Your whole screen may be recorded and turned into video with the finest free screen recorders. There are several excellent apps that are free to use whether you need to record content for job, school, gaming streaming, YouTubing, or you just want a screen recorder for gaming.
Even while many of the top screen recorders come with cutting-edge capabilities and expensive effects, if you’re a maker on a tight budget, you don’t have to shell out money. Free screen recording programmes can provide just as much functionality without annoying restrictions.
Consider the following factors while selecting the best free screen recorder:
+ Simple setup and usage – Make sure the video recording software doesn’t interfere with your workflow and is easy to set up and use.
+ Resolution: The top free screen recorder programmes will produce expert, high-definition films.
+ Format: Not every screen recorder is created equal. For Zoom meetings, for instance, free game recording tools may not be the ideal option.
+ Output — Even free screen recorders need to include a selection of file types, including MP4, MOV, and even GIFs.
The top free screen recorders for Windows 10 and Mac right now were chosen after a variety of free, inexpensive, and premium screen capture applications were evaluated. We evaluated accessibility, use-case, and capture quality.
Utilize the finest free video editing programmes to create the final cut.
Which is the best free screen recorder?
The top free screen recorder and streaming application we’ve tried is OBS Studio. The free programme can record everything that happens on your desktop as well as video from your camera and sounds from a microphone. It can also be used to create picture-in-picture videos. You have the alternative of saving captures in the format of your choosing or streaming them using the service of your choice with this free screen recording programme.
It was one of the top free screen recorders for Windows 10 for a while, and now that Windows 11 has a revamped Microsoft Store, you can download it straight away if you’re testing out the company’s newest operating system.
OBS Studio is a great option for both pros and gamers, but it’s important to find the alternative free screen capture programme that suits your requirements the most. So, if you simply need to record a few minutes of video, simpler free screen recorder software could work just as well for you.
There is something on this list that will work for you, whether you’re creating an on-screen instructional, a Let’s Play video, or capturing a video conference session.
1.OBS Studio
OBS Studio is unquestionably the greatest free screen recorder for you if you’re seeking for free game recording software. OBS Studio is open source and totally free to use without any limitations, unlike the immensely popular FRAPS (which only allows you to record for 30 seconds at a time unless you’ve purchased a licence, and puts a watermark to the produced film).
There are no limitations on the quantity or duration of your works with OBS Studio, which allows both high definition streaming and recording. You may save projects and return to them later, broadcast live to Twitch or YouTube Gaming, or encode your video in FLV format and store it locally.
OBS Studio has customised hotkeys to manage the recording and can record straight from your graphics card, allowing it to screen capture games that are running in full-screen mode (many other screen recorders can only record if the game is windowed). OBS Studio can record at 60FPS and fully use multi-core CPUs for better performance (or even higher)
All those wonderful features, however, come with a high learning curve. Newcomers could struggle with the often confusing UI. We encountered a few bugs and irritations while evaluating OBS Studio “and although it has a lot of options to support you in producing excellent video, it may seem a little overwhelming when you first use it. Simply get used to the interface.
” We suggest taking a look at Streamlabs for a more straightforward version of OBS Studio (opens in new tab).Even still, it’s a little complaint for otherwise excellent free screen capturing software. OBS Studio is by far the greatest free screen recorder for gaming, albeit it may take some time to configure it precisely as you want.
2.Debut Video Capture
One of the greatest free screen recorders, at least for home users, is NCH Software’s Debut Video Capture. Commercial customers will need to purchase a lifetime licence or a subscription, which is at the lower end of the price range when compared to comparable products from competitors.
Debut is a cross-platform screen recording application that lets you record the display of your computer as well as other attached and compatible devices. And, for the most part, it provides the experience you would anticipate.
In our testing, we found that the screen recording programme performed well, enabling users to easily record audio and video from a variety of sources.
Although the UI has a dated appearance, it has a tonne of functions and customization possibilities. The screen recorder programme records each of the specified devices independently, which makes editing much simpler later. But other than cutting, Debut doesn’t provide many editing features; you’ll need to use video editing software for that.
The device has a drawback. We regrettably ran across a significant problem on the Mac when testing Debut Video Capture—we couldn’t figure out how to directly capture the system audio. Except for capturing it with a microphone, which produced far inferior quality, every alternative we explored was unsuccessful. On a PC, we did not run across this issue.
The programme is available for free download for non-commercial use, or you may purchase the Home version ($35) or the Pro edition ($40 for both personal and business usage). For $3.33 every month, you may also subscribe to get Pro.
3.ShareX
You can record screens and take still screenshots using the open-source tool ShareX without worrying about watermarks or time limitations, but because the user interface isn’t the most user-friendly in the world, keyboard shortcuts are the best option. For easy reference, pressing Shift + Print Screen will start a recording, and pressing Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen will stop it once again.
This free screen capture application also allows you to save your capture as a GIF rather than a video file, which is far more convenient for posting on message boards and social networking.In addition to being one of the finest free screen recorders, ShareX can also capture a whole scrolling website, extract text using OCR, and schedule screen captures.
The capability to instantly upload your grabbed images and videos to a file-sharing or social networking website is another of its greatest features. You may go through a wide variety of possibilities on the project’s website.
Because it doesn’t enable capturing still or video captures from games that are running in full-screen mode, ShareX isn’t the finest free screen recorder for gaming, unfortunately. Other than that, it’s a fantastic screen recorder and will be of great use to you.
4.EaseUS RecExperts
One of the top screen recorders for Windows and Mac is EaseUS RecExperts. It is fast, simple to use, and jam-packed with expert screen-capture tools.
