Screen recording is an extremely useful tool especially if you’re a video creator, want to be one, or want to share gaming or demonstrational content. While taking a screenshot in Windows 11 is simple, knowing how to record your screen on a desktop or laptop is not as straightforward. To learn how to screen record on Windows 11, follow these steps.
How to Make a Screen Recording
Recording your screen in Windows 11 allows you to capture anything that is happening on the screen, just like you would with a camera. You can record a process or something amusing that you want to share with others or save for later. Fortunately, Windows 11 includes a built-in application for screen recording, but there are other options.
Record Any Portion of Your Screen (Or the Whole Screen) With Screen Recorder in Snipping Tool
Snipping Tool is included with Windows 11 and is also available through the Microsoft Store. Snipping Tool can already capture an image from your screen, but it can now also select a portion of your screen and begin video recording:
- Simply type Snipping Tool into the Start menu search box to launch it.
- Press the Record button in the top toolbar, then New.
- Drag and drop a rectangle to indicate the portion of the screen you want to record.
- When you press the Start button, a 3-second countdown for your recording will begin.
- When you’re finished, press Stop. Your recording can then be copied into memory, shared via the Share dialog, or saved (it will be saved in the Videos folder by default).
This is the simplest method for recording your screen. However, there are some current limitations that you should be aware of:
- Audio recording and the “Spot Light” feature are not yet supported. You can, however, edit the video using a program such as Microsoft’s Clipchamp app.
- MP4 is the only format that is currently supported.
- There is no keyboard shortcut for Recording, as there is for Snipping (CTRL+Shift+S).
How to Screen Record on Windows 11 With Xbox Game Bar
The Xbox Game Bar is primarily intended for game recording. You can, however, use the tool to record a wide range of other programs, such as Office applications, to create screencasts. The steps are summarized in the following instructions:
- Start the program or game that you want to record.
- To launch Xbox Game Bar, press the [Windows] key + [G] key combination.
- To begin recording, press the record button (“Start recording”) or use the key combination [Windows] key + [Alt] + [R].
- To finish recording, press the Stop button (“Stop recording”) or use the key combination [Windows] key + [Alt] + [R] again.
- The recorded screen captures can be found in your Windows 11 user directory “C:UsersUSERNAMEVideosCaptures.”
Step-By-Step Instructions
The Xbox Game Bar, contrary to its name, is not a feature exclusive to the popular Microsoft game console. The tool functions as a bridge between Xbox and PC gamers, allowing users of Xbox, PC, and mobile devices to communicate, among other things. The most intriguing feature for PC users, however, is the ability to record screen activity.
In Windows 10, the Xbox Game Bar could already record the screen. It allows users to record images, videos, and audio from almost any program or game without the need to install additional software. We have summarized the most important steps for you in the sections below.
Step 1: Modify the Xbox Game Bar’s recording settings.
Before you begin a screen capture in Windows 11, check the current settings for recordings with the Xbox Game Bar and make any necessary adjustments. You can get to the corresponding menu by doing the following:
- Start the start menu.
- Select “Settings” from the menu.
- Select “Gaming” from the left-hand menu.
- Select “Captures” from the menu.
You can now specify where the video clips will be saved and change the following recording options:
- When you enable this function, the Xbox Game Bar’s recording function runs in the background without creating a clip. Only a key combination saves a recording of the last 30 seconds (optionally up to 10 minutes) in the recording folder.
- Maximum recording time: In Windows 11, the maximum length of a screen recording is configurable between 30 minutes and 4 hours.
- Capture audio when recording a game: You must enable this option if you want the sound of the game or program you are recording to be captured as well. You can change the sound quality (96-192 KBit/s) and the microphone and system sound recording volume.
- Video frame rate: Select whether you want to record at 30 or 60 frames per second.
- Video quality: When you enable the Game Bar’s “Standard” video quality, the tool adapts to the quality you’ve set in the game or program – up to 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels). At this point, select “High” for higher resolutions.
- Capture the mouse pointer when recording a game: When this option is enabled, the mouse pointer is captured during screen capture in Windows 11.
Step 2: Start the Xbox Game Bar.
Start the program or game that you want to record. Then, using the key combination [Windows] + [G], open the Xbox Game Bar.
Note
In Windows 11, you can access the screen capture tool via the search function (magnifying glass icon in the taskbar). Simply enter the search term "Xbox Game Bar" to do so. It should be noted that no application is selected for recording.
