How to Record Gameplay on PC?

How to Capture Gameplay on PC: 5 Best Ways for Gamers and Streamers

Want to share your favorite moments in games but can’t decide what to use to record gameplay? You can find all kinds of game recorders for both amateur and professional streamers out there. They offer different functions: capturing the webcam feed while playing, recording voice comments and game audio, etc. But the set of tools is not all you should consider. You need to make sure the selected program performs well on your computer to avoid crashes.

There’s no need to spend hours surfing the net in search of a suitable recorder. You can find the best 5 ways in this guide, including built-in and third-party programs, free and paid software. Whether you need to capture something simple like Minecraft gameplay or graphically demanding shooter or racing games, you’ll discover a suitable solution.

We’ll also show you how to record game play on PC step by step. These detailed guidelines will help you capture your achievements and hilarious moments in top quality. As a bonus, we’ll give tips and answer some frequently asked questions so you can record games with no performance or quality loss. So, get ready—the game is about to begin!

How to Screen Record Gameplay on PC: Game Bar

Windows 11 and 10 have a native screen recorder—Game Bar. This is a free tool that lets you capture screen activities with ease. You can adjust the recording quality and choose to capture your microphone audio or not. But keep in mind that it doesn’t have a webcam recorder. In general, this program only offers basic recording options. If that’s enough for you, then this is how you can record gameplay on Windows 10 or 11:

1. Use the Windows key + G shortcut to launch Game Bar. Then select "Yes, this is a game".
2. Hit Start Recording to begin the screencasting session. Alternatively, you can press Win+Alt+R.
3. When you need to stop recording, press Windows + G to bring up the Game Bar panel and hit the red button.

How to Record Video Games on PC Using Clipify

Clipify is an automatic video editor that features a powerful screen recorder. It allows you to capture webcam feed, activities on the screen, and both system and microphone audio. This is one of the best Windows screen recorders, and for good reason—Clipify has no time limits.

To avoid lags and crashes, you can also select the needed GPU acceleration in Clipify: Nvidia, Intel, or AMD. This will ensure a smooth game recording even on a low-end computer. Want to give it a try? Then follow these simple steps:

Step 1. Install Clipify on Your Computer

Use the button below to download the video editor on your PC. Follow the setup instructions and launch Clipify. Create a new project and open the screencasting window by clicking Capture Screen Video.

Step 2. Capture Gameplay on PC

There are various settings you can customize. To record yourself playing video games, don’t forget to check the Capture Webcam option. If you don’t want to make a gaming video with your face in the corner, uncheck the setting and record a video with webcam separately. You should also decide whether you want to capture the system and microphone audio. Clipify also lets you highlight the cursor, set custom hotkeys, etc.

Once your settings are ready, hit the Start Recording button to begin the screencasting process. It will start after a 5-second countdown.

Step 3. Save the Created Video

When you’re done, hit the Stop button to stop gameplay recording. Click Create Video to export the file. If you plan to upload it to YouTube, pick the ready-made saving preset. Customize it if needed: change the file size, resolution, and so on.

Your game is over, but the fun is only about to begin! If your recording seems raw, follow these tips to create attention-grabbing videos. Voice over a video, add epic background music, and emphasize funny and dramatic moments with sound effects. Make your gameplay footage stand out with 180+ effects, from 3D to Pan&Zoom effects. Use Clipify’s beginner-friendly Chroma Key tool to instantly change the background of a video. Add your logo, censor personal information, overlay a video on a video, and more!

How to Record Gaming on PC with ShadowPlay

Screencasting with Nvidia ShadowPlay is a user-friendly way to record a gaming video for YouTube. You can include webcam footage and change where your webcam view is—this helps you avoid covering important UI elements.

Also, this tool lets you capture audio from both the game and the microphone. However, some users complain that ShadowPlay crashes every now and then. Plus, it’s available only for computers with an Nvidia graphics card. If you have the card required for ShadowPlay, you can check out these instructions:

1. Press Alt + Z to launch Nvidia ShadowPlay. If this doesn’t work, you probably don’t have installed GeForce Experience. Download it from Nvidia's website and try using the same shortcut again.
2. Open Settings and scroll all the way down until you find Privacy Control—then, enable Desktop Capture. Go to the Recordings settings and choose the destination folder. Customize other settings if necessary.
3. Hit Record and click Start or press Alt + F9. Use the same shortcut to stop recording.

