What screen recording is and which tool to use

Screen recording captures everything that happens on your monitor—your cursor, windows, videos, clicks—and saves it as a video file you can watch, edit, or share later. Most computers come with a built-in screen recorder already installed, so you likely do not need to read anything.

Windows 10 and 11 have the Xbox Game Bar, which works on any process. macOS has Screenshot, built into the system menu. Both are free and take about 30 seconds to learn. If you need more control—like recording just one window, adding a timer, or editing the video afterward—third-party tools exist, but start with what your computer already has.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users open Xbox Game Bar by pressing Windows key + G, then click the record button; macOS users press Shift + Command + 5 and select "Record Entire Screen" or "Record Selected Portion."
  • Your recording saves automatically to a folder on your computer—on Windows it goes to Videos > Captures, on Mac it goes to your Desktop by default.
  • Built-in tools record audio from your microphone and system sound at the same time, so test your microphone before you start.
  • If the built-in recorder does not meet your needs, third-party tools like OBS Studio or Camtasia offer more features but require installation and learning time.

How to screen record on Windows

Press Windows key + G to open Xbox Game Bar. A small menu appears in the upper left corner of your screen. Look for a circle icon labeled "Record" or a microphone icon to control audio. Click the record button to start.

While recording, a timer shows how long you have been capturing. You can minimize the Game Bar window and keep working—the recording continues in the background. To stop, press Windows key + G again and click the stop button, or press Windows key + Alt + R as a shortcut.

Your video file saves automatically to C:\Users\[Your Username]\Videos\Captures. You can open this folder from File Explorer and play the file in any video player. The file is an MP4, which works on phones, tablets, and most editing software.

How to screen record on macOS

Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the screenshot and recording menu. A toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with six buttons. The fifth button (a rectangle with a dot inside) records the entire screen; the sixth button records only a selected area. Click the one you want.

If you choose to record the entire screen, click "Record" in the bottom right. If you choose a selected area, drag to draw a box around what you want to capture, then click "Record." A countdown appears, then recording begins. A red dot appears in the menu bar to show recording is active.

To stop, click the red dot in the menu bar or press Control + Command + Esc. Your video saves to your Desktop as an MP4 file by default. You can change where it saves by clicking "Options" in the recording menu before you start.

Recording audio at the same time

Both built-in tools capture system sound (what plays from your speakers) and microphone sound together. Before you record, test that your microphone works: open Settings, search for "Sound," and speak into your microphone while watching the input level move.

On Windows, Xbox Game Bar shows a microphone icon in the recording menu. Click it to toggle your microphone on or off. On macOS, the recording menu shows "Microphone" with a dropdown—select which microphone you want to use, or "None" to record system sound only.

If you are recording a presentation or tutorial, position your microphone close to your mouth to reduce background noise. Test a short 10-second recording first and play it back to check the volume is loud enough.

Finding and playing your recorded video

On Windows, open File Explorer and go to Videos > Captures. You will see all your recordings listed by date. Double-click any file to play it in your default video player. If you want to move the file to a different folder, right-click it and select "Cut," then navigate to where you want it and "Paste."

On macOS, look on your Desktop for a file named "Screenshot [date] at [time].mp4" or check your Downloads folder if you changed the save location. Double-click to play it in QuickTime Player, which is built into macOS.

Video files are large—a 10-minute recording is typically 500 MB to 1 GB. If you plan to email it or upload it, you may need to compress it first using free tools like HandBrake or your operating system's built-in compression.

When to use third-party recording tools

The built-in recorders work well for most tasks: recording a tutorial, capturing a video call, or saving a demonstration. They are fast to start and do not slow down your computer.

You might want a third-party tool if you need to record multiple monitors at once, add a webcam feed in a corner of your video, edit the recording when ready after, or schedule recordings to start at a specific time. OBS Studio is free and popular for streaming or complex recordings. Camtasia costs money but includes built-in editing. Both require installation and take longer to set up than Xbox Game Bar or macOS Screenshot.

Start with your computer's built-in tool. If it does not do what you need after a few tries, then explore third-party options.

Troubleshooting common problems

The recording is choppy or stutters: Close other programs running in the background. Recording uses CPU power, and if your computer is already busy, the video will skip frames. Restart your computer and try again with only your browser or one process open.

The audio is too quiet or missing: On Windows, check that your microphone is not muted in Sound Settings. On macOS, make sure you selected a microphone in the recording menu and not "None." Test your microphone in Settings before recording again.

The file will not play: Try opening it in a different video player. Windows Media Player, VLC, or QuickTime can usually play MP4 files. If none of them work, the file may have been corrupted—try recording again.

I cannot find where the video saved: On Windows, search for "Captures" in File Explorer's search bar at the top right. On macOS, press Command + Space, type the filename or "Screenshot," and press Enter. Both will show you where the file is.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

On Windows, Xbox Game Bar records the entire screen. On macOS, press Shift + Command + 5, then click the sixth button to select a specific area or window before you record. If you need to record one window on Windows, use OBS Studio or Camtasia instead.

Does screen recording slow down my computer?

Built-in tools use very little CPU power and should not noticeably slow you down. If your computer is already running many programs, you may see a small slowdown. Close unnecessary applications before recording if you notice stuttering.

Can I edit the video after I record it?

Yes. Windows comes with the Photos app, which can trim the beginning and end of a video. macOS has iMovie, which is more powerful. Both are free. For more advanced editing, use DaVinci Resolve (free) or Adobe Premiere (paid).

What if I want to record a video call or streaming service?

Built-in tools work fine for this. Some streaming services may have terms against recording their content—check their policy first. For video calls, tell the other people you are recording and get their permission.

How long can I record for?

There is no built-in time limit on either Windows or macOS. You can record for hours if your hard drive has space. A one-hour video takes roughly 3 to 5 GB of storage, so check how much free space you have before starting a long recording.