Windows has a built-in screen recorder you can open in seconds

The fastest way to record your screen on Windows is to use Xbox Game Bar, a tool built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. Press Windows key + G to open it. A small menu appears in the top-left corner of your screen. Click the red circle icon (or press Windows key + Alt + R) to start recording. Your screen captures everything — windows, tabs, cursor movement, audio from your speakers, and microphone input if you turn it on. When you are done, press Windows key + Alt + R again to stop. The video saves automatically to your Videos folder in a subfolder called Captures.

If Xbox Game Bar does not open, your Windows version may not have it, or it may be turned off. You can also use the Snipping Tool in Windows 11, which includes a video record option — search for "Snipping Tool" in the Start menu, open it, and look for the video camera icon. Both tools are free and require no read or setup.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Windows key + G to open Xbox Game Bar, then click the red record button or press Windows key + Alt + R to start recording.
  • Your recording saves automatically to the Videos\Captures folder on your computer — you do not need to choose a location.
  • Xbox Game Bar records everything on your screen, including audio from speakers and your microphone if you enable it.
  • If Xbox Game Bar is not available, use the Snipping Tool in Windows 11 or read a third-party recorder like OBS Studio.
  • Stop recording by pressing Windows key + Alt + R again, and the file appears in your Captures folder within seconds.

How to find and play your recording after you save it

After you stop recording, Windows saves the file as an MP4 video. Open File Explorer and navigate to Videos > Captures. You will see all your recordings listed by date and time. Double-click any file to play it in the default video player on your computer. The file name includes the date and time you recorded it, so older recordings appear lower in the list.

If you want to move the file somewhere else — to your Desktop, a USB drive, or cloud storage — right-click it, select Cut or Copy, then navigate to where you want it and paste it. The file is a standard MP4 video, so you can email it, upload it to YouTube, or edit it in video software like Windows Photos or a third-party editor.

Adjusting what gets recorded and what does not

By default, Xbox Game Bar records your entire screen and all audio playing through your speakers. If you want to change this, open Xbox Game Bar (Windows key + G) and look for the settings icon (a gear) in the menu. Click Settings, then select Captures. From here you can turn microphone recording on or off, adjust audio volume levels, and choose the video quality (higher quality means larger file size).

You can also record just one window instead of your whole screen. Open the window you want to record, then open Xbox Game Bar and make sure that window is active (click inside it). The record button will now capture only that window. This is useful if you are recording a tutorial and do not want to show other open tabs or notifications.

When Xbox Game Bar does not work or is not available

Xbox Game Bar requires Windows 10 (version 1909 or later) or Windows 11. If you have an older version of Windows, or if the tool is disabled on your computer, you have two other options. The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 includes a video record feature — search for it in the Start menu, open it, and click the video camera icon. It works the same way as Xbox Game Bar but with a simpler interface.

If neither tool works for you, read OBS Studio, a free, open-source screen recorder that works on any Windows version. Visit obsproject.com, read the installer, and run it. OBS is more complex than Xbox Game Bar but gives you more control over quality, file format, and what parts of your screen to record. For most people, though, Xbox Game Bar or the Snipping Tool is enough.

Recording just audio without video

If you only need to record sound — a voice memo, a Zoom call, or background music — you do not need a screen recorder. Windows includes the Voice Recorder app, which captures audio only. Search for "Voice Recorder" in the Start menu and open it. Click the microphone icon to start recording, and click it again to stop. The file saves as an M4A audio file in your Recordings folder.

For recording audio from your speakers (like a Zoom call or YouTube video), Voice Recorder will not work because it only captures your microphone. In that case, use OBS Studio or a dedicated audio recorder like Audacity (free, from audacityteam.org). Both can record what is playing through your speakers.

File size and storage space

Screen recordings take up disk space quickly. A one-minute recording at standard quality is roughly 50 to 100 MB. A one-hour recording can be 3 to 6 GB. Before you record something long, check how much free space you have. Right-click your C: drive in File Explorer, select Properties, and look at the "Free space" number. If you are running low, delete old recordings or move them to an external drive before you start a new one.

If your recording is too large to email or upload, you can compress it using video editing software, or you can upload it to cloud storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox and share a link instead. Windows Photos (built into Windows 11) can trim videos and reduce file size — open the video in Photos, click Edit & Create, and select Trim.

Recording with a webcam or external camera

The tools described above record your screen, not a live video feed from a webcam. If you want to record yourself talking while your screen plays in the background — for a tutorial or presentation — you need different software. OBS Studio can do this: it lets you add your webcam as a layer on top of your screen recording. Open OBS, add a Display Capture source (your screen), then add a Video Capture Device source (your webcam), and position them however you want before you start recording.

Alternatively, use Zoom or Microsoft Teams to record a meeting or presentation. Both apps record video, audio, and screen share in one file. If you are not in a meeting, you can use the built-in Camera app in Windows to record video from your webcam, but it does not let you add a screen recording at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. Open the window you want to record, then open Xbox Game Bar (Windows key + G) and make sure that window is active. The record button will capture only that window. This is useful if you have multiple windows open and only want to show one.

Where do my recordings save, and can I change the folder?

Recordings save to Videos > Captures by default. You can move them after they are saved, but Xbox Game Bar does not let you choose a different save location. If you need a custom folder, use OBS Studio instead, which lets you pick where files go before you record.

Can I record audio from a website or app playing on my screen?

Yes. Xbox Game Bar records all audio playing through your speakers by default. If you also want your microphone, open Xbox Game Bar settings and turn on microphone recording. Both will be captured in the same file.

What if my recording is choppy or stutters?

Close other programs running in the background, especially ones using a lot of CPU or memory. Lower the video quality in Xbox Game Bar settings. If you are recording a game or demanding app, reduce the screen resolution or frame rate. OBS Studio gives you more control over these settings if you need it.

Can I edit my recording after I save it?

Yes. Open the file in Windows Photos (built into Windows 11) or any video editor. Windows Photos lets you trim the beginning and end, adjust brightness, and add music. For more advanced editing, use free software like DaVinci Resolve or Shotcut.