Use the Built-In Game Bar to Record Your Screen

Windows 10 includes a free screen recording tool called Game Bar that works on any process, not just games. Open the program or window you want to record, then press Windows key + G to launch Game Bar. A control panel will appear in the top-left corner of your screen showing a red record button, a timer, and settings options.

Click the red circle to start recording. Your screen will capture everything visible, including audio from your speakers and microphone if you have them connected. The timer shows how long you have been recording. When you finish, press Windows key + G again or click the stop button (a square icon) in the Game Bar panel. Windows saves the video file automatically to your Videos folder in a subfolder called Captures.

Game Bar recordings default to 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second, which works well for most purposes. The file size will be roughly 1 GB per 10 minutes of recording, so check your available storage before you start a long capture.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Windows key + G to open Game Bar, the built-in screen recorder that works on any Windows 10 process without installing software.
  • Click the red record button to start capturing your screen, and click the square stop button or press Windows key + G again to end the recording.
  • Recorded videos save automatically to your Videos\Captures folder as MP4 files that you can play in Windows Media Player or any video player.
  • Game Bar captures at 1080p and 60 frames per second by default, producing roughly 1 GB of file size per 10 minutes of video.
  • If Game Bar does not open, check Settings > Gaming > Game Bar to make sure it is turned on, or update your graphics drivers.

Adjust Game Bar Settings Before Recording

Before you record, open the Game Bar settings to control what gets captured. Press Windows key + G, then click the settings icon (a gear symbol) in the Game Bar panel. You will see options for audio input, audio output, and video quality.

Under Audio, you can choose whether to record microphone sound, speaker sound, or both. If you are recording a tutorial and want to narrate, turn on the microphone. If you are capturing a video call or music, turn on speaker audio. You can also mute either source if you do not want background noise in your final video.

Under Video quality, you can lower the resolution or frame rate if your computer is running slowly during recording. Reducing from 1080p to 720p or from 60 fps to 30 fps will make the file smaller and use less processing power. Test a short recording first to see if your computer keeps up without stuttering.

Find and Play Your Recorded Video

Windows saves all Game Bar recordings in the Videos\Captures folder. Open File Explorer, click Videos in the left sidebar, then double-click the Captures folder. You will see your recordings listed by date and time, with names like "2024-01-15 14-32-45.mp4".

Double-click any file to play it in Windows Media Player or your default video player. You can rename the file by right-clicking it and selecting Rename, which is useful if you want to label it by content instead of timestamp. To move the file to a different folder, right-click and select Cut, then navigate to your destination folder and select Paste.

If you want to edit your recording—trim the beginning or end, add text, or adjust colors—you can open it in the free Photos app (search for Photos in the Start menu) or import it into video editing software like DaVinci Resolve or OpenShot, both of which are free to read.

Troubleshoot When Game Bar Will Not Open or Record

If pressing Windows key + G does nothing, Game Bar may be turned off. Open Settings (Windows key + I), go to Gaming > Game Bar, and toggle the switch to On. If the switch is already on, restart your computer and try again.

If Game Bar opens but the record button is grayed out, your graphics drivers may be outdated. Right-click the Start button, select Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, and select Update driver. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software and let Windows install any available updates. Restart your computer after the update finishes.

If Game Bar records but the video file is corrupted or will not play, the issue is usually insufficient storage space. Check how much free space you have on your C: drive (right-click C: in File Explorer and select Properties). If you have less than 5 GB free, delete unnecessary files or move large files to an external drive, then try recording again.

Alternative: Use the Snipping Tool for Short Clips

If you only need to record a few seconds or a small portion of your screen, the Snipping Tool has a video recording mode. Search for Snipping Tool in the Start menu and open it. Click the dropdown arrow next to New and select Video Snip. Draw a rectangle around the area you want to record, then click the red record button that appears.

The Snipping Tool saves video clips as MP4 files in your Videos folder, the same as Game Bar. This method is simpler if you do not need to adjust audio settings or record for a long time. However, it does not let you choose resolution or frame rate, so Game Bar is the better choice for longer or higher-quality recordings.

Record External Audio or Narration Separately

If you want to add narration after you record your screen, you can capture audio separately using the Voice Recorder app. Search for Voice Recorder in the Start menu, open it, and click the microphone button to start recording. Speak your narration, then click the stop button when you are done. The app saves your audio as an M4A file.

Later, you can combine your screen recording and audio file using free video editing software. Open your screen recording in DaVinci Resolve or OpenShot, import your audio file on a separate track, and sync them by watching both play at the same time. This method gives you more control over your narration and lets you re-record audio without re-recording your entire screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Game Bar records your entire screen by default. To record only one window, you can crop the video after recording using the Photos app or video editing software, or you can use a third-party tool like OBS Studio (free to read) which lets you select a specific window before you start recording.

Why is my recording choppy or stuttering?

Your computer may not have enough processing power to record at full quality while running other programs. Close unnecessary applications, lower the video quality in Game Bar settings from 1080p to 720p, or reduce the frame rate from 60 fps to 30 fps. Restart your computer before recording to free up memory.

Where do I find the video file after I record?

Open File Explorer, click Videos in the left sidebar, then open the Captures folder. Your recording will be there with a name like "2024-01-15 14-32-45.mp4". You can play it by double-clicking it, or move it to another folder by cutting and pasting.

Can I record audio from my microphone and speakers at the same time?

Yes. Open Game Bar settings, go to Audio, and turn on both Microphone and Speaker audio. Your recording will capture both your voice and any sound playing on your computer, like music or video dialogue.

What if I do not want to record audio at all?

Open Game Bar settings, go to Audio, and turn off both Microphone and Speaker audio. Your recording will be silent, which is useful if you are capturing a screen with background noise you do not want in the final video.