How to Record Game Clips on PC Using OBS Studio

There’s also a free tool that you can try—OBS Studio, or Open Broadcaster Software. It is quite popular video game recording software among livestreamers. Many users choose it as an open-source recording program with lots of customization options. Whether you need to select the audio input sources or adjust the video resolution, you can do it with this tool.

However, OBS Studio is much harder to use in comparison to other solutions. Even though you don’t need to invest much money, you might need to invest some time to figure out how the program works. Some functions might also require plugin installation. If you’re on a tight budget and you don’t mind a steep learning curve, follow these guidelines:

1. Launch the software and hit the '+' button under 'Scenes'. Next, name the new scene (something like Screen Recording).
2. Open the Sources window and select the needed mode. Choose Display Capture to capture the entire screen. To record 3D games with high performance, use the Game Capture option. If you want to know how to record webcam and gameplay separately or simultaneously, open Video Capture Device to adjust the settings.
3. Go to Settings and choose Output. Then select a file format and your encoder settings.
4. Switch to the main window and hit Start Recording. When the game is over, you need to click the Stop Recording button.

How to Record Steam Games with Steam Recorder

Using the recording feature on Steam is a practical way that many gamers prefer. You don’t need to spend your time on complicated setup or mess around with extra programs. You only need to change your Steam client to participate in beta builds. Then the new Game Recording tool will show up in the settings. But this solution won’t suit you if you need customization and editing tools. Now let’s see how you can record Steam gameplay:

1. Open Steam Client, select Settings, and choose Game Recording. To launch the tool while playing, you need to open Overlay and go to the Game Recording tab.
2. In Game Recording Settings, personalize the shortcut keys, pick a folder for storing the recordings, choose the audio source, etc.
3. The program showcases the recording progress, playback and clipping tools, timeline events, and timeline markers. You can adjust the captured game footage by dragging the end points or using the Start and End Clip buttons.
4. After you save your video, you’ll find it with a yellow bar on the timeline. Then you can export your recording as a video file.

FAQ on Recording Gameplay on PC

• What do I need to record a game while playing on PC?

  You need a standard screen recorder or a dedicated gameplay recorder. For example, many streamers who use Steam create recordings with the built-in feature. But for more functions and editing tools, it’s better to use a powerful screencasting program such as Clipify or OBS.

• What do YouTubers use to record gameplay?

  YouTubers usually prefer software that lets them capture gameplay in HD quality. If you’re a beginner, you can start with simple built-in tools like Game Bar and ShadowPlay. This helps you get the hang of screencasting and see exactly what advanced features you need. Then you’ll be able to choose more professional software with ease.

• What is the best recording software for gaming?

  One of the best ways to record gameplay on a laptop or PC is by using Clipify. It’s a beginner-friendly video editor with a powerful screen recorder. In addition to standard customization options like resolution and audio adjustment, you can also set your computer’s GPU acceleration. It helps you avoid performance issues which are important to consider—playing and screencasting simultaneously is rather demanding for any device.

• How do I record gameplay on Mac?

  If you prefer macOS, you can create your video game clips using QuickTime. It’s pre-installed on your computer, so you don’t have to download the app. To use its screen recorder, you need to navigate to File and select New Screen Recording.

How to Record Game Footage on PC: Summary

Capturing moments of glory or hilarity is a good way to share your opinion and emotions about the games you play. Whether you consider it your hobby or a new path in your career, the 5 best screen recorders from this guide can give you a hand.

So, what’s the best way to record gameplay on PC? This depends on your personal preferences and needs. To create a standard recording for friends, the functionality in the built-in Game Bar or ShadowPlay is pretty much enough. If you want to record professional-looking gameplay footage, use more advanced software. For example, Clipify lets you customize the recording sessions to your convenience and edit the videos. OBS Studio is also a good option, but this program is a bit difficult to use.

Eager to get started? Return to the exciting alternate reality of your game and launch the best screen recorder for a worry-free experience!