The Game Bar appears as an overlay over the active application, in this case, Microsoft Word:
The various functions and features of the Xbox Game Bar are referred to as widgets. The tool displays the widgets “Performance,” “Audio,” “Looking for Group,” “Xbox Social,” and “Capture” by default. In Windows 11, the latter is an essential tool for screen capture.
Step 3: Enable microphone recording.
Before you begin recording video with the Game Bar, consider whether or not you want to record the sound of your microphone. The microphone is disabled by default during recording, so you must turn it on to record sound.
Note
If you want to keep, the microphone muted, proceed to the next step.
To enable microphone recording, use the key combination [Windows] key + [Alt] + [M] or click on the icon with the crossed-out microphone in the “Capture” widget. To enable the microphone for the Xbox Game Bar, click the “Show me how to fix it” button in the following dialog:
You will be redirected to the Windows Privacy Settings automatically. Scroll down to the Xbox Game Bar entry and toggle the slider to “On”:
Turn the microphone recording on or off in the Xbox Game Bar at any time by clicking the microphone icon or pressing the [Windows] key + [Alt] + [M].
Step 4: Begin screen capture in Windows 11.
Now, press the Record button to start recording a video of your preferred program or game. You could also use the following key combination: [Windows] key + [Alt] + [R].
Note
The Xbox Game Bar allows you to take a screenshot of the currently selected application or game. Simply select the camera icon in the "Record" widget instead.
When you start recording, the stop button will appear instead of the recording icon. To stop recording, press it. The recording status is displayed in the Game Bar to show how long the recording has been in progress.
Step 5: Obtain the recording(s).
Recorded videos can be accessed at any time via the Xbox Game Bar Media Center. To do so, open the “Gallery” widget and click the “Show all capture” button:
You can watch recorded Windows 11 screen recordings in the gallery just like you would with any other video player. You can also rename or delete your recordings and view the location of the file(s).
How to Record a Screen with Audio in PowerPoint on Windows 11
Do you want to record a PowerPoint presentation? The software includes a feature that allows you to record your screen with audio. The main disadvantage of using PowerPoint to record your screen is that you are limited to recording only in PowerPoint. This is fine for some people, but if you want to record a meeting or a game, you’ll need to use something else.
To record your screen with audio in PowerPoint on Windows 11, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Find the recording feature.
Start PowerPoint. Look for the Insert button near the File option at the top of the program window. This will allow you to record your screen.
Step 2: Begin recording.
Select what you want to record by clicking the Screen Recording button. Once you’ve chosen the area to record, a toolbar will appear at the top of your slide. If you want to record your screen with audio, make sure to select the Audio button.
How to Use OBS Studio to Record a Video on Windows 11
OBS Studio is another popular screen recording software. It’s particularly popular among gamers because it doesn’t have the same restrictions as Game Bar. However, due to its complexity, it is not the most popular screen-recording software available. As a result, we don’t recommend it for people who are just learning how to screen record on Windows 11. It’s more geared toward Twitch streamers and can do much more than just record screens. Many people may find the additional features perplexing and unnecessary.
Step 1: Get and install OSB Studio.
Download and install OBS Studio on your PC.
OBS will ask you whether you want to optimize it for streaming or recording when you install it. If you do not intend to use OSB Studio for streaming, choose Optimize only for recording; otherwise, you will not receive the best recording features.
Step 2: Include a video source
After you’ve installed and launched the software, go to the bottom of the window and click the + icon. Select Display Capture and click OK to record a screen.
Step 3: Select a display
This is where you get to choose which monitor to record if you have multiple monitors. If you only have one monitor, you will only have one option. If the display exceeds the bounds of the canvas, your capture will be cut off, though this is unlikely if you’re just recording a presentation.
Step 4: Begin Recording
To begin the recording process, click the Start Recording button. When you’re done, click Stop Recording.
When you’re done recording, your videos will be saved to the Videos folder. They are saved as an MKV file by default, but you can change the Output setting in the Settings menu to save them as an MP4 or MOV file.
How do I record my screen with sound on Windows 11?
Click Windows Key + Alt + R to begin screen recording. You will now see a small recording widget with a recording timer and pause/stop recording buttons. You can also launch Game Bar and use the capture widget by pressing Windows Key + G.
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