Windows 10 and 11: Using the Built-In Game Bar

Windows 10 and 11 come with a screen recording tool called Xbox Game Bar that works on any process, not just games. Press Windows key + G to open it. A menu bar appears at the top of your screen with a red circle button — that is the record button. Click it to start recording, and click it again to stop. Your video saves automatically to a folder called Captures in your Videos directory.

Game Bar records your screen at the resolution you are currently using, up to 4K if your monitor supports it. The audio from your speakers and microphone both record by default. You can adjust these settings before you start: click the settings icon (gear symbol) in Game Bar, then go to Audio and Video to turn the microphone on or off or change the video quality.

One limitation: Game Bar does not record the Windows login screen, the lock screen, or system dialogs like the print window. For those, you will need a third-party tool.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows 10 and 11 have a free built-in recorder called Game Bar that you open with Windows key + G and start with a red circle button.
  • macOS has a Screenshot app (Shift + Command + 5) that records video to your chosen location and lets you trim it before saving.
  • Third-party tools like OBS Studio and Camtasia record any screen content, including system dialogs, and let you add multiple audio sources or edit before saving.
  • Most built-in tools record at your current screen resolution and include both speaker audio and microphone sound unless you turn one off.

macOS: Using the Screenshot App

On Mac, press Shift + Command + 5 to open the Screenshot app. A menu bar appears at the bottom of your screen with five buttons. The fourth button (a rectangle with a dot inside) records the entire screen; the fifth button records a selected portion. Click the button you want, then click Record.

When you are done, a thumbnail appears in the corner of your screen. Click it to open the recording in the preview window, where you can trim the start and end before saving. Click File, then Save, and choose where to store the video. The file saves as a .mov file, which plays in most video players and editing software.

The Screenshot app records your microphone by default. To turn it off, click Options in the menu bar before you record and uncheck Microphone. You can also choose whether to show the mouse pointer and whether to record the floating thumbnail itself.

Third-Party Tools: OBS Studio and Camtasia

OBS Studio is free and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is more complex than built-in tools but gives you full control over what gets recorded. read it from obsproject.com, open it, and you will see a blank canvas. Click the plus sign under Sources to add a screen capture, window capture, or process capture. Then click the red Start Recording button. Your video saves to a folder you choose in Settings.

OBS lets you record multiple audio sources at once — your microphone, your speakers, and a second microphone if you have one — and save them to separate tracks so you can adjust them later in editing software. It also lets you add a webcam overlay, a logo, or text to your recording before you save.

Camtasia costs money (around $100 for a perpetual license, or $10 per month) but is designed specifically for screen recording and editing. You record in Camtasia, and the same software lets you trim, add captions, zoom in on parts of the screen, and export to video. It is faster than OBS for straightforward recordings but costs more than free alternatives.

What Gets Recorded and What Does Not

Built-in tools record everything visible on your screen at that moment: browser windows, documents, spreadsheets, video calls, and applications. They record the audio coming from your speakers and your microphone simultaneously, unless you turn one off in settings.

Some content does not record. Windows Game Bar cannot record the login screen, lock screen, or system dialogs. macOS Screenshot can record almost anything, but some full-screen applications (like certain games or streaming apps) may not record properly. Third-party tools like OBS usually work around these limits by capturing at a lower level.

If you are recording a video call, check the platform's terms first. Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams all allow recording, but you must disclose it to other participants in most places. Skype requires all parties to consent before recording starts.

File Size, Quality, and Where Videos Save

Screen recordings take up significant disk space. A one-hour recording at 1080p resolution uses roughly 500 MB to 1 GB, depending on how much motion is on screen and what codec the software uses. A 4K recording uses three to four times as much space. Check that you have enough free storage before you record something long.

Built-in tools save videos in standard formats: Game Bar uses MP4, and macOS Screenshot uses MOV. Both play in Windows Media Player, QuickTime, VLC, and most editing software. Third-party tools let you choose the format and quality before recording, which is useful if you plan to edit or upload the video later.

Game Bar saves to Videos/Captures by default. macOS Screenshot asks you where to save each time. OBS Studio saves to a folder you set in Settings under Output. If you record many videos, create a dedicated folder so they do not clutter your desktop or documents.

Editing Your Recording After You Save It

Most screen recordings need trimming — you usually record a few seconds of setup before the actual content starts, and a few seconds after you stop. Built-in tools handle this differently. macOS Screenshot lets you trim in the preview window before you save, which is fast. Game Bar saves first, then you trim in a separate app.

To trim a Game Bar recording on Windows, open the Photos app, go to Videos, find your recording, click it, and click Edit. Use the slider to set the start and end points, then click Save a Copy. On Mac, open the recording in QuickTime, go to Edit, and click Trim. Drag the yellow handles to set the new start and end, then click Trim.

If you need to add captions, zoom in on parts of the screen, or layer multiple videos, use free software like DaVinci Resolve or paid software like Adobe Premiere. These are editing tools, not recorders, but they work with any video file your recorder produces.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. On Windows, Game Bar records the active window if you want — just click the window first, then press Windows key + G and record. On Mac, use Shift + Command + 5, click the fifth button (selected portion), and drag around the window. OBS lets you choose window capture instead of screen capture, which records only that window.

Does recording slow down my computer?

Screen recording uses CPU and disk write speed, so it can slow things down on older machines or if you are already running heavy applications. Built-in tools use less CPU than third-party tools. If your computer feels sluggish while recording, close other applications or lower the recording resolution in settings.

What if I want to record audio from my computer but not my microphone?

Built-in tools record both by default. On Windows Game Bar, click Settings, go to Audio and Video, and toggle the microphone off. On Mac Screenshot, click Options and uncheck Microphone. OBS lets you add only the audio sources you want, so you can record speakers without a microphone.

Can I record a video call without the other person knowing?

Legally, it depends on where you live. Some places require all parties to consent before recording; others require only one party to know. Check your local laws. Most platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams) show a notification when recording starts, and many require you to disclose it.

What is the best tool for recording a presentation?

For a straightforward presentation with slides and your voice, macOS Screenshot or Windows Game Bar works fine — record, trim, and upload. If you want to add captions or zoom in on specific slides, use Camtasia or OBS. If you are recording a live presentation with an audience, OBS gives you the most control over audio and video quality.