The ease with which RecExperts collects your screen, camera, system noises, and audio from built-in and USB microphones wowed us when we evaluated the app. Additionally, choosing what to record is easy during setup.
The free screen recorder has a lot of uses, including capturing games, webinars, and presentations in up to 4K/60fps.
Although we gave the tools and features good marks, we thought the editing capabilities lacked. Basic choices after recording your clip include cutting, watermarking, and adding intros and outros. It’s kind of like FlashBack Express here.
The major problem, though, is the restriction placed on the free version.
Recordings on RecExperts are limited to one minute without a membership. The superb recording scheduler and other helpful utilities are blocked by that barrier. So great for rapidly demonstrating to a buddy or workmate how to carry out a certain operation, but not for lengthier movies.
5.FlashBack Express
Users may get a watermark-free screen recorder for their PC for free from FlashBack Express. We discovered that the tools perform just as anticipated. When you’re ready to start recording, there is a large “Start Recording” button on the interface, which is simple and straightforward to comprehend.
Additionally, you have the option of simultaneously recording your camera and screen as well as outside sounds. You may even trim the area you want to capture, or simply choose a certain window.
There are restrictions (after all, it’s free), such the recording size (it can only be 720p), and your post-editing options are almost nonexistent; the only thing you can do is cut the beginning and finish of your movie.
We felt this to be the software’s true weak point throughout our evaluation, stating that “calling it editing is a rather liberal way of referring to cutting. You may just cut the beginning and finish of your recording, that’s correct. There are no other choices available to you. You can see why FlashBack Pro could seem like a good choice at this stage.
When it comes to exporting, you may publish directly to YouTube in addition to using the typical online storage services like Google Drive and DropBox. The file may also be saved to your PC.
One of the top free screen recorders available is FlashBack Express if you need to capture anything fast and don’t mind the lack of bells and whistles.
6.Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder
The purpose of Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is obvious. The programme provides a unique way to record your computer’s screen: you may capture and manage recordings right from your browser. It includes the screen, camera, microphone, and system audio. Theoretically, it makes sense and would turn this tool into a cross-platform one.
Sadly, in reality it doesn’t function as well. We ran into difficulty after problem when testing the free screen recorder online on both a Mac and a PC. We concluded from our review that “it records well when it works, but the file format creates issues.”
Absence of default.
It’s fantastic in a pinch – if you can get it functioning – but we don’t believe it’s ready for prime time since it’s too glitchy in its present incarnation. It has mp4 outputs, no editing capabilities, and ultimately means. That’s unfortunate since its claim of being a simple internet screen recorder is intriguing.
ApowerREC, a screen recorder programme for Mac and PC, is also provided by the business. Most of the issues we had with the online version are now resolved. However, the free trial only allows you to record one-minute films, much like EaseUS RecExperts.
You’ll need to purchase a lifetime licence, sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription, or both to create longer recordings. For frequent users, the lifetime licence provides the greatest value since the one-time cost includes eternal free updates and technical support.
7.Screencast-O-Matic
One of the greatest and most effective free screen recorders available online for use in your browser is Screencast-O-Matic. The maximum duration of a recording is 15 minutes, but you are free to record as many clips as you like, zoom in while recording, cut your clips, add captions, save them to your computer’s hard drive, YouTube, or the cloud, share a video link, or add one of 30 royalty-free music tracks. For low-end PCs, this free screen recorder works well.
Hit “Launch free recorder” after selecting “Start recording for free.” The screen recorder won’t open until you download and install a little web launcher, much as with Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder.
Hit the red button once your screen is ready and the recording window is the appropriate size for your requirements (it may capture the whole screen or just a specific section). You may record video from your screen, a camera, or both, as well as audio from your computer or a microphone.
You may get more capabilities by upgrading to a Deluxe account, including scripted recordings, drawing and annotation tools, a video editor, and (perhaps the most helpful feature) the capacity to create subtitles using text-to-speech automatically.
Although there are a number of powerful screen recording programmes available, Screencast-O-free Matic’s version also has a lot to offer.The only major drawback is that until you upgrade, recordings are watermarked, but if that’s not a concern, this free screen recorder is well worth a try.
How to choose the best free screen recorder for you
You may always give each of these top-notch free screen recorders a try and decide which one works best for you. Even if you are new to screen recording, the majority of choices are quite simple to use.
But it’s simpler if you know what you’re going to record in the beginning. For example, will you be using a screen recorder for YouTube, a professional video camera for meetings, or even game recording software to stream?
Choose if you want specialised software of the highest calibre, such as OBS Studio, or whether recording from your browser will do. Next, think about the devices you’re recording from. There are several screen recorders available for Windows and Mac, as well as Android and iOS applications. The finest free screen recorders can also easily record video from webcams. Perfect for webinar hosts and broadcasters.
Finally, consider long-term application. If you anticipate outgrowing free choices, a package that enables an upgrade to a screen recorder without watermarks, such as FlashBack Express or Debut Video Capture, can be worthwhile.
How we test the best free screen recorders
We assess the user experience, performance, output, audience, and usage when we examine the top free screen recorders available.
Users should be able to start recording their screens with little to no assistance, even if the learning curve is severe. We check the outputs’ quality after export, checking the video resolution, file types, and general performance for delays or stuttering.
Software that is advertised as free must really be free. Users shouldn’t have to deal with confusing prices and additional costs.
The finest screen recorders are flexible tools that enable you record anything, from meetings to games. Although we acknowledge that each screen recording software may have been created with a particular objective in mind, we evaluate these tools according to how effectively they serve, for example, professionals working in a corporate setting or YouTube producers and broadcasters.