How to Record Gameplay on PC

Recording your PC gameplay lets you capture your best moments, create tutorials, or share clips with friends. This guide covers the built-in Windows tools and free third-party options, with step-by-step instructions for each. You’ll need a PC running Windows 10 or 11, a game to record, and enough free storage space on your hard drive.

What You’ll Need

• A PC with Windows 10 or 11
• The game you want to record (installed and running)
• At least 10 GB of free storage space (more for longer recordings)
• Optional: a microphone if you want to include voice commentary
• Optional: a webcam if you want a facecam overlay

Step-by-Step

There are several ways to record gameplay on PC. Below are the most common methods, starting with the built-in Windows tool.

Method 1: Using Xbox Game Bar (Built-in, Windows 10/11)

1. Open the Game Bar: Press Win + G while in your game. The Game Bar overlay appears.
2. Start recording: In the capture widget, click the red record button (or press Win + Alt + R). A small timer appears showing the recording is active.
3. Stop recording: Press Win + Alt + R again, or click the stop button in the widget. The clip is saved automatically.
4. Find your clips: Open the Game Bar, click the “Show all captures” (folder icon) in the capture widget, or go to This PC > Videos > Captures. Clips are saved as MP4 files.
5. Adjust settings: In the Game Bar, go to Settings (gear icon) > Capturing to change video quality, frame rate, and audio recording options.

Method 2: Using OBS Studio (Free, Open-Source)

OBS Studio is a powerful, free tool that gives you more control over your recordings.

1. Download and install OBS Studio: Go to the official OBS Project website and download the installer for Windows. Run it and follow the setup wizard.
2. Set up your scene: Open OBS. In the “Sources” box, click the + button and select “Game Capture” (or “Display Capture” for the whole screen). Name the source and click OK.
3. Select your game: In the properties window, choose “Capture specific window” and select your game from the dropdown. Or choose “Capture any fullscreen application” to record any fullscreen game. Click OK.
4. Configure audio: In the “Audio Mixer” box, make sure “Desktop Audio” is on (captures game sounds) and “Mic/Aux” is on if you want your microphone. Adjust volumes as needed.
5. Adjust recording settings: Go to Settings > Output. Set “Recording Quality” to “High Quality, Medium File Size” (or similar). Set “Recording Format” to MP4 (or MKV if you want to avoid file corruption on crash).
6. Start recording: Click “Start Recording” in the bottom-right corner of the OBS window. When done, click “Stop Recording”.
7. Find your video: The file is saved in the location specified in Settings > Output > Recording Path (default is Videos).

Method 3: Using NVIDIA ShadowPlay (for NVIDIA GPUs)

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, ShadowPlay (part of GeForce Experience) offers low-overhead recording.

1. Install GeForce Experience: If not already installed, download it from NVIDIA’s website and log in or create an account.
2. Enable overlay: Open GeForce Experience, click the gear icon, and toggle “In-Game Overlay” on.
3. Open the overlay: Press Alt + Z in your game to bring up the overlay.
4. Start recording: Click “Record” (or press Alt + F9 to start/stop recording).
5. Use Instant Replay (optional): In the overlay, enable “Instant Replay” to save the last 30 seconds (or custom duration) when you press Alt + F10.
6. Find your clips: Recordings are saved in Videos folder under a subfolder named after the game.

Common Mistakes

• Recording the wrong screen: With OBS, if you use “Display Capture” and have multiple monitors, you might capture the wrong one. Use “Game Capture” or select the correct display.
• No audio: Forgetting to enable desktop audio in OBS or muting the game in Windows volume mixer results in silent videos.
• Low frame rate: Recording at 60 FPS but your game runs at 30 FPS will produce choppy footage. Match the recording FPS to your game’s FPS or lower it.
• Huge file sizes: Recording at very high bitrate (e.g., 50 Mbps) creates massive files. Use a moderate bitrate or a more efficient format like HEVC (if supported).
• Overwriting clips: Xbox Game Bar automatically names files with timestamps, but OBS will overwrite if you don’t change the filename or use automatic file naming.

Tips

• Use a dedicated storage drive: Recording to a separate SSD or HDD reduces performance impact and prevents stutter.
• Close unnecessary programs: Browsers, chat apps, and other software can consume CPU/GPU and cause lag during recording.
• Test before a long session: Record 30 seconds and check the video quality, audio sync, and file size before recording a full game.
• Use hotkeys: Learn the hotkeys for start/stop to avoid alt-tabbing out of the game.
• Consider a capture card for console: If you want to record console gameplay, a capture card (e.g., Elgato) is required, but this guide is for PC only.

Troubleshooting

• Game Bar doesn’t open: Ensure your game is recognized as a game. Some apps need to be added manually in Windows Settings > Gaming > Game Bar. Also check that the Game Bar is enabled in Settings > Gaming > Game Bar.
• Recording is black/blank: This often happens with Game Bar on certain games. Try running the game in windowed or borderless mode, or use OBS with “Game Capture” and set the capture method to “Windows 10 (1903 and up)” if available.
• Audio is out of sync: In OBS, go to Settings > Audio and set the sample rate to 48 kHz. Also, avoid using Bluetooth headphones (they have latency).
• Game runs slow while recording: Lower the recording resolution or FPS in OBS, or use hardware encoding (NVENC on NVIDIA, AMF on AMD) if available. Also, ensure your PC meets the game’s requirements.
• File is corrupted: If OBS crashes, the recording may be corrupted. Use MKV format instead of MP4 (Settings > Output > Recording Format) to prevent this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record gameplay without any software?

Yes, Windows 10/11 includes the Xbox Game Bar, which can record gameplay natively without installing anything extra.

What’s the best free recording software?

OBS Studio is widely considered the best free option due to its flexibility and features. Xbox Game Bar is simpler but less customizable.

Does recording affect game performance?

Yes, recording uses CPU/GPU resources, which can lower FPS. Using hardware encoding (NVENC/AMF) reduces the impact significantly.

How do I record my voice with the gameplay?

In Xbox Game Bar, click the microphone icon to enable mic audio. In OBS, add a “Audio Input Capture” source or ensure the Mic/Aux channel is active.

Can I record in 4K?

Yes, if your GPU and storage can handle it. In OBS, set the base resolution to 4K and the output resolution to 4K. You’ll need a fast SSD and high bitrate.

Where are my recordings saved?

Xbox Game Bar saves to Videos\Captures. OBS saves to the path you set in Settings > Output (default is Videos). ShadowPlay saves to Videos.

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