How to Screen Record on Windows

On Windows 11, press Win+Shift+R (or open Snipping Tool and switch to Record), drag an area and click Start. On Windows 10, press Win+Alt+R to record an app with Xbox Game Bar. Or record any screen with audio right here in your browser.

Jump to the step-by-step guide

Online Screen Recorder

ReadyTurn on your camera, mic or screen below

Choose a recording source

Start a new scene from one source or combine screen and camera.

New scene

Turn on your camera or mic above

Screen recording on a Windows PC

Windows has several screen recorders built in, and the right one depends on your version and what you’re recording. Windows 11’s Snipping Tool records any part of the screen. Xbox Game Bar, on Windows 10 and 11, records one app or game at a time. Clipchamp and PowerPoint can record too. Here’s how each works, how to include sound, and when a browser recorder is quicker. The steps are the same on a desktop PC or a laptop.

How to screen record on Windows 11 with Snipping Tool

Open the recorder

Press Win+Shift+R in recent versions of Windows 11. Or open Snipping Tool from Start, switch to Record (the video camera icon), and click New.
Select an area

Drag a rectangle over the area you want to record. To capture the whole screen, drag from one corner to the opposite corner.
Turn on sound

If your version shows microphone and system audio buttons in the recording toolbar, turn on the ones you need. Update Snipping Tool from the Microsoft Store if they’re missing.
Start and stop

Click Start. After a short countdown, recording begins. Click Stop when you’re done.
Save the video

The recording opens in Snipping Tool. Recent versions also save it automatically to Videos > Screen Recordings; otherwise click Save to keep it as an MP4.

Screen record on Windows 10 or 11 with Xbox Game Bar

Xbox Game Bar is designed for games but works with most apps, and it’s the main built-in option on Windows 10.

Open the app or game you want to record and click into it.
Press Win+G to open Game Bar and click Record in the Capture widget, or skip the overlay and press Win+Alt+R.
Press Win+Alt+R again, or click stop on the small capture bar, to finish. Recordings are saved as MP4 in Videos > Captures.

Game Bar records one app window at a time and can’t record the Windows desktop or File Explorer. Turn your microphone on or off with Win+Alt+M. The maximum recording length is set under Settings > Gaming > Captures.

Other built-in options: Clipchamp and PowerPoint

Clipchamp

Clipchamp, Microsoft’s video editor, comes with Windows 11 and includes a screen and camera recorder. Start a new video, open the record option (Record & create), and choose to record your screen, your camera or both. The recording drops into your project so you can edit it before exporting. Clipchamp needs you to sign in with a Microsoft account, and each recording has a length limit.

PowerPoint

If you have PowerPoint, open a presentation and go to Insert > Screen Recording. Choose Select Area, drag over the screen, and click Record. Press Win+Shift+Q to stop. The video is placed on the slide; right-click it and choose Save Media as to save an MP4.

How to screen record on Windows with audio

There are two kinds of sound: your microphone, and system audio (everything your PC plays). Here’s how each tool handles them:

Snipping Tool: recent versions have microphone and system audio buttons in the recording toolbar. Older versions record video only.
Xbox Game Bar: records the app’s sound. Add your voice with Win+Alt+M.
recorder.video in Chrome or Edge: share your entire screen and turn on Also share system audio to capture everything your PC plays, or share a tab with its audio. Your microphone is recorded alongside, with noise suppression.

Record your PC screen in the browser

The online screen recorder at the top of this page works on any Windows 10 or 11 PC or laptop in a modern browser, with no install or account. Unlike Game Bar it records the desktop and any window. Unlike Snipping Tool it adds a webcam bubble, pause and resume, a pen to draw on the recording, trimming, and MP4, WebM or GIF downloads. There’s no watermark and no time limit, and recordings stay in your browser.

Click Screen and choose an entire screen, a window or a tab. For sound from your PC, choose the entire screen and turn on system audio in the picker.
Leave the camera running for a face bubble, or turn the Camera button off. Pick your microphone from the mic menu.
Press Record or R, pause with P, and stop when you’re done. Trim the scene and download MP4, WebM, audio only or a GIF.

Troubleshooting Windows screen recordings

There’s no sound in my screen recording

In Snipping Tool, check the audio buttons are on, and update the app if they’re missing. In Game Bar, turn the mic on with Win+Alt+M. In the browser, the system audio option only appears when you share an entire screen, and browsers can’t capture audio from a single window. Also check the right input is selected under Settings > System > Sound.

“Gaming features aren’t available for the Windows desktop or File Explorer”

Game Bar shows this when the desktop or File Explorer is in focus, because it only records apps. Use Snipping Tool on Windows 11, or the browser recorder on Windows 10, to record the desktop.

The video is black

Streaming services and other copy-protected video usually record as black. That’s the protection working, not a fault with the recorder.

Where are screen recordings saved on Windows?

Snipping Tool: Videos > Screen Recordings in recent versions. Xbox Game Bar: Videos > Captures. PowerPoint: inside the presentation until you use Save Media as. recorder.video: in your browser until you download, then in your Downloads folder.

Which Windows screen recorder should you use?

Windows screen recording methods compared
Method	Windows	Records	Audio	Best for
Snipping Tool	11	Any area or the full screen	Mic and system (recent versions)	Quick clips
Xbox Game Bar	10 and 11	One app window	App sound and mic	Games and single apps
PowerPoint	10 and 11	A selected area	Audio option	Clips for a presentation
recorder.video	10 and 11	Screen, window, tab and webcam	Mic plus system or tab audio	Tutorials, demos and video messages

On Windows 11, Snipping Tool is the quickest way to grab part of the screen. On Windows 10, or whenever you want your webcam, the desktop and system audio in one recording, use the browser recorder.

Recording questions

What is the shortcut to screen record on Windows?

Win+Shift+R starts a Snipping Tool screen recording in recent versions of Windows 11. Win+Alt+R starts and stops an Xbox Game Bar recording on Windows 10 and 11.

How do I screen record on Windows 10?

Snipping Tool on Windows 10 can’t record video, so use Xbox Game Bar (Win+Alt+R) to record a single app. To record the desktop, several windows or your webcam too, use a browser recorder such as recorder.video in any modern browser.

How do I screen record on a laptop?

A laptop runs the same Windows, so the same tools and shortcuts work. Make sure the right microphone is selected, and plug in for long recordings.

How do I screen record on Windows with system audio?

Recent versions of Snipping Tool have a system audio button, and Game Bar records the app’s sound. In Chrome or Edge, recorder.video can record an entire screen with system audio plus your microphone.

Why can’t Xbox Game Bar record my desktop?

Game Bar only records apps and games, not the Windows desktop or File Explorer. Use Snipping Tool on Windows 11 or a browser recorder instead.

Can I record my screen and webcam at the same time on Windows?

Yes. Clipchamp can record screen and camera together, and recorder.video records your screen with a webcam bubble, side by side or stacked, and saves each source separately.

How long can a Windows screen recording be?

Game Bar has a maximum length you can change under Settings > Gaming > Captures, and Clipchamp limits each recording. recorder.video sets no limit; it’s bounded by the storage your browser allows the site.