You need to show someone what happens on your screen by doing certain operations or maybe film your gaming session. Are you looking for the right way to do it and get great results without too much hassle and without buying expensive software? You will be surprised to find that there is a way! Below I show you just how to record your pc screen for free, both with and without sound, on Windows, Mac, and even Linux. The first two operating systems have standard functions that allow you to film what happens on your desktop, while for the third, there are various solutions both online and as programs.
You can thus create videos if you need to show an error that appears and send it to technical support, create tutorials on programs, or even record your games which you can then send to friends and upload to Youtube, Twitch, etc.
In today’s article, I will show you several ways to make your screen videos, each ideal for a particular purpose. We will also see how to use them; I assure you, there is nothing complicated: you will see that it is straightforward! Ready? Well, let’s go!
Record the computer screen without programs
In reality, you cannot film the screen without using special software capable of capturing the video and saving it in a file with the correct extension. However, today you don’t have to go looking for them, which maybe you pay for, but you can use the features that the latest operating systems integrate as standard and are also free.
Both macOS and Windows have features that can perform this task, and I assure you that with both OS, you can get genuinely excellent quality results. Also, online services allow you to record what you see and are really simple to use.
So unless you’re looking for features and special effects to add to your movie, you don’t need to look for professional programs.
RecordCast: record screen with audio and webcam for free
RecordCast is the most convenient solution to record your screen: it is online software that requires neither installation nor specific settings. It works on Google Chrome and is used entirely on the internet.
To record the screen with RecordCast, you need to:
- Log in to recordcast.com using Google Chrome
- Click on the Record Free Now button
- Select whether you want to record screen only, webcam screen, or webcam only
- Choose whether to include audio and source
- Start recording
Once you are ready, press the stop button, and you can download your video or edit it directly online on RecordCast.
The great thing about this site is that it gives you so many options to choose from. Not only can you make videos with audio, but also record screens and webcam simultaneously to create those videos with the reactions that now go so much on various social networks.
Plus, having the online editor, you don’t need to look for other programs to edit and edit videos because here, you have all the tools you need. You can add lettering, transition effects, elements or icons, change backgrounds, and more.
You can use RecordCast for free without signing up, but the free version has a recording limit of 5 minutes and maximum quality of 480p. If you create your account, you will have up to 12 saved projects online to access and edit whenever you want—all great. I wish there was a brief RecordCast ad intro that was only removed in the paid plan.
This costs $ 3.99 and allows you to make recordings of up to 30 minutes, unlimited projects, movies in quality up to 1080p, custom logo, and intro subtract.
Pulling some things, RecordCast is the perfect program for Youtubers who want to create video tutorials on software, games, and everything else that can be done online.
Programs to record the PC screen
If the above methods are not for you or do not allow you to create the videos you want, then you can resort to software created specifically for screen recording.
The advantage of these programs is that they have many additional tools with which you can achieve better and more professional results. In short, they give you much more functionality and freedom in the recording.
Doing a quick search on the internet, you will see that there are really many, but I want to recommend what are the two solutions, in my opinion, the best of all those I have tried.
OBS: free program for video recording and live streaming
If you are looking for professional software, then you must try OBS. OBS stands for Open Broadcaster Software and is an open source software created for video recording and live streaming. It works on Windows, Mac, and even Linux and is free.
You can download it directly from the site and install it on your PC. Once installed, the first time you open it, a window asks you if you want to optimize OBS for live streams, for recording only, or if you will use a virtual camera. Choose the option that interests you most, and the program will apply the best settings for that purpose. At this point, you just have to select the resolution of the frame, and the setting is complete: OBS will do some minor tests, and in about 1 minute, it will be ready to be used.
You must first add a video source to record a computer screen with OBS. To do this, click on the + (plus) button in the Sources section and choose whether you want to capture the whole screen, a single window, your browser, or one of the other options. The great thing is that you can choose multiple sources and switch between them very quickly while recording.
Once ready, play Start recording and create your movie. OBS also records audio, so you can use your PC’s microphone or a dedicated one to talk.
When you are done, click the stop recording button, which will be saved in the default folder. If you can’t find it, you can go there by clicking on File> View Recordings. The standard format in which it is saved is .mkv, but you can also convert them to .mp4 if you are more comfortable or want to open them in other programs that do not support this type of File.
In short, OBS is professional software that is more complicated than RecordCast. Compared to it, it gives you many more tools for recording, but you can’t edit. The other point in its favor is that it can be used offline.
QuickTime Player for Mac and Windows
The third way we see is valid again for those with a macOS operating system on which the default QuickTime video player is installed. This is a program that I hardly ever use when it comes to watching movies (better VLC), but in this case, it is beneficial and does a fantastic job if you want to record your Mac screen.
Again, it’s all straightforward, and you need to open the QuickTime Player app, after which go to the File menu item and select New Screen Recording. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard commands Shift + Command + N.
If this is the first time you want to record your screen, your Mac may first ask you to give QuickTime Player permission to record the screen from system preferences. If so, click on the button Open system preferences and put the check next to the app. The system will ask you to close the program and reopen it for the changes to take effect.
Once you have completed the procedure and granted the authorization, follow the instructions just seen to start the registration, and you will see that you will see practically the same screen that opened with Snapshot. This makes the extra step a little unnecessary. Still, it’s useful to know this method because you can also use QuickTime Player to make audio and video recordings using your Mac’s webcam and microphone, so it’s helpful if you want to make mixed movies.
When to use dedicated software
I showed you several ways to record a PC screen without additional programs since the functionality is already in your OS. However, what is available to you is not always sufficient for the purpose. Or maybe you have Windows, but the configuration does not allow you to use the Xbox Game Bar for recording.
In these cases, you need to use third-party programs that record your fencing and allow you to use extra functions. Among all those present, I recommend OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software), a free program available for both Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Although free, it is a semi-professional level software, ideal for those who want to stream their games on platforms such as Twitch or Youtube.
It also allows you to record the PC screen with audio so that you can speak and explain the various steps when filming a tutorial.
In short
Being able to film what you see on your computer and save the movie directly on your PC is very convenient. If you were to use your smartphone to record, the result would not only be of poor quality but also unprofessional.
Whether it’s to make a tutorial, a game, or to film an error, especially when the video is large, sending large files over the internet is much easier on a PC than on a mobile phone.
Today I showed you how several speedy and easy-to-use solutions. If you still have doubts, curiosities or suggestions, do not hesitate to leave a comment.
