same file.

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